Cracked TPMS... No, not the Valve Stem, but the Housing... A Real Who-Done-It?

[08C300]

Hello and thank you for a great resource for information and a venue to discuss TPMS related matters with you.

I recently had 4 tires replaced on my car... Drove in to the tire shop with 4 worn out tires, walked out a chunk of money poorer, with 4 new tires but only 3 working TPMS sensors. The forth on cracked Sensor (or.. their claim is that "it was cracked")... What are the odds that the tire shop cracked/broke it?

Here are the details...

I go in to replace all 4 tires. Having done this before I knew they'll offer a "TPMS rebuild kit", at $7.00 a piece, must be a huge mark up but whatever. Point is, they weren't going to leave the damned things alone... Shortly thereafter, shop foreman comes to the waiting room to ask me: "Has your TPMS light on their dash been going off lately?" (didn't even wait for an answer) "Because we found one that was cracked and when we tried to take it off, it broke." Needless to say, I had not had any TPMS issues with this car at all. If I had, I would have mentioned it to him to see if he can check it out and find out what's wrong.

Even going back to the last time that particular sensor was removed (or I should say "rebuilt" as they describe the "replacing the gasket"), was the last time I had replaced tires on this car, which was done by the same retailer - in a different city. And if it was cracked or in any way compromised, it would have had to be the same retailer that is in the different city who did it. Additionally, and if it had been cracked this entire time, or at all cracked and inoperative, the telltale would have gone off which -now after the fact, has come on- which means it is working as designed and that it would have been on prior to my most recent visit to this retailer only to be told that it was "cracked and then it broke off".

I did and extensive search online and it seems that more often than not, information about (keywords") "cracked & TPMS" ends up being about a cracked valve stem that succumbed to extremely cold temperatures and was leaking air; which appears to be quite different from what I have here.

Am I close in assuming that a sensor is not likely to "crack" the way this one did by it simply sitting inside of a wheel that never went flat?
And if that is the case, is it a fair assumption that these guys cracked it and broke it out of ignorance and are trying to pass the buck?
If it does appear that they did break it, are they liable for replacing it? Or is that not their responsibility for something they damaged?

Any insight as to how this might have happened and whether it is worth bringing it to the retailers attention or not would be greatly appreciated. I am not one to try and take advantage of anyone simply so I can get a freebie, but I despise liars with a passion if only for the fact that they think they are smarter than everyone when in fact their game is always obvious.

Sorry for the long post but let mer know if you need any additional info. Thanks in advance!

A few images...

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j445/forumpostpics/20130913_065034_zpsd73a4500.jpg

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j445/forumpostpics/20130913_065207_zps8395c707.jpg

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j445/forumpostpics/20130913_065342_zpsd540fb2d.jpg

[TPMSProAlbert]

Hello and welcome to the forum. In this case looking at the pictures you can see the the crack is very fresh as all the corners are sharp and clean. I would assume if it had been damaged for a while you would see more wear. The fact that the system was working when you arrived at the shop leaves it in the hands of the technicians to damaging it beyond repair. Unfortunately this type of thing happens quite often where a tech damages something and it becomes an issue of "who did it?"

I can also tell you the sensor, which appears to be an MBZ Schrader 28214 are pretty tough, as you can see by the reinforcements around the valve stem hole, so they are harder to break.

[08C300]

Hello and welcome to the forum. In this case looking at the pictures you can see the the crack is very fresh as all the corners are sharp and clean. I would assume if it had been damaged for a while you would see more wear. The fact that the system was working when you arrived at the shop leaves it in the hands of the technicians to damaging it beyond repair. Unfortunately this type of thing happens quite often where a tech damages something and it becomes an issue of "who did it?"

I can also tell you the sensor, which appears to be an MBZ Schrader 28214 are pretty tough, as you can see by the reinforcements around the valve stem hole, so they are harder to break.

Thank you very much, Mr Albert. I also appreciate the qualified and informative reply.

You do bring up two critical points that I could not have come up with on my own. One being the sharp corners/edges of the break) and two, and regarding the greater likelihood that these Schrader sensors being pretty tough, I assume would mean that they are capable of withstanding a bit more than the normal pressure and/or force it might require to take one off in order replace those serviceable parts which require replacing.

This tells me that something happened that was out of the ordinary and that the story I was fed was mostly made up, which I do not appreciate. This is the exact opposite of that you were kind enough to provide in the way of an unbiased, straight forward response to my inquiry. This obviously changes my view on things and I will move forward accordingly.

I am glad I found this forum and although I hope this would be the extent of the problems I intend on having with TPMS, I am going to have to think up of a way to return soon with some sort of contribution of my own and as a show of appreciation for what you all have put together here.

Thanks again...