Clues

I thought I'd share my experience as those of you with 2007-2009 vehicles may also be faced with dying TPMS sensor batteries. The OEM Beru/HUF sensors on our cars have a battery life of roughly 7 years and/or 125,000 miles. The actual life will differ based on your driving habits as the sensors turn off when the car is not in use. I started getting periodic TPMS System warnings about a year ago. There is no way to tell which sensor is dying so I knew I'd change all four. There is also no way to just change the batteries - the whole unit is sealed with a nesting/insultaion material to mitigate the harsh conditions of being inside a spinning wheel with volitile temps.

The dealer quoted me about $650 to install new OEM sensors (I believe it was about $500 parts and one hour labor). My local tireshop quoted me $470 and told me they had to order OEM sensors.

I did some research and found several manufacturers of TPMS sensors that claimed to be compatible with 2007-2009 Q7s (433 MHz). I found OEM HUF sensors online for as low as $320/set. I ended up ordering a set of 4 Oro-Tek sensors (#(OBE-011) for $189, delivered (all prices included new valve stems).

Fortunately, I have two sets of OEM wheels (summer/winter steups) and the dyng sensors were in my summer setup which needed new tires. So I asked the tire shop where I bought the new tires to dismount the old tires and give me a few days with the wheels before mounting the new tires (they wouldn't install the aftermarket TPMS sensors).

This part was a huge hassle. The OEM valve stems are aluminum and held to the wheel with an aluminum nut/fastener. The nut has no edges and is dome-shaped with a small hole for a pin to hold it steady while you torque the bolt with a ratchet. To make a long story short, the nut was fused to the valve stem bolt due to several years of being exposed to the elements (heat, cold, dirt, rain, snow, salt) and the nut would just spin with each turn of the ratch without any way to hold the nut in place (the pin hole was useless). I soaked them with WD-40 and then PB Blaster to no avail. I ended up using a locking vice grip wrench to lock down on the dome and twisted the valve stem bolt until the aluminum bolt sheared off. It wasn't pretty, but it worked. Fortunately, installing the 4 new valve stems and sensors took about 5 minutes.

Once the new tires went on, I just had the reset the TPMS ("Change Wheels" MMI TPMS function) and all works perfectly! So for $189 and a bit of sweat, I saved over $450 from the stealership.

Edd W

Useful info thanks.

I had exactly the same experience with my 06 A8. Same sensor design and the same issue with removing the old valve bodies - I think all except one sheared off and then the necessity of cleaning out the valve hole in the rim to make sure the new ones didn't leak.
I ended up getting ITM Uni-sensors from these people and they shipped to the UK and gave me a 5th sensor free for the spare - http://www.ebay.com/itm/TPMS-fits-Volkswagen-Touareg-2004-Tire-Pressure-Sensors-Set-of-4-/281642647452?hash=item419335bf9c

ouroboros

Hi there,

I'm doing an retrofit of low line TPMS to my 2008 Q7 4.2 line. I have the wheel parts from Audi/VW as follows:

Sensor 433mhz :7PP 907 275F
TPMS value : 4DO 601 361

I'm going to get the wheel change shop to install them when I change all 4 tyres this week. Is there any torque recommendation for both the small bolt to attach the valve to the sensor and the nut connecting the value to the rim?

Many thanks for any info

smith2010Q7

Here is a page from HUF on how to install.

Huf TPMS Sensor and Valve Installation Instructions | Guides and Mounting Solutions | TPMSDirect.com

Here is another one.

Huf Generation 2 TPMS valve stem installation

Also look on the sensor it will give you pictures with a # inside an that is the TQ.
All TQ's are in NM.

jav0520

You guys know what the difference is between Oro-Tek OBE-011 and OBE-011A?

smith2010Q7

011a means a new updated Gen 2 sensor. see attachment.


ORO_WAL_webpdf_v2.pdf

ORO-TEK has launched its second generation line of OE sensor replacements.

Features of the Generation II Sensors include:

New, smaller body design for easy installation. Total sensor weight is reduced 40%.
Support for snap-in, rubber valve stems.
Improved electronics for faster relearn.
ORO-TEK’s Generation II Sensor line features iORO Multi Vehicle Protocol, with three sensors covering 90% of applications, as well as a variety of traditional, single protocol models.

Jay_r00

I recently replaced my sensors through /www.titantpms.com/. For a set of HUF sensors it cost me $155. Their Titan brand is made by HUF. When I originally went to a tire shop I was quoted $130 for one sensor so I did my shopping around and found Titan.

Built4Sin

I used the TitanTPMS on my Touareg, work like a charm!

Make sure when you order them you pay attention to the stem color you want; I didn't pay attention and ended up with the normal grey aluminum color when what I should have ordered was the Black valves to match the newly Anthracite powder coated wheels I was having them installed in.

cuatrokoop

I have oro-tek sensors in the 3.6 right now, works perfect. The 4.2 still has factory sensors, but I suspect the batteries are getting low (100k miles).

psantinello

Hey There, I had my local shop install 433mz sensors and my TPMS computer system is not acting the way the manual says that it should......any experience with doing the "Change Wheels" being problematic?