Mitsubishi Tire Pressure Monitoring System

[Neal@tirerack.]

Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are now impossible to run from when buying a new vehicle. Every new vehicle made for sale in the USA has a direct TPM system as standard equipment. There are several exceptions though: the vehicle must have only four wheels (so no dual-wheeled trucks or motorcycles), and the GVWR must be less than 10,000lbs.

Mitsubishi has been using TPMS technology since 2003. They all use the valve-style sensors and we carry the parts for every model up to the 2009 model year.

The basics of the direct TPMS is that it uses a sensor in the wheel/tire to wirelessly relay pressure back to the driver on some sort of display. Some vehicles have a digital info screen that will show all four tire pressures (five pressures if spare has sensor) all the time. While others might just flash a low-tire-pressure light on the dash. There are also two different styles of sensors for this system: a valve sensor and a strap/band sensor. Only valve sensors are used by the direct system-equipped Mitsubishi’s, although if you bought an aftermarket SmarTire TPM system, those use the sensors held on by a strap around the barrel of the wheel.

Although no current model Mitsubishi has an indirect TPM system, I feel the need to explain it just to clear up any confusion. Any indirect system will not affect the choice of switching aftermarket wheels or tires. The system runs off of the ABS/wheel-speed sensors which “count” the number of revolutions of each tire. If the right-front tire is low (25psi) it will spin faster than the left-front tire (35psi), so the ABS system will recognize this change and alert the driver with a flashing light near the gauge cluster and possibly a loud chime.

All Mitsubishi valve sensors are currently being produced by Schrader and Siemens. The size of the sensor shouldn’t be a problem for many wheels, but if the valve hole is in the middle of the wheel’s barrel, then obviously the sensor will not fit properly. The wheel industries are aware of the valve sensors and are rushing to get most of their wheels TPMS-compatible. If you have any questions about the TPMS-fitment on a wheel that The Tire Rack sells, I can look up the wheel and confirm if it will work with your vehicle.