# Snow Tires & No TPMS



## march (Oct 15, 2012)

I'd prefer not to buy TPMS sensors with the winter wheels & snows for my 2012 Cruze Eco. If so, what type of error appears on the dash & Drivers Info Center?
How annoying is it?

On the Cobalt I easily covered the dash light with black tape & the DIC message was reset by one push of the button on the directional stalk every time the car started. Is it the same on a Cruze?


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

A few seconds worth of chimes, some sort of warning on DIC that is gone if you access the menu at all. If there is a light that stays on, I never even noticed it, all in all it's not very annoying.


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## BlkGrnetRS (Jul 21, 2013)

march said:


> I'd prefer not to buy TPMS sensors with the winter wheels & snows for my 2012 Cruze Eco. If so, what type of error appears on the dash & Drivers Info Center?
> How annoying is it?
> 
> On the Cobalt I easily covered the dash light with black tape & the DIC message was reset by one push of the button on the directional stalk every time the car started. Is it the same on a Cruze?


Definitely make sure you won't fail inspection in your state for not having the tpms working correctly. I know some states require it and some don't. For example my home state of New Hampshire doesn't require it to work to pass inspection


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

Or just have no inspections like we do!


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

I live in Cincinnati and I have a 2012 eco also I do not have snow tires but I did just to buy some new tires at Goodyear Assurance triple tred. These and my estimation are the closest thing to snow tires without actually having snow tires on my car the only thing is I still have my eco wheels on my car so I have the TPMS. I don't think that was what was initially being asked but I have never replaced wheels because of bad weather. I put the best tires on the car for the type of weather I'm driving in. There has been discussion that the Fuel Maxs(If you still have) them suck in Mid East Winter weather which is why I changed mine. I would presume Syracuse NY would be pretty much the same. Obermd talked about this with Sciphi, who also has an Eco and lives in N.Y. How the Fuel Maxs are not so bad in Denver and out west but are terrible here. I know I am not truly answering your question as I have never had my TPMS light go off. I ma not sure but you may be able to have the TPMS sensors transferred from your Eco wheels to you snows. Never tried. Just have to put them back come spring time.


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## BlkGrnetRS (Jul 21, 2013)

Patman said:


> I live in Cincinnati and I have a 2012 eco also I do not have snow tires but I did just to buy some new tires at Goodyear Assurance triple tred. These and my estimation are the closest thing to snow tires without actually having snow tires on my car the only thing is I still have my eco wheels on my car so I have the TPMS. I don't think that was what was initially being asked but I have never replaced wheels because of bad weather. I put the best tires on the car for the type of weather I'm driving in. There has been discussion that the Fuel Maxs(If you still have) them suck in Mid East Winter weather which is why I changed mine. I would presume Syracuse NY would be pretty much the same. Obermd talked about this with Sciphi, who also has an Eco and lives in N.Y. How the Fuel Maxs are not so bad in Denver and out west but are terrible here. I know I am not truly answering your question as I have never had my TPMS light go off. I ma not sure but you may be able to have the TPMS sensors transferred from your Eco wheels to you snows. Never tried. Just have to put them back come spring time.


In order to save money by not switching his snow tires over to his eco rims he bought another set of rims. So he has the eco rims with tires and another set of rims with winter tires. He wants to save money by not buying the tpms sensors for the winter wheels.

So he wants to know what kind of light or warning he will have to deal with, not having sensors. It makes sense but not if he were to switch them over every year.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

There is a Tire Pressure Light that will go on after about 10 minutes of driving and will stay on but it's no big deal. If it does bother you the "tape trick" will work just fine. I have been running snows without the TPS for 3 winters and it has never bothered me. Actually, I also turn off my TC when driving in snow so I have 2 lights lit up. If you want more info check out section 5-19 in your Cruze manual.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Ha, that TC light is on all winter long driving on icy hilly roads. Have to learn to live with this, better to have that light on than have the engine kill when trying to climb a hill. Just because one tire is slipping more than the other. 

What happened to limited slip differentials? Guess an 89 cent microcontroller is cheaper.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

BlkGrnetRS said:


> In order to save money by not switching his snow tires over to his eco rims he bought another set of rims. So he has the eco rims with tires and another set of rims with winter tires. He wants to save money by not buying the tpms sensors for the winter wheels.
> 
> So he wants to know what kind of light or warning he will have to deal with, not having sensors. It makes sense but not if he were to switch them over every year.


 I am aware of that. I just don't see the sense in changing things when it can be resolved by buying a better all season tire than then the Fuel Max to begin with. Most all season tires will handle well in the snow and the wheels themselves I am sure will be fine with a month or 2 of some inclement weather. I don't plan on having any problems with my Triple Tred tires and IMO True snow tires went out the door with rear wheel drive cars if that is what they are being used for. You're telling me the cost of the extra wheels and tires isn't an issue. I would say try it and the light will go out. That is why I said:


> [ I know I am not truly answering your question as I have never had my TPMS light go off./QUOTE]


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

NickD said:


> Ha, that TC light is on all winter long driving on icy hilly roads. Have to learn to live with this, better to have that light on than have the engine kill when trying to climb a hill. Just because one tire is slipping more than the other.


Replace your tires, my car is not this way at all. Of the different model cruze I have drove(all but the LTZ) the 2LT ContiProContact tires are the worst in snow. Tirerack Surveys put it at 22nd in its category with poor ratings in snow/ice. If you want to stick with the same brand & type tires, the newer continental purecontact with eco plus technology are rated much higher, 3 with in the same category.

I rarely set off the TC with my 1LT 16in tires & I live in hilly SW Wisconsin. I replaced the stock Firestone Fr710 at 35K, even the crappy Hankook Optimo H727 I replaced it with doesn't have any traction issues on hills. 

Only time I can set off my TC is if I give it to much gas taking off from a stop sign/light on a snowy or icy road. Even then though once moving it never comes on.


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## BlkGrnetRS (Jul 21, 2013)

Patman said:


> I am aware of that. I just don't see the sense in changing things when it can be resolved by buying a better all season tire than then the Fuel Max to begin with. Most all season tires will handle well in the snow and the wheels themselves I am sure will be fine with a month or 2 of some inclement weather. I don't plan on having any problems with my Triple Tred tires and IMO True snow tires went out the door with rear wheel drive cars if that is what they are being used for. You're telling me the cost of the extra wheels and tires isn't an issue. I would say try it and the light will go out. That is why I said:
> 
> 
> > [ I know I am not truly answering your question as I have never had my TPMS light go off./QUOTE]
> ...


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

BlkGrnetRS said:


> I'm glad you have so much confidence in your tires but for me I'm sticking to running studded snow tires for the winter. Not only that but I only have $350 into the wheels and tires. Which by changing my wheels for the Winter save me from possibly having to buy new tires when my lease is up. And since my wife and I are buying her cruze she will get the wheels when I turn my lease in.


Studded tires are illegal in my state(and quite a few others). I have never needed snow tires in Wisconsin winters in 20 years of driving. However when it comes down to it I would much rather buy a winter set of tires/rims than have to pay my insurance deductible when I get in an accident.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

Driving 70+ miles back and forth to work in Chicago makes my snow tires worth their weight in gold even if I only need them 5 or 6 times a winter. FWIW, I also can trip my TC light, even with the snow tires, without even trying. Not good trying to start from a stop going up hill with a 6MT.
I do miss my Contour SVT as it was soooo easy to just start in 2nd gear with minimal wheel spin.


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

I had reluctantly purchased a set of Blizzaks for my wife's car last year... best $750 I have spent in a long time. She has a LTZ, it comes with P225/45R18 tires and... well they work very well on dry pavement, and even in some rain... but on snow... no so much.

I put on 205/60R16 blizzaks on it... about a inch and a half narrower at the tread... Wow, I absolutely have never driven a better handling car on snow. We had the worst winter ever last year... and my wife who isn't a very good driver, never got stuck, never got in a accident, never missed work, never was even more then a few minutes late. 

Fast forward... I bought another Cruze LTZ this year, for me... I also bought another set of wheels and blizzaks, there in my garage right now, just wating for the first sign of snow.

I drive 75 miles each work day... Given the tread wear of my wife's set of Blizzaks, I figure I can get 4 seasons out of a set. If you think about it... you save wear on your summer tires, you save your summer rims from getting salt on them... and your car's ALOT safer to drive on snow and ice.... It's really a win, win, win situation as far as I'm concerned.

Now, paying another $30 a wheel for sensors... not me.


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## pb52013 (Sep 18, 2014)

I've had my 2013 cruze ls (manual) in New Hampshire (manchester) and have had no issues last winter at all with the stock firestones


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

I have lived in Michigan my whole life. I've owned three sets of snow tires now... 

The first set was a set of Good Year Eagle M&S tire, that I bought for a 1985 Dodge Omni GLH turbo that I owned. That car came with 195/50HR-15 Goodyear Eagle GT tires on it, and they were absolutely horrible on snowy roads. Being a relatively stupid 23 year old at the time, I bought the same size tire in the M&S version... Well those tires were just slightly better then horrible in the snow. In 1985, this low of a profile tire wasn't very common... and I certainly didn't really fully understand that the wider the tire you have, the worse traction it would have in snow.

Fast forward to today... LTZ's come with P225/45R18 P225/45R18 michelin pilot tires... and let me tell you... they are pretty bad on snow and ice. I know own two sets of Blizzaks in the 205/60R16 size, one set for my wife's car, one for mine, and they drive GREAT on snow and ice.

I don't know what all the various tires sizes are that come on a Cruze... but I do know, if you've got wide tires on your car , it's going to be less then ideal on snow and ice. If you don't want to invest in snow tires, that's all well and good. But if you really want to drive with some confidence on snow and ice, I'd highly recommend looking into some snow tires, especially if you've got a Cruze that has a wide tire on it.

I personally went to a size that's even a bit narrower then the stock LS tire... I went with a 205/60R16. The stock LS and 1LT tires are *215/60R16*, and for most people those stock tires would likely do just fine in a all season tire. However once you get up to a 2LT or higher trim package, your really starting to get pretty wide tires, that probably aren't going to do so great on snow and ice.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

I find it strange that you have laws about tyre pressure monitors, when in Australia I have never even seen a car that has them. I guess we are a bit backward as when a tyre looks soft we put air in it and if it goes flat we stop and either put a spare on or call road service. Fortunately there are only some places that have snow in winter, so one set of tyres is all we need.


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

The were originally, really only used on run flat tires, cause with those, you can't visually see if they are flat. Then, I think one of the things that happened was there were some problems with some Ford vehicles, where the owners were running them lower then the manufacture had called for, the tires were blowing out. I suspect, in some way, it's a move to allow the manufacturers to eliminate some part of the liability that would be involved if a stupid driver ran with their tires with too low of a pressure, then get in a accident.

But none the less, as I understand it, if they come on a car from the factory, they are considered a safety feature and as such, it's illegal for a licensed mechanic to disable that safety feature. But as near as I know, the owner can 'remove' it, or simply put on a set of wheels/tires on that don't have them. 




Aussie said:


> I find it strange that you have laws about tyre pressure monitors, when in Australia I have never even seen a car that has them. I guess we are a bit backward as when a tyre looks soft we put air in it and if it goes flat we stop and either put a spare on or call road service. Fortunately there are only some places that have snow in winter, so one set of tyres is all we need.


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