5 Tire Rotation - Bronco TPMS Sensors -The FACTS

[Rick Astley]

I went to my dealer this morning for my first oil change AND tire rotation. I told the service department rep that I would like ALL 5 TIRES ROTATED. She couldn't understand and called over another employee. The guy told me that NO ONE rotates 5 tires and you cannot do that. I showed them the 5 tire rotation for 4WD vehicles diagram below. After much huffing & puffing they agreed to do the rotation according to my diagram.

I was called back from the waiting area 20 minutes later and confronted by the service manager surrounded by his minions. He informed me that the spare does NOT contain a TPMS sensor. I could rotate the spare, but the vehicle would not display it's pressure AND I would have a constant tire warning light. They explained I could buy a sensor, have it installed which would be expensive now and every time I rotated the tires. I caved and said just do the 4 tire rotation.

THE FACTS: Bronco spare (5th) wheels DO HAVE TPMS sensors!

I found the FORD video below while in the waiting room that clearly states 1.11 into the video that "The spare tire on your Bronco also has a TPMS sensor". I went back to service and grabbed the one guy who seemed to have a brain and showed him the Ford video. He smiled and lit up and we agreed the guys in the garage would test the spare to see if they got a TPMS reading. 15 minutes later he comes up to me and says 'we can do the 5 tire rotation' I wanted. They easily found the sensor reading inside the spare. He apologized for their mistake.

Question everything!

Curious: For your Bronco, do you guys 1) rotate 5 tires 2) rotate 4 tires 3) do not rotate

You aren't wrong. But this isn't some sort of amazing fact.

NHTSA FMVSS NO. 138 lays out the three compliance every standards OEM's must meet.

The final verbiage of the TPMS regulations is found in 49 FCR part 571. You can find that in article VII, secrion B, subsection 5-f.

Nothing you can't find with a quick search of the NHTSA website.

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[2112]

Having the 5th tire for rotation makes it much easier to rotate yourself as you never have to have 2 tires off the car at the same time.....

Only difficulty doing yourself is the tires are heavy heavy heavy and not fun to line up when holding them up.

I bought a tire dolly

https://www.vevor.com/wheel-dolly-c...&v_tag=c3294640-8eaa-11ed-ac01-c7730119d133.1

this was the best deal I found today, mine was more expensive, but about the same des.

 

[2DR22Bronco]

I bought a tire dolly

https://www.vevor.com/wheel-dolly-c...&v_tag=c3294640-8eaa-11ed-ac01-c7730119d133.1

this was the best deal I found today, mine was more expensive, but about the same des.

Yeah I definitely need something, still have to lift it up for the spare on the back too though (and try and not scratch up the camera/wheel center guide). Now that I am thinking about it I also have been meaning to order some spare center caps as they have to come off the spare tire when mounting it.

One thing I didn't mention also when doing yourself is you can clean the inside of the wheels real good and I always like to do that real good when they are off the car.

 

[22OBX]

I decided to not do a 5-tire rotation. I'll treat it like a spare in my other vehicles...I don't rotate those spares either. Sure, I'll lose a little life, not I'll only buy 4 new tires instead of 5 down the road.

Only draw back to this is if you want to try a different tire or IF they even still make the same tire. If not you end up with a good mismatched spare.

 

[OBXsasq63]

So I dropped my OBX Sasquatch off for the first oil change and tire rotation this past Friday. I inquired when making my appointment 2 weeks ago if they'd do a 5 tire rotation for me, they would. I confirmed Thursday night when dropping it off (for early AM appt) that I had requested a 5 tire rotation, I had, the service guy even said to the lady who was going to be checking me in, "he wants the 5 tire rotation," she acknowledged. While there, they also replaced my cracked steering wheel cover (airbag) under bumper to bumper, so I left the vehicle until Saturday.

By the time I got dropped off, and they had it ready, I was just ready to have my Bronco back, got in, drove home. Upon getting home, I jumped out, and realized my spare was looking brand new. By this time, the service department was closed (Saturday afternoon).

Fast forward to today, I called the service department back, she's apologetic, and helpful, I'm going to bring it in this afternoon after work to get it done while I wait. At this point, I'm going to make sure this is properly done, which I should have done the first time. My question is, with 5k miles on the vehicle/tires, is it OK for them to just pull the spare and swap it 1 for 1 with one of the tires? Or should I be picky and make them swap more than 1, as if they had done it properly the first time? I see the OP's diagram for a 5 tire rotation, but given the difficulty he had from his dealership, can i even be confident all dealerships follow the same pattern for a 4 or 5 tire rotation?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gilligans_off]

I had to fight the dealership to do it but they did. The only issue I have is that they didn't do it properly.

The tech said he put the spare on the left rear and rotated the rest clockwise

 

[AZ_Liberty]

My question is, with 5k miles on the vehicle/tires, is it OK for them to just pull the spare and swap it 1 for 1 with one of the tires?

Swap the spare onto the right rear, since the right rear gets the most wear, and call it good enough. (it's the actual drive wheel).

 

[robepa]

Haha there’s definitely a sensor I had a blow
Out on the trail and computer syncd right up

I just had the same happen, flat tire and about 5 min after changing out it updated to showing the spare pressure.

But... There doesn't seem to be any notification that your spare is flat which is a bummer. My Tacoma would tell me if the spare was low.

 

[PulltheLeverBronc]

I went to my dealer this morning for my first oil change AND tire rotation. I told the service department rep that I would like ALL 5 TIRES ROTATED. She couldn't understand and called over another employee. The guy told me that NO ONE rotates 5 tires and you cannot do that. I showed them the 5 tire rotation for 4WD vehicles diagram below. After much huffing & puffing they agreed to do the rotation according to my diagram.

I was called back from the waiting area 20 minutes later and confronted by the service manager surrounded by his minions. He informed me that the spare does NOT contain a TPMS sensor. I could rotate the spare, but the vehicle would not display it's pressure AND I would have a constant tire warning light. They explained I could buy a sensor, have it installed which would be expensive now and every time I rotated the tires. I caved and said just do the 4 tire rotation.

THE FACTS: Bronco spare (5th) wheels DO HAVE TPMS sensors!

I found the FORD video below while in the waiting room that clearly states 1.11 into the video that "The spare tire on your Bronco also has a TPMS sensor". I went back to service and grabbed the one guy who seemed to have a brain and showed him the Ford video. He smiled and lit up and we agreed the guys in the garage would test the spare to see if they got a TPMS reading. 15 minutes later he comes up to me and says 'we can do the 5 tire rotation' I wanted. They easily found the sensor reading inside the spare. He apologized for their mistake.

Question everything!

Curious: For your Bronco, do you guys 1) rotate 5 tires 2) rotate 4 tires 3) do not rotate

THANK YOU! It can be a crappy feeling when you're just trying to speak to a tech (in any industry) and ask them to do something specific - and they (mostly inadvertently) treat you like you know zippity-do-da.

 

[kodiakisland]

So I dropped my OBX Sasquatch off for the first oil change and tire rotation this past Friday. I inquired when making my appointment 2 weeks ago if they'd do a 5 tire rotation for me, they would. I confirmed Thursday night when dropping it off (for early AM appt) that I had requested a 5 tire rotation, I had, the service guy even said to the lady who was going to be checking me in, "he wants the 5 tire rotation," she acknowledged. While there, they also replaced my cracked steering wheel cover (airbag) under bumper to bumper, so I left the vehicle until Saturday.

By the time I got dropped off, and they had it ready, I was just ready to have my Bronco back, got in, drove home. Upon getting home, I jumped out, and realized my spare was looking brand new. By this time, the service department was closed (Saturday afternoon).

Fast forward to today, I called the service department back, she's apologetic, and helpful, I'm going to bring it in this afternoon after work to get it done while I wait. At this point, I'm going to make sure this is properly done, which I should have done the first time. My question is, with 5k miles on the vehicle/tires, is it OK for them to just pull the spare and swap it 1 for 1 with one of the tires? Or should I be picky and make them swap more than 1, as if they had done it properly the first time? I see the OP's diagram for a 5 tire rotation, but given the difficulty he had from his dealership, can i even be confident all dealerships follow the same pattern for a 4 or 5 tire rotation?

Thanks in advance!

Any tire is fine. Just note the rotation pattern so it's done the same way every time. After 5 rotations all five tires have the same amount of miles and have all been in every position, so it doesn't matter which tire the spare replaces, as long as it's done the same way every time.

This stays in my glovebox so I can remember when it was done last and the pattern if someone else was to do it.

 

[Mictanker]

I just rotated all 5 tires at a local tire store last week and I can assure you, the spare has a sensor...no problems, no TPMS light--rotating all 5 is definitely the way to get max life from your tires.

 

[Oisinirish]

That is sad
Doesn't it feel good when you show them how to Do their job?

No.
it’s scary.

 

[#1Broncogirl]

I went to my dealer this morning for my first oil change AND tire rotation. I told the service department rep that I would like ALL 5 TIRES ROTATED. She couldn't understand and called over another employee. The guy told me that NO ONE rotates 5 tires and you cannot do that. I showed them the 5 tire rotation for 4WD vehicles diagram below. After much huffing & puffing they agreed to do the rotation according to my diagram.

I was called back from the waiting area 20 minutes later and confronted by the service manager surrounded by his minions. He informed me that the spare does NOT contain a TPMS sensor. I could rotate the spare, but the vehicle would not display it's pressure AND I would have a constant tire warning light. They explained I could buy a sensor, have it installed which would be expensive now and every time I rotated the tires. I caved and said just do the 4 tire rotation.

THE FACTS: Bronco spare (5th) wheels DO HAVE TPMS sensors!

I found the FORD video below while in the waiting room that clearly states 1.11 into the video that "The spare tire on your Bronco also has a TPMS sensor". I went back to service and grabbed the one guy who seemed to have a brain and showed him the Ford video. He smiled and lit up and we agreed the guys in the garage would test the spare to see if they got a TPMS reading. 15 minutes later he comes up to me and says 'we can do the 5 tire rotation' I wanted. They easily found the sensor reading inside the spare. He apologized for their mistake.

Question everything!

Curious: For your Bronco, do you guys 1) rotate 5 tires 2) rotate 4 tires 3) do not rotate

When I told my dealer I wanted a 5 tire rotation they looked at me like I was from Mars! But did it anyway

 

[Noco]

I went to my dealer this morning for my first oil change AND tire rotation. I told the service department rep that I would like ALL 5 TIRES ROTATED. She couldn't understand and called over another employee. The guy told me that NO ONE rotates 5 tires and you cannot do that. I showed them the 5 tire rotation for 4WD vehicles diagram below. After much huffing & puffing they agreed to do the rotation according to my diagram.

I was called back from the waiting area 20 minutes later and confronted by the service manager surrounded by his minions. He informed me that the spare does NOT contain a TPMS sensor. I could rotate the spare, but the vehicle would not display it's pressure AND I would have a constant tire warning light. They explained I could buy a sensor, have it installed which would be expensive now and every time I rotated the tires. I caved and said just do the 4 tire rotation.

THE FACTS: Bronco spare (5th) wheels DO HAVE TPMS sensors!

I found the FORD video below while in the waiting room that clearly states 1.11 into the video that "The spare tire on your Bronco also has a TPMS sensor". I went back to service and grabbed the one guy who seemed to have a brain and showed him the Ford video. He smiled and lit up and we agreed the guys in the garage would test the spare to see if they got a TPMS reading. 15 minutes later he comes up to me and says 'we can do the 5 tire rotation' I wanted. They easily found the sensor reading inside the spare. He apologized for their mistake.

Question everything!

Curious: For your Bronco, do you guys 1) rotate 5 tires 2) rotate 4 tires 3) do not rotate

My dealership said the same damn thing. I looked it up and showed it to him. The TPMS sensors won’t show up as active until they start rotating.

 

[Cheshire]

Any tire is fine. Just note the rotation pattern so it's done the same way every time. After 5 rotations all five tires have the same amount of miles and have all been in every position, so it doesn't matter which tire the spare replaces, as long as it's done the same way every time.

This stays in my glovebox so I can remember when it was done last and the pattern if someone else was to do it.

The Bronco's 2H setting sends power to the rear wheels only. So, for most of us the rear tires will wear more quickly than the fronts. In my diagram, the spare goes to the rear right while yours goes to the front left.

For early even wear, it's best to have the new tire (spare) go to one of the two rear tire positions that will wear faster. This differential advantage is surely slight. The far more more important thing is to keep the rotation pattern the same through time as you said.

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