I have a new (600kms) outlander LS 4wd w/convenience package. Canadian model and it has aluminum wheels. I'm a firm believer in winter tires from November to April here in Calgary. Does anyone know where to get a set of correctly fitting steel wheels (ie.offset, hole diameter and bolt pattern) online? Also, can the TPM system be turned off by me? by the dealer? I don't think I want to buy a new set of sensors for the new wheels, so I would just turn the reciever off in the winter or completely yearround... I check tires regularly.
thanks.

 

1010tires has a website..not sure about canadian tire

 

5-114 bolt pattern. Found it on www.tirerack.com

 

Is there a concensus on how the TPS stuff reacts? I don't mind the warning light through the winter, but would like it to go out when I remount in the summer. Is it a blinking yellow warning, I wonder? That's more annoying.... I have that now with the interior dissassembled and the FAST reciever apparently unplugged (seems to rely on a plug on the rear passenger side cargo area panel). It blinks yellow and beeps... it would be annoying all winter long.

 

I doubt you will find a way to disarm the TPMS without reprogramimg one of the onboard control modules. TPMS is required by US government as a part of the TREAD act. Fallout from the Firestone / Explorer tire fiasco. You would likely have to pick up four new sensors from Mitsubishi to put in your steel wheels to keep your light turned off. If you want to test the light in the dash, just let some air out of one of your tires until the light comes on and see what it does (it may seem obvious but, make sure you have air to put back in before you do this). You will have to drop at least 25% below the recomended air pressure level before the light will come on.

 

Can you just use a second set of TPMSs?

I've heard that they are 'paired' kind of like Bluetooth

 

Good tip Fisherman... I should have thought of that.

One of my concerns is that the dealer said it 'may' need to be recalibrated when you swap between wheels - even if they have sensors. That would mean a dealer visit. He wasn't sure because they hadn't dealt with it yet. He seemed cool too (not trying to drum up business or scare me - he even said to go to Tire Rack instead of buying 16" steel wheels from him).

 

Nope, the TPMS sensors all have unique numbers. Every time you switch to different sensors the car has to be recalibrated. The dealer is the only place that can calibrate them, and most dealerships are not very knowledgeable about the system (yet). They'll charge you 30 minutes to 1 hour labor to calibrate.

The warning that you get on the center cluster is similar to what you see when you get the low fuel warning. It is annoying, but not so bad that you can't live with it for a while. I doubt there is any way to bypass the warning.

 

So if you just dealt with the warning during the winter, it would go away once you put the summers back on - without visiting the dealer. I can live with that I suppose.

 

Correct.