2015 NMS Passat

2015 NMS Passat TPMS?

I can't seem to get 100% clarification on a new set of wheels for our passat. Do our US versions have the TPMS air sensors in the wheels themselves or do ours use the ABS sensors to monitor wheel speed to detect anomalies in the air pressure to trigger the dash light ? Searching the forums wasn't clear on this and when looking for wheels the various website vendors give conflicting accounts of need/not need for TMPS in wheel.

Vw only used the sensors in 2009 as a patch job to meet the TPMS requirement until they could get the ABS based system certified in the US, which happened in 2010.

The NMS passat does not use the sensor system, it uses the ABS system.

I have a 2013 with the ABS based system, and frankly, were I given the choice, I think I would have taken the sensor based system instead. This system works, but the lack of pressure readout makes it seem crude by comparison, in that you never can tell what pressure is actually in the tire . . .

Actually, I dont think Vw's sensor based system displayed the pressures either.

I know my 09 Jetta didnt.

I would rather not have the expense of four $150 sensors every 4 years or so.

Thanks for the clarification

Fixmy59bug said:

I would rather not have the expense of four $150 sensors every 4 years or so.

Click to expand...

I actually tend to agree, but you can find the sensors for about $60 (if you don't buy them from a dealer) and my sensors are now about 7.5 years old and still functioning. I expect them to fail one of these days, but they are still working, for now. If I still own the car when they fail, I will just switch to the ABS TPMS method.

Have Fun!

Don

From what I've read it is that if your valve stems are rubber, then you do not have sensors.

My Cherokee has TMPS. You can rebuild these (corroded/cracked/leaky stems etc) for dirt cheap, at $5 per, kits available @ Amazon. Or buy a whole new one for ~$30 (Doorman @ Amazon). But they are PITA, especially when not negotiating properly with ECU.

I like the ABS-sensor-based system more, it alerts you to a problem and that's all you really need.

"If I still own the car when they fail, I will just switch to the ABS TPMS method."

Great idea, here is the procedure to toggle between sensor and ABS-based TPMS :

1) Sell car with sensor-based TPMS
2) Buy new car with ABS-based TPMS

Mark SF said:

"If I still own the car when they fail, I will just switch to the ABS TPMS method."

Great idea, here is the procedure to toggle between sensor and ABS-based TPMS :

1) Sell car with sensor-based TPMS
2) Buy new car with ABS-based TPMS

Click to expand...

Actually for a 2009 TDI, this is the procedure: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=301756
There is no need to sell or buy a car, just change some coding with VCDS. I have done this for other people but have not yet needed to do it for my car. As long as you have the correct ABS controller, it will work.

Have Fun!

Don

My 2010 has the sensors. When I got a second set of rims I bought a set of four brand new sensors for about $120 through a vendor on VWVortex.

I prefer sensors to the ABS system because it is more accurate, and if all four tires are low the ABS might not trigger.

What I don't like about the sensors is that you don't have any kind of readout of pressure or what wheel it is. Also, if you get a flat and put the spare on you will have the TPMS light on until you fix the flat. This means you have no idea what is going on with the other tires.