Issue with TPMS and Review of Pirellis
 

K ive had the stock 17s 235 55 17 pirelli scorpions...1 tire had a slow leak coming from an old plug...had it double plugged, still slow leak, decided to get new tires. Went with Pirelli Pzero Nero 235 55 17 right off the bat, these tires are softer (ride is less bumpy) and quieter (granted the tires i replaced had 45k miles and was wearing okay. Now my issue with the tpms is the light has come on obviously from the 1 slow leak, filled up a couple of times and resetted with the button on the center console. Today i changed the tires at work...to my suprise NO sensors in the wheels?! So of course on my way home from work, tpms light comes on, i recheck tire pressures everything is at my set psi...hold the button to reset tmps and light still stays on. My question is where exactly are the sensors??

i don't have the manual for my X3 on hand, but this is covered there. the X3 (at least until '06, not sure about '07 and beyond) uses the ABS system (relative tire rotation speed) to drive the TPMS, so there are no separate sensors on each wheel...

If you have a '04 like your sig states, you have a Flat Tire Monitor, which depends on ABS sensors that measure the relative speeds of 4 wheels. If you have checked all your tire pressures and reinitialized the system properly and still get a warning, perhaps something is wrong with the ABS sensors.

I think I might be trying the Pirelli Neros next. They weren't available in the P235/50R18 size, or else I would have gotten them. I have a new set of Kumho Ecsta SPTs, which were rated highly for summer tires, and cost a lot less. The ride also got better, despite the upsize and summer rubber. I thought it was a win-win situation: less cost, summer performance, better ride. Then I tested out the handling and pushed the X3 through some corners. Bad news: the tires totally ruined the at-the-limit handling. Now I'm wary of trying out passenger tires on a SAV :eek: