Emailed the sensor company, who then talked to the tire shop, who then called me. They say they now have the correct configuration data for my make/model/year/build date, and that their application tables weren’t strictly correct for my vehicle, and they want to try configuring the sensors again. Will stop by late Friday afternoon or early Saturday am to give them another go at it.
The third time wasn’t charming at all. The shop took the advice they got from U-Pro and tried to reconfigure the sensors with a different year's file. For some reason they suggested using 2010 instead of 2009 even though that's after the change to a different oem sensor per realoem's part numbers. They then tried 2008 but couldn't get the file to write and I'm back to square one again. They had it in the bay 3 times over a couple hours. Since the U-Pro rep was so convincing that their suggestions would work this time, they hadn't ordered a different brand sensor as they were originally going to do earlier this week, and now I'll have to wait until Tuesday afternoon for them to (hopefully) get Huf or Schrader sensors (MINI oem brands). This is a shop that has been around since 1961 and I have been going there for decades without any previous problems at all, and since it looks like it's primarily a manufacturer's issue, I'd like to give them another chance to do it right with a different manufacturer. I'm waiting to be charmed for real next week.
Ugh ! That would have pissed me off, but like you said you have been going to them for decades and this is your first issue so I understand cutting them some slack.
Plus the car is perfectly drivable like this and there’s no real urgency to getting it settled correctly. But it is still very frustrating and I would prefer it fixed sooner than later.
The correct frequency is 433mhz. Return the Upro sensors and get Huf. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Installed ones are programmable 433 MHZ U-Pro and I gather the main problem is in the programming. The shop is ordering Huf or Schrader and should have them by tomorrow.
That’s good. Huf is the only one known to work on this generation of Mini Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tire rack sent me my summer tires and wheels with Huf RDE048V21 sensors in them last May just after I got the MINI, and they worked immediately without any problems.
Took the MINI in for the FOURTH time. They were supposed to have an oem Huf or Schrader ordered at this point. They said they tried another sensor set (didn't recognize the brand, but it wasn't Huf or Shrader), and they said it didn't work. They then put in another U-Pro set and programmed it for 2008 and drove it 15-20 miles and pronounced it fixed. I checked a scan which said the sensor positions had not been acknowledged yet, and sure enough, in just a couple more miles, the light came back on. Tried resetting it and it took a couple miles for the light to go out, but it came back on in a few more. I ordered the same Huf sensors (RDE048V21) from Tire Rack that worked instantly without programming on my summer tires, and will get another shop to put them in the winter wheels and re-balance Friday or Saturday (they should arrive Thursday).
Wow what a cluster fark. I hope the shop refunds all your money & maybe compensates you for this TPMS hell they've put you through.
They are indeed on my list. I will save the sensors and return them to the first shop for a refund of applicable parts and labour. I’ve also sent a couple nasty-grams to the manufacturer for U-Pro.
Had a second shop put in 4 Huf rde048v21 sensors and it reset quickly, correctly, and permanently. Returned the other sensors to the first shop and got a refund on the parts and tax. Glad it’s finally straight.
Still not sure if the incompatibility was the U-Pro sensors themselves or the programming of the sensors or both, but I’m sure glad it’s all working with the Huf sensors. I suggest staying away from generic programmable ones for these MINIS unless your shop has had previous success with them with your year and model.