This failure (based on your description) has nothing to do with newfangled electronics and everything to do with spectacularly awful design on Holden's part.
Presumably the part is there for a reason. With that in mind, it and the wheel should have been designed such that it was safe from the evils of tyre-changing machinery.
One of my bikes has tyre pressure sensors in the wheels. Has worked flawlessly for over 5 years now. The transmitters haven't even needed new batteries.
Reputedly it is the same sensor as some other manufacturers also. It would be interesting to compare prices between their parts outlets. It seems the aftermarket does not supply them as yet.
It is the first time I have struck these [that I am aware] I always give the valves a good flex looking for cracks on all wheels but you do that from the outside. Many places replace the valves with every new tyre. Which is really overservice but really not a bad idea if you can get away with charging for it. The reason I charge $4 less than most places. I still replace quite a lot of valves though that do look dodgey.
Depending on the rims though some fitters slice them off or break them off from the outside instead of taking the valve core out. That would be a large OOPS on these cars!
I doubt that these transmitters have batterys, the whole unit is less than an inch in dia. If they do they would not be serviceable, just replace the whole unit. Probably weighs 10 grams if it is lucky. The weights did tend to be all on the otherside of the rim from the valve.
For those of you fitting if the tyre is very slow to go down check. It appears these are on many high end cars though are an option on all Commodores and Falcons and probably most other modern makes too. Speaking to someone with a late Landcruiser so fitted he stuffed one up with a puncture. By the time he stopped from 110kmh [on dirt] the tyre and the sensor were gone! And at that speed most tyres pull off the bead so it will be costly.
