Nissan Frontier Forum banner

Can you change the tire pressure sensor?

8K views 25 replies 15 participants last post by  D189379 
#1 ·
I'm just wondering if you can adjust the tire pressure setting. I ran the stock tires on my SE at 35psi like the door sticker says, but they wore really badly in the center of the treads. The outside edges of the treads were still looking good.

I replaced all 4 tires recently and want to run them at about 32psi, but obviously the tire pressure light is on. Can I change the sensor to 32psi? I'd like the sensors to work because we have some pretty wild temp swings and quite often my pressure drops overnight, and it's not always visually noticable.
 
#2 ·
I think you're stuck with it unless Nissan can somehow adjust it. I run mine at 32 in the summer with no light but in the winter it's a given that I have to stare at it until it warms up again. They say the light's not even supposed to turn on until 28 psi but that's never been my experience.
 
#3 ·
I run my tires at 32 PSI because I was getting overinflation wear of the center at 35. In the summer at 32, I had no light issues, but in the winter I continually get a light. Its annoying, but I check my tires every time I gas up (2 weeks) and they always sit between 32 and 33.
 
#5 ·
Light shouldn't be on until under 29 psi. In the winter the barometric pressure messes with the TPMS. The barometric pressue rises and drops with the air temp so the light can be on in the morning and turn off in the afternoon.
If you have the tires filled with nitrogen as Costco uses, it is more stable and it stops being an issue. Running the tires at 32 psi should not cause the light to come on and you should be fine.

Clint
 
#10 ·
mine comes on if under 35psi - not sure if there is anyway to adjust them but woould be interested to find out.
 
#14 ·
I keep mine at 35 during the summer months and usually go to 36 for a cushion in the winter. My tires are wearing evenly at a little over 20,000 miles.

My light has come on 5 or 6 times, but it has been a malfunction every time. I check my tires on a weekly basis and they hold pretty true as long as the temperature is steady.

I would think that you would have to find new sensors that were calibrated for a lower pressure. I guess it is possible that the sensors could have an adjustment on them, but I doubt that the car/truck manufacturers would spend the extra bucks for an adjustable one if there even is such an animal.
 
#15 ·
I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the elevation here? 3500+/- above sea level. I would leave the pressure alone except for it probably cost me 15000 miles out of my last tires. Don't you typically drop the pressure in the winter for added traction?
 
#16 ·
Altitude does indeed effect tire pressure. You will have a -1/2 p.s.i. for each 1000 feet of elevation. You would have a -1.75 p.s.i. at 3500 feet.

When I was working I drove a 1977 Datsun KC 5 speed. When it snowed I put sand bags in the bed and mounted a set of studded snow tires. I can only remember getting stuck one time and I had that truck for 24 years and 175,000 miles. I never lowered the tire pressure.
 
#17 ·
I just had the same issue (annoying...). I just filled to 35 and the light won't go off. During the summer they became low and when I filled, it went off as it should. Based on what I am hearing here, it seems like a common problem during the winter. I do have the on valve indicators on each tire and I'll just rely on those things. About to take a road trip and I'll let you all know if it goes off after I build some heat into them.
 
#20 ·
add another 1 or 2 psi and the light will go off.
 
#21 ·
I ran 35 psi in my Pathfinder and it killed the tread in the center way too early. Now I run 31-32 and the new tires are much better. My Frontier I aired down from dealer (they should know better) 40 psi down to 31-32 and after 18000 miles they look fine still.

Clint
 
#22 ·
As follow up, to this, I put 37 in the rears and 35 in the fronts and the light did not come on even in freezing temps. I was pulling a decent sized trailer and had no issues with the light. And, that little truck yanked the heck out of that trailer - very good truck.
 
#24 ·
We all have those lights due to the Ford Explorers that rolled over due to underinflated tires blowing out and flipping the trucks. Now they can say we owners were forewarned of low pressure tires.

Clint
 
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