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Review on πŸ”§ Dorman 974-301W Tire Pressure Monitoring System: Effective Programmable Sensor for Various Select Models by David Robinson

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Good product but needs Dorman's attention

I'm an electrical engineer but I've had problems with it, mostly human problems that took some effort to fix. This TPMS sensor is delivered "blank", ie without the digital address stored in it. The theory is that the user has a Dorman 974-503 programmer that stores in a dead 974-301 sensor the address of a factory TPMS sensor that has a dead battery. In other words, the programmer allows you to clone dead factory sensors. There are several variants of TPMS technology, each offering a different coding format and frequency. You need a Dorman sensor that matches your vehicle's technology. Empty Dorman converters are not multi-format capable and do not adapt to frequency. Dorman also sells pre-programmed sensors for advanced users (auto repair shops) equipped with a vehicle manufacturer's factory diagnostic tool. The Dorman name for these sensors (Direct-Fit) is often confusing for users who need truly cloned multi-fit sensors. The 974-503 programmer is poorly designed, but it works once you understand how the interface works. The tool (and unfortunately the user manual too) was developed in Asia by people who don't speak English. The manual is essentially useless, but Dorman has a good tech support phone number that's used to receiving calls through Multi-Fit. Dorman would help its customers if it rewrote the user manual and stopped distinguishing between direct-fit and multi-fit and made direct-fit sensors reprogrammable just like multi-fit sensors.

Pros
  • Dope πŸ”₯
Cons
  • Empty