mnl119

Hi all,

I'm having issues with my TPMS system. Here are the symptoms:

1. Right front tire reads "0" pressure (NOT "---")
2. "Speed Limited to 55 MPH" indicator does NOT come on.
3. NO message about a flat tire.

I've just noticed this now after having to have the Body Control Module (BCM) reprogrammed (one week ago) because the BCM "lost" both of my key fobs and I could not reprogram them. Cost for this was $239. Only way I could get it to the dealer was to stick a fob in the programming slot in the glove box.

It's possible that during the recent key fob reprogram the dealer messed up the computer programming for the sensor in one tire (RF), but the problem could have been there before my recent fob episode.

My question is that when the TPMS registers "0", what does that mean? Does it mean no sensor dected? If the system truly detects 0 pressure from the sensor in the RF tire, shouldn't it give warning messages?

Any thoughts?

20psirabbit

I've had sensors not flashed to the car, the dic said "--" I woul imagine that if yours said "0" the sensor is flashed to the car, and is telling it the tire is flat.

mnl119

Why no "Flat Tire" message on the DIC then (or 55 MPH limit).

God I hate these things.

Never_Summer

I had this happen to me after I got new tires and ecm. Don't think it had anything to do with the ecm, original tuner locked it so had to drop a new one in to tune it. But mine read 0 also and would not let me take off active handling. When I would get on it, there would be no dic message except service active handling and would try to brake the opposite front tire. My sensor just went out and had to be replaced, after that the tpms has been all good.

mnl119

Hmmm. I also only have "Traction Control System Off" and "Traction Control System On" modes available to me.

Looks like the "Active Handling System Off" setting is not available and to my knowledge, never has been.

"Competitive Mode" also just now became unavailable.

I think I may need a new sensor and a trip to the dealer.

20psirabbit

I don't know, I only was able to choose traction control on/off. I couldn't enable competition mode or take traction control and active handling off. I got no message in the dic about flat tire, no speed limiter.

Bill Dearborn

The speed limited message isn't continuous. When my sensor started failing, I would get the 0 pressure warning and I could shut off by hitting reset but it would keep coming back every few miles. I saw the flat tire message several times but can't remember how it related to the 0 pressure message. The speed limited to 55 message would show up every time I started turning the car when the speed was above 55. For instance, on the track while exiting a turn at 120 mph, the tire pressure sensor started reading 0, the flat tire message came on and the speed message came on and the EBCM applied the front brakes to slow the car. The guy behind me almost ran into the back of my car since he wasn't expecting the car to brake at that point with no yellow flag waving and a clear track ahead. On the straight the car would let me go over 55 but every time I went into a turn the EBCM would slow the car to 55. Since I had all the nannies turned off it turned AH back on but left TC off.

If the sensor is dead or the car isn't programmed to receive it you just get a service TPMS message and you are limited to TC off with full AH. Not sure but I think speed is limited to 85 or so in that mode.

Bill

mnl119

God, what a mess. I did not notice any restrictions driving it to work this morning, but I only had it up to ~73 MPH.

I did have the "Service Active Handling" system light on, but it went off later in the day, with stil 0 psi registering in the RF tire.

Never_Summer

Yea sounds like you are having the same problem as I did. It would also allow tc to be turned on and off but no access to comp mode or ah. I'd just get a new sensor installed and programmed

Vette5.5

I actually like the TPMS system, and really haven't had much trouble with mine. I switch to track wheels several times a year with TPMS, so just hit deeper into the pocket book for a Bartech 300 programming tool. Nice thing about this tool, is can scan sensors on wheels away from the car, to see if they're functioning. May as well get used to it, as every car on the the road sold since 08' has TPMS now. Best just biting the bullet, and getting the program tool.

mnl119

Wow... those guys are certainly proud of those Bartech 300's at $1,295 a pop.

I don't have a problem with the TPMS and some flakiness. My 06 Impala SS has a similar system, although it can be reprogrammed easlity by me.

What I do have a problem with is that the TPMS system seems to have more control over my z06 than I do! Sorry, but unless the TPMS is made more reliable than I've seen, it shold not not have the ability to take over driver functions like setting active handling.

0Shop TPMS

The Bartec is a good tool but you can also use the ATEQ VT55 with all the same functions for under $1k and if you dont need the OBD function the VT30 scans the sensors and is about $250.

AzDave47

For $100 plus shipping you can get a reset tool from Katech: http://store.katechengines.com/katec...tool-p263.aspx

I use another one (TIPS) that I got used from BEZ06 for a little more and it works fine to program the TPMS one my street tire set and my track tire set. It is even featured in his how-to video!

Complex performance cars = more things to deal with.

Thank goodness for this forum!

mnl119

That's a reasonable cost.

Anyway, just dropped it off at the dealer. On the way there the RF TPMS went from "0 PSI" to "XX PSI" so I think it's just that the sensor died. I will update once I find out for sure.

Oh, and I know that more modern cars are going to be more complex, but it's the failure mode that bothers me. Taking away my ability to deactivate the Active Handling system just seems wrong. When the sensor completely died, I got that ability back, but the car should have the feature to let the owner override the TPMS's judgment.

AzDave47

The safety ***** are protecting you from yourself. You should know that :<(

RedZ4me

my Bartec 300 was $350 on ebay brand new, dealer wanted $700. Ya,.....ok !!

works like a charm and does most makes

Vette5.5

That's odd, as managed to get my Bartech 300 from another forum member a few years back for $200 bucks. Not saying who, but works great. No matter the tool you get, highly recommend one with two way communication, as can scan sensors sitting in your hand.

BEZ06

Hmmmmm......come on, who was that guy!?!?

The older Bartec Wheelrite Tech 300 has been superseded by the 300SD, which typically costs more than $700!! it has a small screen on it, so they charge a lot more for something that doesn't do any more than the earlier tool.

The earlier Tech 300 can sometimes be found used for $250-$300 on that auction site!

BTW that other forum member has a couple TPMS tools available:




The red KTi PST is used - $130 shipped. The Green TIPS is new - $140 shipped.

If somebody needs a TPMS tool that any tire shop would be proud to own, this OTC 3833 is $240 shipped, and includes that cool poster for the wall in your garage!!:







You can see that the screen displays excellent info for doing diagnostics on sensors, such as "Batt OK" that indicates the battery strength is good.


Bob

AzDave47

It looks like our resident TPMS tool collector is doing some house cleaning (or is that shop cleaning?).

My TIPs unit is still doing a great job as I swap from street to track tires and back, Bob.

BEZ06

Now, back to mnl119's problem!!

It would help if you would post up what year your car is - there are slight differences in some of the TPMS software programming and the 2005-2009 uses a different sensor than the 2010+ C6.


I'm not sure, but I think you have a 2008. You say you drive it to work, but if it's a 2008 you need to drive it at least 30 minutes straight without shutting down the engine in order for the TPMS to figure out that the sensor is not transmitting (60 minutes in a 2006-2006; 30 minutes for a 2007-2008; 20 minutes in a 2009 or newer).

The TPMS "remembers" the last known tire pressure until it gets an update when you start driving. If it doesn't get a transmission from the sensor in that time period above (or if you disconnect the battery it will lose that last known pressure) then you'll get a DIC message of a problem.

At the end of that time period you'll probably get a "Service Tire Monitor" DIC message - that will probably confirm that the sensor battery is weak or dead. A tire shop with a good TPMS tool like in my previous post can check the sensor.

So.....go to a shop that knows what they're doing and get them to do a good diagnostic check on the sensor. I'd also just try reprogramming all the sensors. If the sensor is bad, get a new one and have them program all the sensors into your TPMS.

BTW, the TPMS computer is part of the RCDLR module (Remote Control Door Lock Receiver). If you had fob problems and the BCM replaced, then it very likely affected the TPMS as well. They should have done a sensor relearn procedure to program the sensors into the TPMS computer into the car after any work on the RCDLR.

Bob


Here's a video of using a TIPS tool to do the sensor relearn procedure: