active & passive TIRE PRESSURE Monitor System (TPMS) thread
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 761
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From: Oregon
2005 C55, 1988 260E, 2000 Chevrolet Silverado
One sysem is active the other is passive. The active one reads on the instrument display the exact pressure in each tire. It uses the sensors in each wheel. Some after market wheels will work with the sensor. The passive system, like was said, uses the abs/esp or bas? system. It just detects when one tire is turning at a different rate and warns that you most likely have low or high pressure. It will go off when you mount the spair or have any tire that is not the same circumference as the rest from what I understand.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 43
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From: Airdrie, Alberta Canada
07 C230 Sport Sedan Orion Blue
Thank you everybody for your response. I posted something similiar on the other site and it didn't seem to gel. You guys know your stuff. This wheel is a replica of the AMG wheel seen below which is made for the C Class so the fitment should be tight like a glove.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 43
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From: Airdrie, Alberta Canada
07 C230 Sport Sedan Orion Blue
Nope I am too cheap to buy chrome or the Bremma's. They are 17 x 8's and I know, I should have gotten bigger but frankly I think they are fine. I am honestly not even sure of the exact brand and they are Silver. They are just replica's. They look the same to me as the Bremma's though for half the cost. These are going to be my winter set up and if I like them I might keep them as the summer instead. I bought some Kumho TW19's for winter tires as well and I am going to tint the windows. Limo on the back 3 and very light up front. That is all for me for mods. I like it stock.
1stBenzo!
1stBenzo!
nice - yeah - should be fine. 17x8 all around w/ 225/45/17's i take it - should be perfect, no issues whatsoever. just make sure those replicas have the right offset and will clear the front brakes.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 43
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From: Airdrie, Alberta Canada
07 C230 Sport Sedan Orion Blue
I am trusting the company getting them for me to do there job correctly. They are a performance centre and specialize in high end cars and tuners. If they don't fit, I will be really pissed off because I am getting antsy to drive my car. I have had it parked for 2 months of the winter so far.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Nuevo México
2005 C230K Sport Sedan, 6 speed manual
My understanding is that TPMS will be mandatory for all US specification cars, beginning in 2008. This means each tire must have a pressure sensor (in the valve stem). The sensor is powered by a 10-year battery, and transmits a signal to a receiver in each fenderwell. I am told the passive system that operates off the ABS system will not meet the new law.
Many cars (and especially SUV's) already have the active TPMS, and there have been a lot of consumer complaints, regardless of car brand. Apparently, the system has not yet been perfected. Replacement sensors are currently about $120 each.
The MB C-class through 2007 does NOT have the active TPMS system. At least, not the ones I have seen. Obviously, this will change for 2008.
Sigh!
Many cars (and especially SUV's) already have the active TPMS, and there have been a lot of consumer complaints, regardless of car brand. Apparently, the system has not yet been perfected. Replacement sensors are currently about $120 each.
The MB C-class through 2007 does NOT have the active TPMS system. At least, not the ones I have seen. Obviously, this will change for 2008.
Sigh!
Does the 2006 W203 have the passive system?
When I brought my car in for service a few months ago I asked the tech about this and he told me all 2006 cars have it, but it's turned off. So, I asked him to turn it on. He said he's not allowed to since I didn't pay extra for it when I bought the car!
When I brought my car in for service a few months ago I asked the tech about this and he told me all 2006 cars have it, but it's turned off. So, I asked him to turn it on. He said he's not allowed to since I didn't pay extra for it when I bought the car!
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 761
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From: Oregon
2005 C55, 1988 260E, 2000 Chevrolet Silverado
Does the 2006 W203 have the passive system?
When I brought my car in for service a few months ago I asked the tech about this and he told me all 2006 cars have it, but it's turned off. So, I asked him to turn it on. He said he's not allowed to since I didn't pay extra for it when I bought the car!
When I brought my car in for service a few months ago I asked the tech about this and he told me all 2006 cars have it, but it's turned off. So, I asked him to turn it on. He said he's not allowed to since I didn't pay extra for it when I bought the car!

Anyone coming to the NJ area or know where/how I can get this passive tire pressure monitoring turned on? I used to have this feature on my old Pontiac Grand AM and I KNOW the value of it... ;-)....
Let me know folks... thanks!
- Eric
Let me know folks... thanks!
- Eric
Super Moderator Alumni
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,684
Likes: 12
From: West Los Angeles
Midnight Blue 2004.5 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan. 2002 w210 E320, 2009 w211 E350 Sport
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,090
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From: SF Bay Area, CA
2006 E55 and 2002 E320
The speed sensors actually measure how many revolutions the tire makes for a set distance and compares it to the other wheel/tire on the same axle and what it was originally set to (requires resetting every time you install new tires or inflate air into them).
If there is a large deviation in values between the current tire revolutions compared to the previously reset values, the screen will inform you of this.
Does anyone who has had this coding done have a picture of the tire monitor screen?
You are correct about the revolutions, that is why an over-inflated tire wil set it off. However it is compared with the diagonal tire, not the one on the same axle. When there is a big enough difference in revolutions between the two it will set it off.
There is no actual tire monitor screen, just an alert.
There is no actual tire monitor screen, just an alert.
Super Moderator Alumni
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,684
Likes: 12
From: West Los Angeles
Midnight Blue 2004.5 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan. 2002 w210 E320, 2009 w211 E350 Sport
This is a "Passive" sensor, the tires when fully inflated have a slightly larger circumference than a flat tire.
The speed sensors actually measure how many revolutions the tire makes for a set distance and compares it to the other wheel/tire on the same axle and what it was originally set to (requires resetting every time you install new tires or inflate air into them).
If there is a large deviation in values between the current tire revolutions compared to the previously reset values, the screen will inform you of this.
Does anyone who has had this coding done have a picture of the tire monitor screen?
The speed sensors actually measure how many revolutions the tire makes for a set distance and compares it to the other wheel/tire on the same axle and what it was originally set to (requires resetting every time you install new tires or inflate air into them).
If there is a large deviation in values between the current tire revolutions compared to the previously reset values, the screen will inform you of this.
Does anyone who has had this coding done have a picture of the tire monitor screen?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 11
From: SF Bay Area, CA
2006 E55 and 2002 E320
STAR Mods
Hi Guys,
Newbie to the forum from DC area with a W203 saying hi. I must say that i'm learning a lot here and been following this particular thread for a while.
Is there anyone in the DC area with a STAR machine that can help me enable this option and maybe some other cool options as well that can be easily done without hardware mods?
Thanks.
Newbie to the forum from DC area with a W203 saying hi. I must say that i'm learning a lot here and been following this particular thread for a while.
Is there anyone in the DC area with a STAR machine that can help me enable this option and maybe some other cool options as well that can be easily done without hardware mods?
Thanks.










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