Tire pressure sensor calibration
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
Tire pressure sensor calibration
I recently had a rear pair of tires installed by Discount Tire. They also installed new tire pressure sensors at the same time. I stood at the garage bay door the entire time and know for a fact that they never entered my car to train the DIC monitor. Its now been two weeks and the DIC seems to be reading the tire pressure correctly (double checked with two different manual testers and pressure was checked during an oil change at Mobil 1). Anyone know how they did it? I thought a multi-step procedure was required to train the computer from inside the car.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Ellettsville Indiana
CI 7-8-9 & 12 Veteran
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
The only way I know of requires you to turn the ignition on and access the tire sensor learning mode. After that you need a strong magnet to trigger each TPS in a specified order.
Have you driven the car much since having the work done? After putting on a set of aftermarket wheels with new sensors, everything seemed fine at first. After driving around for a couple of hours I received an error message on the DIC that said that the tire pressure sensors were not functioning.
Have you driven the car much since having the work done? After putting on a set of aftermarket wheels with new sensors, everything seemed fine at first. After driving around for a couple of hours I received an error message on the DIC that said that the tire pressure sensors were not functioning.
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Don't know how the sensors could be reading correctly if they didn't program the new ones to the car. 
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Waldorf MD
Good Call ! I never thought of that, but I would guess that they did NOT install your new TPSs, and that the old ones are still in.Did your old ones work? If so, I'll bet this is the answer.
BTW, to prove this you could break the beads (need a tire store to do this) and remove TPSs, they have month and year date circles molded into plastic showing when they were manufactered.
Horn MUST sound during relearn, at least 4 times.
New C6 and some other car's TPS require a handheld radio transmitter to learn them, but, as far as I know, you can't use this on C5s, you MUST use a magnet. C5s TPS have no radio reciever in them.
Last edited by Oldvetter; Mar 17, 2008 at 10:19 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
I hate to be cynical and mistrusting, but thats exactly what I am thinking...maybe the tech never installed new sensors, just switched valve stem caps and Discount Tire, not knowing this, charged me for new ones. Although I have no beef with Discount Tire, I wonder if I got a lazy *** tech. Its been a month, the sensors are working and I don't want to have the tires removed and then replaced for a $5 sensor....but I will be more aware next time! Live and learn.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
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From: Waldorf MD
I hate to be cynical and mistrusting, but thats exactly what I am thinking...maybe the tech never installed new sensors, just switched valve stem caps and Discount Tire, not knowing this, charged me for new ones. Although I have no beef with Discount Tire, I wonder if I got a lazy *** tech. Its been a month, the sensors are working and I don't want to have the tires removed and then replaced for a $5 sensor....but I will be more aware next time! Live and learn.
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Florida
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I have to agree - you cannot program new TPM's without entering the vehicle, having the ignition on and going through the process. To expand a little - not only are there two different types of TPM's - they are not backwards compatible....in other words the newer style sensors will not work on the older cars. Did Discount Tire know the year of your car in advance - as I presume they had to obtain the TPM's from an outside source (like the dealer's parts department)?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 267
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From: Orlando, Florida
I am going to DTire tomorrow to re-read their poster in the waiting room. I do remember the sales tech at the front desk telling me that he recommends that I (do something) with the TPS because it gets dirty and malfunctions through 30K miles of use. It appears that I may have misunderstood what I was getting. I just pulled out my bill and see I was charged for a " #20003 TQ-60 IN/LBS TPMS Rebuild Kit" for $5 per tire. In looking at the valve stem, it appears that the stem is the original one I had (matches the front stems as far as usage wear) but the "large nut" around the stem at its base is new. What exactly they rebuilt I'm not sure. Did they blow air at it and put a new nut on it for $5? I guess this explains the difference between the cost of a new TPS and a five dollar rebuild and why they didn't have to reset the computer. It is all starting to make sense now. Thanks to you all, I think I'll save ten dollars on the next set of tires.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
I gotta agree with that. $5 was not an overcharge for what they supposedly did. Though it's sad that you're expectations were on getting entierly new sensors - then finding out later you didn't.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Eddy Texas
If all this is true, are you sure the sensors are in the CORRECT wheel? Do the pressures match up with the corresponding tire? I would relearn anyway just to make sure the LF if actually LF etc.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
I wasn't complaining about the $5 charge per tire, I was originally just questioning how they calibrated the TPS without getting in the car. As a result of this forum and re-reading my bill, I now realized they just "rebuilt" the TPS. I am OK with the $5 charges and anything that I can do to keep my car "healthy and on the road" is OK. I was very happy with the service and treatment that I received from Discount Tire and the tires (Michelin AS ZPs) and plan to return for the front pair when I need them. Again, thanks to you all for your help and suggestions.
