Just checking if that was the case after a few more days. Was it?
It should. The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland updates sensors in 5 miles if it detects different sensors. And it also shows individual tire pressures, like on C6s. That the car picks up sensors from other cars is nonsense. It only invokes learning mode when detecting different sensors, and that happens while rolling. The sensors have to be the same in the 2012 Vette. Plus the Jeep is super accurate, while the Vette shows 2 psi less than actual. All in the software, I guess.

Same with Jeep and many other new cars with the new sensors.

My question is if the same $60 TPMS tool works on any US car that still needs a tool. I might consider buying one if that's the case.

 

The Grand Cherokee has transponders in 3 of the wheel wells that pick up which sensor is on which corner of the car - the 4th location is determined by process of elimination.

The Ridgeline has what they call "initiators" in each wheel well that apparently turns the sensors on when the vehicle starts up and drives faster than 15 mph.

When new sensors are installed, those 2 vehicles "learn" the sensors automatically.

Some older vehicles have an "indirect" TPMS with no sensors at all - the ABS senses a different rotational speed from a wheel with low pressure and will turn on a low pressure light on the dash, but when it comes on you won't know which tire has low pressure until you check them all with a gauge.

However, our C6 (and AFAIK all GM vehicles) use a different sensor system. There are no transponders or initiators in any of the wheel wells.

When our TPMS receives a signal from a sensor, it only pays attention to signals containing the 4 sensor ID#'s that are programmed into the TPMS memory - it will disregard signals from other vehicles around it.

The TPMS only knows the location of the 4 sensors in its memory because of the order in which they were programmed in. When doing a relearn procedure, the first sensor triggered is logged into memory as the Left Front, the second one is put into memory as the Right Front, the third as the Right Rear, and the fourth as the Left Rear. That's why we do the relearn programming procedure in that order.

That's why if the sensors are mixed up when getting new tires installed they'll still be recognized by the TPMS, but the DIC display of location may not correspond to where they actually are.

All TPMS tools transmit a VLF (Very Low Frequency) triggering frequency of 125 KHz.

Our C6 sensors (and I believe all current GM sensors) are triggered by a CW (Continuous Wave) transmission of 5 to 7 seconds - i.e., a steady transmission of 5 to 7 seconds.

However, many other sensors require a sort of Morse code type of transmission from the tool - i.e., a specific series of pulses.

Some require FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) and others require an ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) type of signal. So, many sensors can only be triggered by very specific coded pulses from the TPMS tool.

I've used a number of different high level TPMS tools on the C6, and if you don't know how to set up the tool for our sensors and just let the tool do an "auto scan", it can take a couple minutes for the tool to go through all the different transmission protocols for it to finally trigger the sensor. If you know how to set up the tool for a CW signal, or on tools with a screen if you go through the menu and select the vehicle you're working with, then the tool will trigger the sensor within a few seconds.

So.....the very simple TPMS tools for $62.33 from SPX, or a little more from some forum vendors, or similar low-end tools from Tire Rack or elsewhere only transmit a CW signal and they may not work with many vehicles that require coded/pulsed transmissions from the tool.

If you get one of the cheaper tools you can count on it working with most all GM vehicles. But, what other vehicles it will work with, I dunno!!

Bob

 

Great thread!!!

 

I have a factory TPMS tool that came with my F350. Anyone know if it will work with the sensors in a '07 C6

 

Who makes it, and what model is it???

Post a picture of it.

Bob

 

It is the stock tool that came with my Ford F350. Tires have different trigger pressures so it must be used when rotating from front to rear.



The only reason I care is that is that the car is currently set up with Pilot Sport A/S plus tires on the stock wheels and I am thinking of picking up a second set of wheels to have mounted for summer track days. Just planning ahead. Thanks for your help.

 

Aha!! I recognize that tool.

I bought one of those several years ago to see if it would work with my C6, but I never had any luck - I could never get it to trigger my sensors!!

Many tire pressure sensors require a sort of Morse code pulsed signal from the TPMS tool in order to excite/trigger them to get them to send their data to the TPMS computer in the car. Some of those sensors require an FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) signal, and some an ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) signal.

The TPMS tools send out a VLF signal transmitted on 125 KHz.

As mentioned, some sensors require a pulsed/coded signal, but all GM sensors require a simple continuous wave transmission.

So....I would expect that the Ford tool transmits the standard 125 KHz signal, and I'm sure it's most likely a CW transmission, but I think that it's just not strong enough to trigger our sensors, because I tried my tool like that numerous times with several different fresh batteries and could never get it to work. Maybe I just got a defective tool, but the batteries are very small and the tool looks like its very low powered.

I've worked with a lot of different TPMS tools, and they all must be within a couple inches of the tire pressure sensor in order to trigger it, they all eat batteries, and you must have fresh strong batteries in any of them I've used to get them to work effectively.

So.....I suspect that little tool SHOULD work (i.e., it probably sends out the simple CW 125 KHz signal), but i think its too low powered to work with our sensors.

But.....give it a try!!! If you get a honk of the horn at each wheel (double honk at the Left Rear), then it worked!!

Bob

 

I will I just wanted to make sure that entering program mode and then not having a tool would not cause any issues.

In order to use the tool on my ford I have to place the tool on the wheel 180 from the valve stem and then press the button. There is an arrow on the tool that has to be aimed at the valve stem. Not sure if the F350 has valve stem mounted sensors or rim mounted sensors in a different location. Just used it the other day so I know it still works.

As long as I won't have issues not having a tool I'll try it and post the results


eta:
Actually now, after looking at ebay for F350 sensors they are valve stem sensors.Maybe somesort of directional antenna?

 

Does anyone in SoCal have one of these that i could try out?

 

You shouldn't mess anything up on the Vette just trying it. If you put the car into the learn mode and it doesn't work - no harm done!!

However, if it does the first couple sensors and then won't trigger the last couple, then all the sensors won't be programmed in - when the first sensor is triggered and logged into the TPMS memory, the data for all the other sensors is wiped out to clear memory for the new sensors. If you replace one sensor, you have to reprogram all 4 sensors.

If your tool doesn't work at all, just turn the ignition off and it will take the car out of the learn mode and no sensor data will have been lost from the TPMS memory.

Put the arrow of the tool on the rubber sidewall of the tire next to the valve stem - you want the signal to transmit through the tire, not the wheel. The valve stem is part of the antenna system of the sensor, but the receiver to trigger the sensor is in the body of the sensor.

After putting the car into the learn mode you must trigger the first sensor within one minute or the learn mode will time out.

The video linked below shows the relearn procedure being performed with a TIPS tool.

Good luck!!

Bob

 

I bought one 2 years ago from WCC. $156 and used it once so far. Wow, what a bargain!!

 

I bought the CUB tool from tire rack for 20 bucks and used it last night for the first time and it seems to have worked great.

 

Does anyone know what most aftermarket wheel/tire company use for pressure sensors?

I just got my wheels about a week ago and wanna throw them on (new wheels, new tires, new tire pressure sensors) and i wanna know if its worth buying a tool. I don't mind spending the 100 bucks on the tool, just to do it but i don't want to buy the wrong one and/or buy it for nothing.

Are GM sensors different than the generic TPMS aftermarket companies uses? Let's say they use the cheapest of the cheap to keep costs down, what tool should comply with those?

I was looking at the VT15 which is about 100 bucks and it said it will work with newer GM's sensors but since i don't have GM sensors anymore since new wheels/tires/sensors, can i just buy a cheapo tool?

Please help guys. Thanks.

 

I believe you simply trigger the tpms sensors with a strong enough magnet to when the car is in pairing mode.

The ATEQ VT56 kit comes with a magnet itlsef.

 

You're a few years late to this party & NO, a magnet will not trigger the C6 TPMS.

 

This unit works well for someone who is not running the sensors and wants the warnings gone, says it works for vette's !

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/TPMS-Delete-E...e=STRK:MESE:IT

 

No tool needed, don't waste your money. The learn mode does work. Just need to bleed off more air than you think and wait for the horn. My 2012 SS camaro beeped the horn after 1/2 psi, 2012 vette took almost 5psi. Just did it yesterday

 

That method doesn't work for the earlier sensors (05 to 09).

 

Read a lot of articles and talked to a few people who said the learn didn't work on a 2012.... but it does. Didn't read through the 5 year backlog of posts here but maybe others are under the same impression. For my car and sensors, hold down both lock and unlock on the fob, foot on the brake, then hold accessory on until left blinker lights up.

Almost gave up because I had to let out about 5psi in one shot....even then it took almost 30 seconds before the horn.