OK, looking for a little guidance in troubleshooting the Service Tire Monitoring System DIC notice in my car. The car is a 2004 LeMans Commerative Edition with automatic transmission, new tires and new original GM TPMS sensors installed in August 2014. A few days ago the Serv. Tire Mon. Sys message showed up in my display, and all four tires showed the pressure in each of the four tires as XXX. They had all been working properly up until this point, and I don't believe each of the four batteries would have gone out at the same time. I need also to state that the keyless entry system is not affected by the current TPMS problem, so the receiver is at least partially working properly. I might also add that I have a hard copy (two volumes) of the GM Service Manual for the 2004 Corvette, but I'm not on a first name basis with all of the electronic schematics included therein.

I brought up the DIC codes which showed the only current codes to be in the BO-RFA (Remote Function Actuation) as follows:
2100 H C LF TPM Sensor Malfunction
2105 H C RF TPM Sensor Malfunction
2110 H C RR TPM Sensor Malfunction
2115 H C LR TPM Sensor Malfunction
There were a few historic codes dealing with both doors, but after clearing all codes and driving the car, only the four Sensor Malfunction codes for each of the four tires reappeared.

Having read through a portion of the electrical troubleshooting thread in the sticky notes, I pulled the body computer and checked for moisture and contamination of the electrical plugs. All appeared good, and there was no sign of any moisture in this area, so I reinstalled the computer and cleared the codes. Then, I entered into the programming mode to reprogram the TPMS sensors with a magnet, but was unsuccessful in getting the system to reprogram. I programmed the replacement sensors mentioned above which were installed in August of 2014 using a magnet, but I'm not sure whether the lack of success in the present case was due to the magnet or to some other malfunction in the system.

I ran by the local Chevy dealer (with little experience in Corvettes) who had a tech attempt to reprogram the TPMS system with a scan tool (yes, I know, it takes a magnet) but was unsuccessful. He did however say that perhaps since the remote keyless is working properly that perhaps one channel of the RCDLR was working while another channel servicing the TPMS sensor system was not. However, if this were the case he had no way of checking for that scenario.

Any thoughts, perhaps a starting point for troubleshooting? I'm inclined to believe the batteries are still functional in each of the tires . . . .

 

How much time transpired between the last time you drove the car and this problem surfaced? A day, a week, a few months?

GUSTO

 

Not sure if I understand what you're asking, but the codes first appeared about a week ago. I cleared them out along with other history codes, and they recurred when I restarted the car. Been there ever since, I drive the car every 3-4 days . . . . .

 

I can tell you that one day mine was reading xxx on one wheel and within one-two weeks they were all out. If yours were replaced in 2014, they could easily have been a year or more old at the time and the batteries are at or past their life assuming a date code of 2014. Sometimes I could get them to reprogram, then they would read xxx again. Then they just would not program. Replaced with new Schraders and all have been perfect since.

Just some experience - I was surprised they all went out so close to each other and was thinking it might be a car malfunction. I am interested to see what you find.

 

Thanks Ed,
I understand and appreciate what you're saying. The present sensors were installed in September of 2014 and they replaced the original sensors which were still performing normally at 10 plus years of age. I looked for my receipt for the sensors and didn't find it, but I do remember making it a point to purchase sensors with a current date at the time I bought them. Sometimes the sensors they're selling can be 2-3 years on the shelf before being purchased and installed if you don't check the date codes out.

So I'm making an educated guess that mine are no more than 7-8 years old at the most. And, I can understand your situation where they failed one at a time, even though it was within a few days/weeks of each other. But I don't believe that all four of mine instantly failed at the same time, all working perfectly one day and all four reading pressures of XXX no more than 1-2 days later. Not saying it's impossible for all to fail within that time period, just that I consider it highly unlikely. I think that's my engineering brain at work, at least what portion is still active in my older years . . . . .

I'm waiting for Bill Curlee to drop by and comment, he is much more current on these electrical items than I, and I'm hoping he may have a few select suggestions to check out . . . . .

Where are you, Bill?????

 

Ron, thanks your post to Ed answered my question. I was trying to determine if for example you had not driven the car for a few weeks (a month?) and then when you did they were all showing errors. Based on what you've said, it appears to have been sudden and since it affects all of them it is very likely that it involves the RFA.

I don't know if you've actually succeeded in programming the sensors in the past, but sometimes they can be finicky. I've had excellent luck programing my original sensors (installed in 2004 along with new tires) but just this past year one of them has finally failed. In the past if I did not drive my car for a month or more one or more of the sensors would take a few minutes of driving to awaken, but they always would within a mile or two. This time I actually got the all 'X's like you, but only on the one sensor and of course this time I could not get it to reprogram.

I purchased a couple of new sensors (soon another will likely quit) and had a devil of a time getting it to program. The other three would program easily as usual with my large magnet, but the new one would not. I finally got it to program after removing it from the wheel and realized I just wasn't able to get close enough to the sensor when it was mounted in the wheel, I have the C5 Z06 wheels. So the last time I used two magnets on that wheel and it would finally program while mounted.

I realize it seems unlikely that if the FOB's still work, none of the sensors would work, but they do operate on a discrete frequency, different from the FOB. I guess it is possible (even if not probable) that some new electronic device introduced in your area could be interfering with the sensors frequency. Do you continue to receive the errors if you drive it away from home? (just curious...)

Good luck and I'll be anxious to see how this gets resolved.

GUSTO

 

Thanks to you also, Walter!

I'm like you in suspecting that it may be the RFA , but I'm not knowledgeable enough to get into that at this point. I know there is a simple procedure for determining if the RFA is receiving power and ground, but I don't believe the key fobs would be working if it were not. That's why I'm hoping that Bill or someone more knowledgeable than myself will chime in at some point. Meanwhile, I'll continue to check occasionally with my trusty pencil gage.

Yep, the problem persists even away from home, I'd think 10-12 miles would qualify as being away from the neighborhood. But, I hadn't thought of the possibility of a local frequency interfering with the sensors. Guess it would be possible . . . . . . .

Thanks again for your input!

Ron

 

Time between last driving the car, and when the problem comes up, usually doesn't make a difference on the TPMS on a C5. At least, on the earlier ('97-'00) models. My 2000 was off the road for over 5 years, and all I had to do was reprogram the fob. TPMS was fine. I believe the TPMS batteries in the C5 are only being drawn down when the tires are rotating above a certain speed/distance........

 

I don't believe anybody is reading my post anymore . . . . .

 

Ron, send Bill a PM or an email here and see if he has any ideas. He's been on top of most electrical issues related to the C5, C6, and more for quite some time now. He has help many of us over the years, many he isn't even aware of just from reading his posts.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ll-curlee.html

Good luck... GUSTO

 

Thanks for the email link Gusto! I'll give that a try, I sent him a private message on the forum just after I posted the problem initially, but never heard back from him. I'd imagine he's a pretty busy fellow and in high demand!! I don't see a link for an email, but I'll give the private message another try!!

Appreciate the information!

 

You can turn off the TPMS function so you don't get the msg since you have an 04. I removed that when my sensors died. If you have access to a Tech 2 it is really easy to do
1. F0: Diagnostics
2. Select Model Year (Mine was 2002)
3. Select Vehicle Type = Passenger Car
4. F1: Body
5. Select Product Line = Y
6. Select Body Style = (1) Two-Door Coupe/Sedan
7. Select Transmission = Manual/Auto
8. Body = F5: Remote Function Actuation
9. F2: Special Functions
10. F0: Set Options
11. F0: Tire Pressure Monitor
12. Toggle the function "Off" and then hit the "Save Options" and power off the TECH2.

 

Hey Thanks Smoken1

I've heard of some folks turning off the TPMS system but never looked into the procedure for doing so. At the present, I don't plan to turn mine off, just trying to find out what may be causing all four of my sensors to read the XXX pressure readout! I don't believe the batteries are dead in all four wheels, they were all four working one day and then when I drove the car a couple of days later they all four went to the XXX readout at the same time. Something else is going on I suspect.

I'll file the procedure away for tuning the system out for future reference just in case. Meanwhile, I'm still hoping to hear from someone more knowledgeable than myself on what may be my problem. Thanks again!!

 

I think Bill Curlee must be off on another of his submarine repair junkets again . . . . no sign of him for some time as best as I can tell. . . .

 

He posted yesterday at 5pm in a thread. Scroll down and you will find it

 

Yep, saw where he had posted at least once . . . maybe he'll get around to reading his pm's and get to this thread. Still hopeful . . .

 

RCDLR receives input from both the TPMS and Keyless Entry…you said your key FOBS are functioning so I would say your RCDLR needs to be replaced….a bad power or ground would affect both subsystems.

 

That's what I'm suspecting as well based on how the system is acting and how the error occurred. I'm wondering if there isn't a method to check or test the present RCDLR to verify that is isn't receiving and transmitting the tire pressures before I replace it based upon suspicions? Maybe the only way I'll know is if I replace the receiver?

Appreciate your input very much, thanks!

Ron

 

If you had a Tech 2 you can see if the Tech 2 can communicate with the RCDLR system…that’s about all you can do.

 

Since the keyfob is still working, wouldn't that be indicative that the tech 2 should also be able to communicate with the receiver? I'm not very knowledgeable about these systems . . . and I'm assuming that even if the tech 2 could communicate that there's still no way to determine if the TPMS signal is being received and passed along? Appreciate your help, thanks much!