My car was in storage for the summer and I would just pump it up occasionally. Today I took it to see if the bead was bad or if it had a nail in it or... My valve sensor was cracked and I needed a new one. Being me, AFTER it had been replaced to the tune of $98 dollars, I asked if we could not just put in the old fashioned valve stems without the electronics. The mechanic said, if we put in an old style valve stem, the low tire light would be on all the time. And, btw, the sensor on the passenger side needed replacing too. So? How much would the old style valve stem cost? FIVE DOLLARS plus installation. Hmmmmmm I would have to check my tires occasionally like in the good old days by walking around the car or spend another $98 for each sensor that went out. What to do...?
My wife's car has that same problem. She didn't want to foot the bill for the electronics so the thing beeps at us when we start it up, and it has a light that blinks while we're driving.
My wife's Juke has a piece of electrical tape for the winter. We run studs and swap spring and fall. Didn't spring for the extra pressure sensors. Her doesn't ding or flash so the tape works.
You must all have brand new cars. Ours are 2011 and 2013 models but neither has pressure sensors. We'd just run flat without warning.
My guess is that he takes a small piece of the tape and covers up where the sensor light comes on. It doesn’t change anything that is happening, but it blocks you from seeing it.
I like the low-tire warning light! It doesn't tell me which tire is low, because they're all within 2-3 PSI of the recommended 36 lbs pressure, so I just unscrew the valve caps on all of them, check 'em with my hand gauge, and pump up the one that's low with my bicycle pump! Hal
I just bought a 2019 Mazda that has all that stuff on it. Modern upgrades are tough to avoid (I was upset when I couldn't get hand-crank windows anymore.) Regarding flats: I've lived in areas with lots of construction. I can't count the number of flats I've had. It's quelled.
I bought a tire compressor on Amazon and I can't tell you how great it is!!!https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DKXQFWT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Runs off the car battery. with the crazy way they seem to make tires now, we use it often. I have a '96 Dodge truck and I don't think we have ever even put air into the tires past what was in when we bought it. On my cars bought in the past few years, beads (?) break contact, stem sensors crack and leak....
My 2013 truck shows me the pressure of each tire. If one goes low a yellow tire symbol lights up and the diagram showing the position starts flashing the current pressure. The 2013 Juke only has a yellow tire symbol alerting that "a" tire is low. I then have to default to low tech methods to determine which one. The sticker is not sticking my head in the sand. All of us being seniors have driven most of our lives, without the caution light nanny, with very few problems. People living in lower latitudes don't have the added joy of needing to own a second set of tires. Many get around with all season,but then I see many in the ditch. There has never been a winter that I haven't sat on the shoulder of the road, with some hapless ditch bound driver keeping them warm while waiting for a tow. When we buy a car, I order a set of steel rims mounted with studded snows from "Tire Rack", the one set normally lasts as long as we keep the car, about 7 years. The sensors cost approx 25 bucks per tire so I don't get them thus the tape. I may be a few dollars behind , but the ability to swap in my driveway,sure beats the aggravation of getting an appointment and have them mounted and balanced each year.
I think that most people who live where snow/studded tires are necessary probably keep two sets, and swap twice each year. When I lived in North Idaho, we had a tire place called Les Schwab’s Tires, and if you purchased your tires from there, then they would swap out for you each year for free. Since they had both new and used tires, it was affordable for just about everyone to get their tires there, and that was where I got mine. The company operated in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; so any time you had trouble with tires, you could go to the closest Les Schwabs and get it fixed, and usually got a discount from them, or at least good work for a decent price. My Mazda pickup was only 2WD, so I always put studded snow tires on all four wheels, and a couple bales of alfalfa in the back for extra weight over the back axle.
A similar thing happened with the brakes on my truck. At least 1 of the 4 Anti-lock Braking System sensors went out. The symptom was a sudden shudder/vibration, and lack of control, when you applied the brakes. But not every time, only occasionally. They said the only way to tell which one, was to have the incident happen while they were testing it, so their suggestion was to replace all 4 sensors at a cost of around $1200 (I believe that's what they said). One of the mechanics took me aside and said just pull out the fuse for the ABS and showed me which fuse it was. The ABS light is on constantly now, as is the CHECK ENGINE light. I just ignore them. The brakes work fine. However, I expect if I ever have to get the brakes replaced they may refuse to do it without insisting the sensors be replaced also. Could be I'm wrong.