Smart Car of America Forum banner

Can TPMS be disabled?

4896 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Hardybob
Just wondering about replacement options. I tow my Smart behind a motorhome, and I use an aftermarket TPMS system on it with a receiver display in the motorhome to be sure I am not dragging the car with a flaming shredded tire for miles unknowingly. The sensors for this system are small external screw-on units with replaceable battery inside. This setup has performed well for me for years.

The auxiliary receiver works well and gives me a continuous nicely lit LED display of all tire pressures and temps at the valves continuously updated. I use it in the car as well and have a much better handle on actual tire pressures than the factory TPMS does.

So my question is, if/when the OEM sensors reach their end life, can I just not install new sensors, or just use regular valve stems, and disable the Smart TPMS? I like my aftermarket one much better, and if it fails, I can replace the whole system for the price of two factory sensors. I really hate it when the manufacturers put in "improvements" that tie us to their expensive and not so wonderful systems. Kind of like ink jet printer ink is the most expensive liquid in the world, so are factory TPMS systems and entertainment systems and electronic displays when they crap out.
End of editorial.
1 - 1 of 8 Posts
I suspected as much. And it appears Mercedes/Smart would have to be involved with their proprietary computer mother ship reprogrammer if they could do it, which I doubt they would. I don't have to deal with any safety inspections so the best advice I heard is to put a piece of tape over the dash warning light if/when I delete the OEM sensors, and go on in blissful ignorance.
Not really, you still have the valve stem mounted remote TPMS system on your SMART with the display in your motorhome.

PS nice talking to you on the phone about your add-on TPMS system.
1 - 1 of 8 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top