[jez]

I have been told by BMW, who have apparently checked with ALPINA, that the E39 B10 with tyre pressure sensors all have the wheel type which has the tyre valve in the rim (by the tyre) and NOT in the centre under the locked cover. They say that only the wheels with rim mounted tyre valves have the required sensors built into the wheels, and they can't be fitted to the other wheels. This sounds strange to me as I can't remember seeing any B10s with rim mounted valves. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Does anyone have a fully WORKING sensor system with the centre mounted valves for instance?

 

[Amjad Ali]

I have been told by BMW, who have apparently checked with ALPINA, that the E39 B10 with tyre pressure sensors all have the wheel type which has the tyre valve in the rim (by the tyre) and NOT in the centre under the locked cover. They say that only the wheels with rim mounted tyre valves have the required sensors built into the wheels, and they can't be fitted to the other wheels. This sounds strange to me as I can't remember seeing any B10s with rim mounted valves. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Does anyone have a fully WORKING sensor system with the centre mounted valves for instance?

BMW like VW and Audi, infact nearly all the major German manufacturers use the Beru sensor system. I would assume that Alpina would be the same.

The way the Beru sensors are attached are by the valve, so the guy at BMW is correct. But there are other ways to attach the sensor and you can get the sensor with two tabs each side that are designed to be bolted into the wheel. I have only ever seen this once and the wheel was pre drilled and the holes were pre tapped so that the small bolts would screw in. The best way would be for a member to check one of his/her wheels if they have sensors, because I agree I have never seen a B10 with wheel valves.

Cheers

 

[jez]

Hmmm, strange, I noticed a couple of days ago a sticker inside the drivers door which states that the tyre valve is under the central wheel cap, therefore I guess that the wheels that I have (that BMW say do not have the pressure sensors) ARE the original wheels as fitted by ALPINA. I find it difficult to believe that all ALPINAs whith these wheels are driving around with an error message on the dash display saying tyre pressure inoperative. So I contacted Axel Rimpler at Alpina and he says that these wheels DO have the sensors fitted, and gave me the part no (36 14 6 752 128). BMW are adamant that when they took my tyre off there was no sensor and no way of fitting a new one. They can't both be right, help!!!! Can anyone shed any light on this, does anyone have the 18" wheels with central tyre valve AND working tyre pressure sensors? Am I the only one with this problem??

 

[Richard C]

My B.12 sensors are actually bolted to the inside of the rim - the wheels are made to take this because I have an identical set of 20" rims but nowhere for the sensors to be bolted. I assume the B.10 will be the same method

 

[nixB10]

Strange.... my 2000 B10 3.3 has tyre pressure sensors and have the valve under the centre caps. I can't figure out how the system works, but I get warnings randomly (often when I start the car) once I'm driving it goes off. They're a pain in the *** if you ask me.

 

[jez]

Thanks guys for your input.

@Richard, am I correct in believing that your valves are under the central wheel covers? (looks like on the pics) If so then along with nixB10 this torpedoes the BMW theory that my wheels are wrong because they have central valves. Looks like yet another call is due to BMW in the morning.