[ZPrime]

Yeah, seems like maybe they somehow put in the wrong sensors, or they were part of a bad batch or something.

They certainly do know what the correct ones are to use, since again... all 4 of mine are fine. Surprised Tirerack has given you this much of a runaround on it.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

Yeah, seems like maybe they somehow put in the wrong sensors, or they were part of a bad batch or something.

They certainly do know what the correct ones are to use, since again... all 4 of mine are fine. Surprised Tirerack has given you this much of a runaround on it.

I don't feel like Tirerack has given me a runaround; they have been supportive and have sent me 4 new sensors to try out, with no additional cost or deposit.

I do think that they either put the wrong sensors in the tires, or failed to test them before assembling the wheel & tire packages. Optimistically, this will all be resolved on my next visit to the dealer in a bit less than 3 weeks. I don't know enough about the technology involved to know how difficult it was to make whatever mistake that was made.

[Lotus99]

Originally Posted by champignon

I don't feel like Tirerack has given me a runaround; they have been supportive and have sent me 4 new sensors to try out, with no additional cost or deposit.

I do think that they either put the wrong sensors in the tires, or failed to test them before assembling the wheel & tire packages. Optimistically, this will all be resolved on my next visit to the dealer in a bit less than 3 weeks. I don't know enough about the technology involved to know how difficult it was to make whatever mistake that was made.

This theory should be easy to test. Take a picture of the new sensors, make sure you write down their part #, and see the old ones are the same or not, once they come out.

Thanks for your post.

[boostm3]

Originally Posted by champignon

I have a mid-course update on the TPMS problems with my car.

I was out of town for a month, so all I could do was to wait for an appointment with the dealer on my return. In the interim, I contacted the Tire Rack and told them that everything I had read indicates that the problem is with the sensors they installed (and charged me for) in the 4 snow tires. I asked them to send me 2 spare, working, sensors, that I could take to the dealer on my upcoming visit so that the dealer could both diagnose and fix the problem in one visit. I dropped the car off and was given a loaner.

An hour later I was called by the SA and told that ALL FOUR sensors in the tires were defective, and that there was no point in replacing two of them as this would just be a waste of time; I should get the remaining two and make another appointment to have all 4 sensors replaced. I asked the SA if they could test the 2 spare sensors I had been sent, so as to assure that they were functional, which they did, and I was told that they were OK.

I contacted the Tire Rack again and they have sent two more sensors. Owing to my need to get snow tires on yet another car (VW R) before it starts to snow in the mountains, I can't take the M2 back in to fix this problem until mid-November (I live 160+ miles from the dealer, most of the time).

Hopefully, the next visit in to the dealer will be the last one for this issue. It is hard to believe that the Tire Rack could possible send out 4 defective sensors in one set of 4 tires; seems to defy the odds. What seems much more likely to me is that the sensors initially installed were functional, but not compatible with the car, and that they are intended for cars other than a 2018 M2.

At least your dealer agreed to install NON BMW sensors! Believe it or not, my dealer basically said FU, theyre not touching them!

[champignon]

Originally Posted by boostm3

At least your dealer agreed to install NON BMW sensors! Believe it or not, my dealer basically said FU, and they wont install or diagnose non bmw sensors!

The SA told me that the BMW sensors cost about $130 EACH; OUCH!

[champignon]

Originally Posted by Lotus99

This theory should be easy to test. Take a picture of the new sensors, make sure you write down their part #, and see the old ones are the same or not, once they come out.

Thanks for your post.

Good Idea, I'll try to do that.

[champignon]

There was a lot of delay in my getting this problem resolved, mostly due to a long European trip, plus the dealer being located at a distance away from my home. I finally was able to go in a couple of days ago, with the 4 new sensors that Tire Rack sent me. The dealer replaced the sensors, which apparently requires that the tires be removed from the wheels, and all 4 of the replacement sensors worked. The dealer billed me $131 for 1 hours time, which I felt was totally fair, plus they gave me a loaner car to drive for the day, which was very helpful.

I called the Tire Rack and they have now picked up the defective sensors, and agreed to reimburse me for my expense with the BMW dealer, also more than fair.

I took some photos of the replacement sensors before installation, however I cannot locate them on my cellphone. I also took pictures of the original, just removed, sensors, which clearly have "BMW" printed all over them. My assumption is that either all 4 sensors originally installed were defective (seems a bit hard to fathom), or possibly, the sensors originally installed were for an earlier version of the BMW TPMS, and erroneously installed by Tire Rack into the snow tires bound to be installed on the M2.

In any event, although I wasted a lot of time on this problem, my cost will be covered, and the nuisance appears to be over.

[tokki]

Thanks for documenting all this for others to note!

[champignon]

By way of further follow-up, the Tire Rack did refund my $131 spent at the BMW dealership, and they covered all of the expenses of getting the new sensors to me and picking up the old ones. I inquired after they got the original sensors back as to what they had found. I was told that only 1 of the sensors was defective, which doesn't square with what the BMW dealer found.

In any event, all is well now and no more idiot light on the dash and in the I-Drive system every time I start up the car.