Tire Pressure monitor

I was doing some research on Alldata (a service/repair program we use at work (I'm a mechanic)) and it says there is a TPMS in each tire. Checked Car Quest Auto parts and they list a TPMS for the vehicle. I'll bust down one of the summer tires tomorrow to see if there is a sensor or not. First time I drove this car in the snow I thought for sure I'd wind up in a ditch. Low rolling resistance tires have the worst traction and that's why I got the winter tire set. Had them on my Jetta TDI and they were great in the snow.

CWD said:

First time I drove this car in the snow I thought for sure I'd wind up in a ditch. Low rolling resistance tires have the worst traction and that's why I got the winter tire set.

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Agree! I opted for a set of chains I leave in the hatch in the winter. On the west coast we don't always get snow in the city so investing in winter tires might be a little much but this year I sure needed these to get in and out of my back lane! I think they were $35.
http://www.peerlesschain.com/tire-chain-finder/traction/tirechains/649

Sorry off topic i know

campfamily said:

Magnetoreluctance said:

Many newer cars have switched to wheel speed instead of in-wheel sensors for TPMS, but the FFE is not one of them.

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Really? Didn't know that. In fact, I was under the impression just the opposite was going on, that early systems were wheel speed driven, but then with better batteries coming on, individual sensors were implemented. Far more accurate, plus you could also give a specific reading of pressure, rather than just a flag that something was wrong.

If everybody goes to wheel speed sensors, what will the tire shops do for an extra fee to replace the $7.50 charge to "rebuild TPMS"?

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Yep, our new Mazda doesn't have sensors. If a tire shop is charging a fee for holding the reset button, I'd definitely complain.

campfamily said:

Magnetoreluctance said:

Many newer cars have switched to wheel speed instead of in-wheel sensors for TPMS, but the FFE is not one of them.

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Really? Didn't know that.

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Yup, if you have an OBD app like FORScan, you can use it to see the individual pressure readings from the FFE's four TPMS sensors.

Well I brought a summer tire to the shop. Busted down the outside bead and sure enough there is a TPMS. The one tire I had replaced when I got the car did not have a TPMS so I figured it used the WSS like so many new cars are doing. My bad. So I guess if I get a set of TPMS my tire warning should go away. $50 each or more.

TPMS is $42 each at TireRack
http://www.tirerack.com/tpms/results.jsp?autoMake=Ford&autoModel=Focus+Electric&autoYear=2013&autoModClar=

You might need the roughly $35 reprogramming tool. Pretty certain the ICE Focus and FFE use the same TPMS system. I didn't put winter tires on the FFE - in four years of Chicago winters never needed them. However, I have snows for our 2012 Focus ICE. You only have to program the sensors ONE time. You don't have to pair them each time you swap the tires. The car remembers the sensors somehow for the winter and summer tires. I've made the change 10 times now on the Focus - it worked every single time.

The programming is really strange and complicated even with the tool. I remember it took me about 5 tries before I got the hang of it. The procedure is like, press this button, then this one three times, get out of the car, spin around three times counterclockwise, then press the program button, press this other button, then rub your tummy and pat your head in opposite directions. Repeat for the other three wheels.

And you discovered the reason why I opted to buy the TPMS sensors for the winter tire set - you can't disable that silly alarm. I think you might be seeing the random time Ford sets off the alarm if you don't have sensors installed.

TomEV said:

I am surprised that there is no individual tire reading at all times. I think is standard in most models by now?

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Individual readings are available if you use an OBD reader and ForScan.