Positioning Sensor Tool

Now available from K-Tool is the Positioning Sensor Tool for re-programming tire pressure monitoring systems. Reacting to figures that an estimated 23,000 crashes and 535 fatalities were the result of flat tires or blowouts each year, all passenger vehicles and trucks under 10,000 pounds will need to be equipped with tire pressure monitoring sensors, which will be built into the valve stem, by October, 2006. These wheel-based sensors will transmit information such as inflation pressure and temperature to a tire pressure monitoring control module. The need for the PST comes from each time the position of the wheel changes (such as during tire changes or wheel balancing), the TPM control module needs to be reprogrammed with the new sensor position. Vehicle makers should provide the necessary tools, but the manufacturer of the PST feels that in most cases these tools will only trigger the protocols for that OEM's vehicles. The upgradeable PST is meant to have universal applications, as well as the ability to test sensors prior to servicing a vehicle in order to save time and eliminate unnecessary part replacements. A "hunting" feature will also help technicians select the correct protocol in reprogramming the system to OEM specifications.