I recently purchased a TPMS for my 01 V70 T5. The installation is to hardwire into the vehicle, and only consists of 3 wires. A constant 12V (battery), Key (run) 12V, and a ground. It only draws 60 miliamp when in alert, other wise 1 miliamp. I see 2 logical choices for location; the center counsel which would be very easy, or on the windshield up by the rear view mirror. I was wondering is any of the other forum members have done a windshield mount, and if so how difficult is it to get power to this device. I think both power sources are available in the overhead light section, but I don't know how to gain access to this area. Can anyone please help? Any other suggestions for location? Thanks in advance!

Sincerely,
Jerry
01 V70 T5

Hello, Please provide the make, model and price of the unit you purchased. The idea of a TPMS is very appealing but I've always been fearful of a system which taps a pressurized tire. A friend has a set of cheap tri-colored (green,tellow and red) valve caps which constantly depress the stem. One of them leaks. He refuses to ditch these toys even after verification with a known good tire pressure guage. Kira

Georgeandkira,

I bought a model 20257 Schrader Bridgeport. This unit requires it to be hard wired into the vehicle. Here is the link you can cut and paste.

http://schrader-bridgeport.com/brochure.cfm?brochure=5053&location_id=11404

The easier set up is battery powered and is model 20256 if wiring into the car is not desired. What ever you do, do NOT purchase the model TPM-250 as it is obsolete and replacement parts are NOT available (learned the hard way). I heard Orange electronics also makes a pretty good unt for around $170. Perhaps some of the other forum members can comment on this if they have one.

I got mine from America's Tire company, and they were OUTSTANDING to work with. Understand that this unit goes inside the tire, so you have to break the bead to install it (it actually part of the valve stem assembly as is common with almost all the units out there). I did come across one that mounted on top of the valve stem, but was about an inch in diameter and looked pretty tacky on custom wheels. I've seen the red-yellow-green pencile tire pressure type you mentioned your friend has, but those require you to look at each tire. The type I installed is inside the vehicle and uses a radio transmitter. You cycle through and can see all the pressures including the spare tire if you buy and extra transmitter! It also alerts you if you get a slow leak while driving so you have time to pull over and deal with it. With low profile tires like my 45 series, you can hardly feel a flat tire until it starts coming apart!

Cheers,
Jerry

Depending on the size of the unit you have, I suggest just below the instrument panel and above the steering wheel location.

You can gain access to the rearview mirror by popping out the lenses for the lights and taking out the 2 torx screws to drop the plastic. That works on a 1998-2000.

Klaus
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I still miss my 164 and my 854T. Just driving a V70R :)

It is a little bigger than I would have wanted. About 3" X 2" X 1". I looked at mounting in the area you suggested but thought the right side a bit difficult to read, and the left side susceptible to being "Kneeded" getting in and out. I'll try prying off the lens in the overhead this evening and see if that is a workable solution. It fits perfectly in the recessed area where the traction stability button is on my 01. The other 2 slots have blanks, so removing them would provide a perfect fit. I see this area a bit out of the way of a visual scan unlike the mirror where we look all the time. A big thanks for the know how on how to gain access in that area.

Sincerely,
Jerry
V70 T5

Jerry,
I think the overhead console is always hot, even with the key removed.

If you can put it in the dash, perfect!

Klaus
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I still miss my 164 and my 854T. Just driving a V70R :)

Klaus,

You are correct, the overhead was "always hot". Since I couldn't get a "switched" source there that the unit requires, I ended up taping into the fuse box. I did mount the unit by the rear mirror, and ran the wires underneath the headliner, across the top (but underneath and hidden) of the windshield piller trim, and then down inside the door trim into the fuse box area. Only about an inch of wire shows right at the unit. I favored this over the center counsel as it is constantly in my visual cross check as opposed to the center counsel. If it wouldn't have looked so tacky, the Instrument panel would have been pretty good, but this was a little too big for my taste in that area.

It is working perfectly, and I could see the slight tire pressure rise on the ride to work, and the increase in tire temperature. What I found quite unusual, was that the tires on the left side ran 4 degrees hotter than the right. I would have thought the right would have been slightly hotter since that is the drive side. However, with having used this only once on the 20 mile commute to work this morning, it may be just a fluke. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Thanks for all the help!
Sincerely,
Jerry
01 V70 T5