WTF! Tire Pressure Monitor Standard????!!!

[E55 KEV]

Just got a Chrysler 300 Brouchure. To my surprise it list "Tire Pressure Monitoring System" for all models expect base 300 under "Standard Equipment" with "late availability". That is hard to believe - it is not listed under "Options". That would be terrible if early buyers do not get that for the same base price or does that mean the base price is due to increase soon when that is added. Hmmmmm?!

http://www.e55amg.com/chrysler300/300_features_1.jpg

http://www.e55amg.com/chrysler300/300_features_2.jpg

[DMAG]

Good question Kev. But, I somehow doubt they'd do a mid-year price increase because of that. Generally, companies shy away FROM price increasese during a model's first year.

Wasn't there legislation going through that tire pressure monitoring systems were to be installed on every car manufactured for sale in NA? Even if its just an idiot light?

[TehKing]

http://nhtsa.com/cars/rules/rulings/TirePresFinal/execsum.html

[DMAG]

Jeez Matt...Cliff Notes? :D

[E55 KEV]

Heres a video with Tire Pressure Monitor info:

www.dcxmediaservices.com/videoptrs/wms/dctv/Mar04/300C_SUVPS_P2_300k.wvx

[mouserider]

Definitely "LATE AVAILABILITY" because I don't have one in my car and I found out the hard way.

Good thing is that the ContiSeal tires on the 300C work well. I don't know when I hit that nail, I only realized there was a problem when I noticed that one tire was slumping more than the others and found that there was almost no pressure in it. The car was running perfectly and felt no different FROM fully-inflated tires.

I think it is a bad thing to have self-sealing tires and not have a TPMS and I hope that Chrysler will consider installing the system INTO cars already purchased when the system becomes available.

I'd rather not have to pay for it but I will if I have to, I personally feel it's pretty dangerous not to have one with these advanced tires.

[hemi dawg]

The owners manual makes lots of references to a tpm system so you know it was in the original plan. Haven't there already been at least two price increases on the 300c?

I know for a fact that a $500 boost hit around July 19, just before I bought.

[mouserider]

The TPMS is still not available, it doesn't SHOW up in any of their literature and my dealer and I couldn't find it listed in their systems for the currently shipping cars.

I got my 300C in late April.

I just called Chrysler Customer Service and they said they didn't have any information as to when the TPMS would be available and if there would be a refit for models that shipped without it.

EDIT: I just sent an email as well to Chrysler.

I know for a fact that I drove the car and it felt rock solid and there was very little measurable pressure in the tire. I can't even tell how long I've been driving at highway speeds with a compromised tire, that's what concerns me.

So I think it can be a serious safety issue to have self-sealing tires and not have a TPMS.

These tires are supposed to keep you safe when a minor tire compromise happens so you can go get it fixed. If there is nothing to tell the tire's been compromised, it doesn't buy you any advantage at all to have such tires.

[bri]

i've installed the smartire II system on my audi and it's fantastic, if not slightly aftermarkety looking (http://www.savingpictureas.com/~bri/pics/TireMonitor?page=2) and has saved my butt on many occasions.. the cost in march of 2003 was:

1 Smartire G2 4-tire Strap sys. In Stock $229.00
1 Smartire G2 Remote LCD Display In Stock $49.00
1 Smartire g2 sngl strap sensor In Stock $50.00
1 Smartire g2 mounting strap In Stock $8.00


the extra sensor and strap for the full-size spare, of course.. tire guy charged maybe $50 to put them in when he put new tires on my car, the rest of the install i did myself..

just an option for those who may want something better than an idiot light..

[mouserider]

According to what I've seen FROM Chrysler materials, there are two flavors of TPMS for the 300s, an idiot light version and an advanced version that goes INTO the vehicle information system in the dash.

If this is going to be a no-go FROM Chrysler, I may have to consider aftermarket as you've listed.

I feel like I have half a working system, I'll take the idiot light as opposed to nothing at all at this point.

Do you have a picture of the remote LCD display? The spare in the 300C is not full-sized I believe, will the system accommodate measuring a 60psi spare?

[bri]

i don't know about monitoring the donut spares, can those be disassembled for installation of the monitor? the monitor clamps to the inside of the wheel, around the flats between the bead contacts.. the transmitters can read up to 78psi, so that's not a problem, my concern would be taking that wheel assembly apart..

pictures of the system in action can be seen on the link i posted above ("slightly aftermarkety looking") and you can look at the system on their page, here:

http://www.smartire.com/products/passenger/howitworks.html

[IDSmoker]

Another option would be the system FROM Intellivalve (http://www.intellivalve.com/). According to Consumer Reports, they are easier to install, since they simply REPLACE the tire's air valve (as I understand it).

Has anyone tried to use a TPM with "self-sealing" tires? I don't know if it would make a difference or not. I'm sure you should probably warn your tire guy before HAVING the sensors installed though.

[mouserider]

I'm hoping that even with self-sealing tires, I'd get the system to alert me of lowered pressure when the tire is compromised.

I'm going to wait for a response FROM Chrysler before I make a move.

I'll keep everybody posted.

[hemi dawg]

Let's hope that mouserider's email gets some response FROM Chrysler lawyers and they reccommend retro-fitting all of us with the system that was clearly in the original tire design.
Today I spoke with my dealer's "technical expert" on the 300c (a proven idiot by the way as he swore that synth oil is NOT approved even though the manual says that it is) and he says that you can tell if a chrysler has tpms by the silver tire valve stems (we all have black stems)

[C4me]

Hemidawg - the valve stems for all monitor systems that Chrysler has had ARE silver ... that is because they are metal. 8)

The other stuff he has wrong is .... uhm wrong.