Easter Egg Mod for disabling TPMS - How to
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 770
Likes: 164
From: Southeastern NM
Easter Egg Mod for disabling TPMS - How to
TPMS sensors are not needed if you are just using aftermarket wheels for racing purposes! Luckily, GM put an "Easter Egg Mod" in place so we (C7 owners) can temporarily disable TPMS. Here is what you do;
1. While stopped with the engine running and gear selector in park position, engage the parking brake
2. Quickly press the trac control button on the center console 6 times within 5 seconds
3. Then press and hold the trac control button for 6 seconds and it will turn off trac control/active handling and disable TPMS. This will allow you to use PTM and enter into any driving/race mode you choose (normally you will not be able to do this if your tpms warning light is active)
Remember, the above mod only works if your TPMS light is on due to the addition of racing wheels (w/o tire sensors) or by simply dropping air pressure in your rear tires for drag racing. TPMS will reset at every key cycle so if you turn your car off, you must repeat the above steps to disable again.
Hope this helps as it worked for me at the track last night!
1. While stopped with the engine running and gear selector in park position, engage the parking brake
2. Quickly press the trac control button on the center console 6 times within 5 seconds
3. Then press and hold the trac control button for 6 seconds and it will turn off trac control/active handling and disable TPMS. This will allow you to use PTM and enter into any driving/race mode you choose (normally you will not be able to do this if your tpms warning light is active)
Remember, the above mod only works if your TPMS light is on due to the addition of racing wheels (w/o tire sensors) or by simply dropping air pressure in your rear tires for drag racing. TPMS will reset at every key cycle so if you turn your car off, you must repeat the above steps to disable again.
Hope this helps as it worked for me at the track last night!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,055
Likes: 9,817
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I didn't bother doing this when I was at the track. Just started the car put it in PTM mode dismissed the tpms warning and headed for pit lane. Have 6 track days on the car using aftermarket wheels with no sensors and have had no issues.
Bill
Bill
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 770
Likes: 164
From: Southeastern NM
Lucky you! Do you have a C7?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 764
Likes: 258
From: League City Texas
I've read that the TPMS pressure and temp reading plays into the eDiff on the Z51 (and presumably the Z06). Not sure if this is true or not. But my first two track events with the Corvette felt different than the third and fourth after I added TPMS sensors. Could have all been in my head though.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
I've read that the TPMS pressure and temp reading plays into the eDiff on the Z51 (and presumably the Z06). Not sure if this is true or not. But my first two track events with the Corvette felt different than the third and fourth after I added TPMS sensors. Could have all been in my head though.
If you are running a road course then the pressure won't be low enough to necessitate turning off TPMS.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 770
Likes: 164
From: Southeastern NM
The reason most guys aren't having problems is because they drive enough laps around the track for the system to go into track detect or their stock wheels are in the pits/garage area or where the car can pick up the signal (I'm assuming).
I added TSW wheels on the rear of my z51 and drive 20 miles w/o tire sensors. My tpms light comes on and w/o the above disabling mod, I'm screwed!!! I don't know how you guys are doing it but mine will not go into PTM mode or allow you to disable active handling. Turning off regular trac control is possible but that's about it. Follow the link below and scroll all the way down to the bottom to where it says "Easter egg mod". That came from a GM Engineer. Regardless if it works for some or not, I'm sure someone out there will benefit from this (it's a free mod
). Also, you can not do a successful burnout just by turning off trac control, active handling is still on. All systems have to be turned off but you can not do that if tpms warning light is active....or at least on my car, lol!!!!
http://www.carsillustrated.com/secre...d-c7-corvette/
I added TSW wheels on the rear of my z51 and drive 20 miles w/o tire sensors. My tpms light comes on and w/o the above disabling mod, I'm screwed!!! I don't know how you guys are doing it but mine will not go into PTM mode or allow you to disable active handling. Turning off regular trac control is possible but that's about it. Follow the link below and scroll all the way down to the bottom to where it says "Easter egg mod". That came from a GM Engineer. Regardless if it works for some or not, I'm sure someone out there will benefit from this (it's a free mod
). Also, you can not do a successful burnout just by turning off trac control, active handling is still on. All systems have to be turned off but you can not do that if tpms warning light is active....or at least on my car, lol!!!!http://www.carsillustrated.com/secre...d-c7-corvette/
Last edited by GeorgeR_Zed06; May 16, 2016 at 11:30 PM.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,055
Likes: 9,817
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
C7 Z06/Z51 with over 500 track miles on it with no TPMS issues. Yes, I do take the stock wheels/tires with me. They are on the trailer near where I park the car but each time I start the car I get a TPMS failure message that I reset. If the stock wheels were communicating with the car during the hour plus time the car is parked near them I wouldn't get the TPMS failure when I start the engine.
As far as whether or not the car responds differently with the sensors I can't say since I have smaller diameter wheels with much wider Hoosier tires mounted. The stock system is calibrated to the tires that GM installed on the car so temps and pressures don't mean the same thing for the wheels/tires I use.
I do know that I can hear PTM working in Track Sport 1 and Sport 2 modes so the sensors aren't needed to have it work.
Here is one of my videos from a couple of weeks ago. 29 minutes of video time from just after engine start until engine stop. This was my third track session of the day without any TPMS complaint. Wheels are CCW 18x11 w 315/35 Hoosiers in front and CCW 18x13 w 345/30 Hoosiers in the rear. You can see in the video the car was in Track Mode Sport 2 all of the time. I did have a passenger with me who became ill near the end of the session.
Bill
As far as whether or not the car responds differently with the sensors I can't say since I have smaller diameter wheels with much wider Hoosier tires mounted. The stock system is calibrated to the tires that GM installed on the car so temps and pressures don't mean the same thing for the wheels/tires I use.
I do know that I can hear PTM working in Track Sport 1 and Sport 2 modes so the sensors aren't needed to have it work.
Here is one of my videos from a couple of weeks ago. 29 minutes of video time from just after engine start until engine stop. This was my third track session of the day without any TPMS complaint. Wheels are CCW 18x11 w 315/35 Hoosiers in front and CCW 18x13 w 345/30 Hoosiers in the rear. You can see in the video the car was in Track Mode Sport 2 all of the time. I did have a passenger with me who became ill near the end of the session.
Bill
Last edited by Bill Dearborn; May 18, 2016 at 12:21 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,690
Likes: 116
From: Richmond area Va
only relevant thread i could find in c7. anyone using this just came in the mail
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TPMS-Delete...72.m2749.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TPMS-Delete...72.m2749.l2649
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 79
Likes: 8
I have a 14 z51 I turn stability trac and traction control off and enter into race mode at every track day with no tpms sensors without the need for some fancy sequence of button presses. The car has well over 30 track days on it and never once needed to do that.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 770
Likes: 164
From: Southeastern NM
- f all 4 TPMS (tire pressure monitor sensor) are gone, and the car doesn’t find any others it can register the system will work normally. If it has the two fronts still functional, or if it finds the rears at the pit area, or if it finds a tire with the same code in a TPM on another car, it will not allow you to get in PTM or comp mode where Launch Control is available.
- If ‘track detect’ is set it will ignore the TPMS system. This takes about 1 lap of a normal road course, probably not applicable here (at a drag strip).
- If the car keeps finding some tires and won’t work, we put in an Easter egg to disable all interactions with TPMS. You stop, set the park brake, push the TCS button 6 times in 5 seconds. It will register that you were successful by blinking the TCS light for about 3-4 seconds. You have to do this every key cycle.
Last edited by GeorgeR_Zed06; Oct 29, 2018 at 01:14 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 79
Likes: 8
Are you removing all 4 wheels or running a road course? If so, then that's why it works for you. When I had my Stingray, I would leave the two rear wheels at home and drive 20 miles to the strip with the two factory fronts (that's why it wouldn't work for me) left on. Below is a quote from a Cars Illustrated magazine and that bit of info was obtained from a GM Engineer. This mod doesn't apply to everyone.
- f all 4 TPMS (tire pressure monitor sensor) are gone, and the car doesn’t find any others it can register the system will work normally. If it has the two fronts still functional, or if it finds the rears at the pit area, or if it finds a tire with the same code in a TPM on another car, it will not allow you to get in PTM or comp mode where Launch Control is available.
- If ‘track detect’ is set it will ignore the TPMS system. This takes about 1 lap of a normal road course, probably not applicable here (at a drag strip).
- If the car keeps finding some tires and won’t work, we put in an Easter egg to disable all interactions with TPMS. You stop, set the park brake, push the TCS button 6 times in 5 seconds. It will register that you were successful by blinking the TCS light for about 3-4 seconds. You have to do this every key cycle.
I only do road courses all over the NY tri state area with no sensors in all 4 wheels. I leave the sensor wheels at home. I suppose that's why I can do whatever I want without a sequence of button presses.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,187
Likes: 173
From: Nevada
TPMS sensors are not needed if you are just using aftermarket wheels for racing purposes! Luckily, GM put an "Easter Egg Mod" in place so we (C7 owners) can temporarily disable TPMS. Here is what you do;
1. While stopped with the engine running and gear selector in park position, engage the parking brake
2. Quickly press the trac control button on the center console 6 times within 5 seconds
3. Then press and hold the trac control button for 6 seconds and it will turn off trac control/active handling and disable TPMS. This will allow you to use PTM and enter into any driving/race mode you choose (normally you will not be able to do this if your tpms warning light is active)
Remember, the above mod only works if your TPMS light is on due to the addition of racing wheels (w/o tire sensors) or by simply dropping air pressure in your rear tires for drag racing. TPMS will reset at every key cycle so if you turn your car off, you must repeat the above steps to disable again.
Hope this helps as it worked for me at the track last night!
1. While stopped with the engine running and gear selector in park position, engage the parking brake
2. Quickly press the trac control button on the center console 6 times within 5 seconds
3. Then press and hold the trac control button for 6 seconds and it will turn off trac control/active handling and disable TPMS. This will allow you to use PTM and enter into any driving/race mode you choose (normally you will not be able to do this if your tpms warning light is active)
Remember, the above mod only works if your TPMS light is on due to the addition of racing wheels (w/o tire sensors) or by simply dropping air pressure in your rear tires for drag racing. TPMS will reset at every key cycle so if you turn your car off, you must repeat the above steps to disable again.
Hope this helps as it worked for me at the track last night!