Anyone Familiar With TPMS Programming and/or Relearning?

[EXCellR8]

I recently bought a new set of wheels and tires for my 2013 Scion FR-S and I made sure to get the TPMS sensors put in by the installer/mounter. Now, I know basically next to nothing about TPM besides that it's been a requirement since like 2008 and if you don't have them you get a light on your dash. When I put the wheels on nothing happened but after maybe 25 miles or so the TP warning light started blinking and then went solid. Looking in the manual, that behavior indicates a fault in the TPM system. However, the light was off the next day I drove the car and hasn't come back on since.

Since I still have the old TPM sensors in my factory set of wheels, albeit they're now on the Impreza, I believe I can pull the codes from the FR-S' computer but according to the installer who did the aftermarket wheels, I just need to initialize a re-learn procedure. I don't have any TPMS tools aside from a simple tool that allows me to program new sensor ID's to the car via diagnostic port--but I have no way of getting the ID's off of the NEW sensor units.

I may just take the car to a tire shop this weekend and see if they can pull ID's off of the new tire sensors, but I figured someone on here must know more than I about this subject. Any information is appreciated.

 

[jlee]

The tire shop should have a scanner that can pull the IDs. When I get new TPMS sensors I record the sensor ID from each one and then use Techstream (Toyota's diag software) to reprogram them.

 

[ondma]

Yea, the TMPS system sounds like a great idea, but can be a real PITA. The previous car I owned had one wheel that the sensor came on, then went off again. This happened about 3 times, and it finally stayed on permanently. I fixed it with the old "black electrical tape" protocol.

I dont know if newer cars have changed, but the older ones had a battery that could not be replaced, guaranteeing that eventually you would have to replace the entire unit.

 

[EXCellR8]

The tire shop should have a scanner that can pull the IDs. When I get new TPMS sensors I record the sensor ID from each one and then use Techstream (Toyota's diag software) to reprogram them.

Yea I have the ability to write new ID's to the ECU but I don't have the tool to scan the sensors. I was hoping that the installer would have them on hand but I guess not. I was just a bit confused because they told me to do a "relearn" only but the guide they sent me clearly states that you need the new ID's before performing it... lol

I dont know if newer cars have changed, but the older ones had a battery that could not be replaced, guaranteeing that eventually you would have to replace the entire unit.

I think there's a battery in the actual sensors themselves, that goes into a sleep mode and wakes up when the car is driven again. I've read a bunch of different PA's on them though and I guess very few cars support automatic re-learning with new sensors.

 

[Midwayman]

All my cars have always had a re-learn TPMS option on the dash or did it automagically. Its easier to tell if you have ones that report pressure rather than just an error light.

 

[EXCellR8]

I think the FR-S might have the reset button but it just turns the light off; it will come back on again once the computer can't read the ID's on the sensors. I could be wrong though... like I said I'm not real familiar with the actual inner-workings.

 

[ondma]

The other weird thing about the TPMS sensors in the older car, was that they would not read the pressure until the car had been driven a few miles. Strange since you are supposed to check the pressure when the tires are cold. My newer car does read the pressure as soon as the car starts.

 

[pcgeek11]

The reset button has nothing to do with the ID numbers of the sensors. It only resets the pressure system reference point to evaluate when a tire loses pressure.

You will need to get the ID Numbers for each new sensor installed and then record it to the TPM System in the ECU using Techstream or equivalent software. Then adjust the tire pressures to the correct PSI then reset the pressure system with the reset button IAW the owners manual to set the evaluation reference point.

 

[KentState]

Does your manually state the relearn process? Most of the cars I've had, outline the process.

 

[EXCellR8]

I don't think it's in the owner's manual, but might be in the service manual. I have a BRZ service manual but I believe the Subaru process is different so I haven't really taken a look at it.

I think on the Toyota system if the pressure dips below 40 psi or so in one of the tires the light will come on. I had a small nail in one of my tires mounted on the OE wheel for the longest time and that's about where it would get triggered. It was a slow leak so I'd put air in it once a week and it would be fine. The tires are rated for 50 psi but my guess is that's not the reference point since that's likely tire-specific but I wouldn't know.