BuffaloBillHisself

Not sure just how to 'splain this but I'll give 'er a shot. I've searched the archives with no luck.

My car has the sensors and the system is, apparently, intact.

When attempting to 'read' the pressures with the DIC I get all "x's" instead of "-'s". I've tried the magnet method as has a buddy of mine, no joy with the 'recognition' of any of the valves.

Does this system require a Tech2 to turn the option on in the BCM since it's apparently been 'turned off' somehow?

Is this something I can do with my Diablo Predator (new model, 7198) ?

Thanks in advance for any insight,

Jim

fdxpilot

No, you can't do it with a Predator. You can only turn it off and on on 2001 and later cars, and you must use a Tech 2. Since you provided no model year info in your post or profile, it make things difficult. There are two different systems depending on model year. Your batteries might also be dead, requiring new sensors.

c5streak

Do your keyfobs work? They use the same RFA reciever as the TPMs. If they do work, then you either haven't got them trained properly, or you have bad sensors.
What year is your car?(how old are the sensors, they only have a 7-10 yr life)

BuffaloBillHisself

Duh, I thought I knew better.

02 Vert. Fobs work fine. In fact I just trained two new ones.

None of the four TPMs will 'reset' with a magnet.

The DIC shows XXX instead of --- when I ask it to display the tire pressures AND I get 'service tire pressure warning system' occasionally.

Thanks folks,

Jim

c5streak

May be a dumb ?, but are you training in the proper order?
LF RF RR LR. If the LF is bad and won't train, then you cannot finish the training of the other three, it must be done in the proper order for any of them to work.

BuffaloBillHisself

Thanks for the reply Streak but in reality the car doesn't care which you do first.

I've done them in several 'orders' and it doesn't make any difference.

But thanks for the idea. I'm fretting here.

Jim

Oldvetter

Check your valve stems, do they have nuts on the outside bottom? If not, and they look like all rubber, normal valve stems, you do NOT have TPMS installed.

Your 2002 series II TPMS's should last 10 years minimum. They should be good until 2012 !

BlackZ06

The fact you can get the DIC to display the programming pages says that the system is turned "on".

The fact your fobs are working says the RFA (the radio reveiver/transmitter) is working

So either all 4 sensors have failed (not too likely on an '02) or your magnet isn't big enough (strong enough). Call around and locate magnets made from "Neodymium" .... often electronics supply shops have them. They are small and very powerful. I bought a package of 3 of them .... each about the size of a dime, for about $5.00 .... if you can't program the TPMS with one of them, the sensor is DEAD.

BuffaloBillHisself

Thanks a bunch BlackZ06, I'll give it a shot with the super magnet.

Many thanks to everyone and I'll keep at it and report back.

Jim

jarsdad1

Those magnets are the best. Post a location; maybe someone nearby has what you need.

BuffaloBillHisself

I've now tried a VERY powerful 'rare earth' magnet AND a super strong speaker magnet.

No joy.

I've tried making each of the individual sensors "first" in line.

Nada.

I'm in Penfield, Neu Yawk. Near Rochester.

Everyone has to be somewhere.

sigh.

Jim

BlackZ06

See post #7 above .... you SURE you have sensors in there ????

If you're certain you have sensors .... you are applying the magnet and holding it as close to the actual sensor as you can .... the sensor is inside the wheel ... the stem that sticks out is just that ... a stem.

Finally, call some local tire stores ... most good stores now have a tester similar to this .....

http://www.ateq.com/T.P.M.S/ATEQ_TPMS_Home.html

These "wake up" the sensor and even display the sensor data (serial number and absolute tire pressure .... so you'll see something like 45 PSI if you have 30 PSI in your tires). This is really the only way to really verify if they're working or not.

BuffaloBillHisself

Yep, I watched the sensors as they were installed in the new wheels at the shop.

I also watched the guys at the shop attempt to 'flash' the sensors using the magnet/dic method.

I, of course, have done the same at home.

No joy.

BlackZ06

Well, about the only remaining possibility is that you have the wrong sensors for the car.

For model tears 1997 through 2000 the sensors transmit on a certain radio frequency. Starting with the 2001 Model Year the RFA and sensors were altered to use a different radio frequency. This means that the RFA and sensors have to "match" ... you can't use the "old" sensors on a 2001 or newer, and you can't use the "new" sensors on a 2000 or older.

Here are the GM part numbers for the sensors ... check your invoice and see if you have the correct ones ....

2001-2004 ....... 25773946

1997-2000 ....... 10438853

c5streak

True, BUT:
The sensors are assigned, within the RFA, in the following order:
1)LF 2)RF 3)RR 4)LR.
The first one learned is assigned to the LF and will display as LF in the DIC, regardless of which tire it ACTUALLY is. The second will be RF, and so on.
So yes, you can do them in any order, but the DIC readout will not correspond to the correct tire.
I know this doesn't help in finding your trouble, but it may avoid confusion when you do get them to learn.

BuffaloBillHisself

Thanks you guys. I'm on that mismatched sensor deal now. I'm thinking that the ones that were put in my car look a LOT like the larger ones that came in the earlier cars.

I know they won't work with my car so I'm going to look into that more closely.

Thank you again,

Jim