[fuzzymoto]

I've read all of the TPMS posts but haven't really found an answer:

I purchased a set of Tires, Wheels & TPMS sensors in Oct 2016 from TireRack. These are my winter wheels/tires and they have worked well ever since. In Sept 2020 on a long trip I had the "Tire Pressure Sensor Fault" error come up on my display. I checked multiple times and all 4 tires were spot on at 46 psi. The error did clear itself over an 8-hour drive after coming back on and off multiple times.

With Covid, the car is spending most of the time in the garage, but now any time I drive it, about 20-mins into the ride, the "Tire Pressure Sensor Fault" returns (same set of winter tires).

I purchased the reset tool from Tire Rack when I bought the tires in 2016. I have tried the reset procedure with both the reset tool and the raise & lower the pressure technique and I never get beyond the driver front tire. The procedure initiates and the car indicates left front tire and the horn beeps but no amount of holding the reset tool button in or lowering the pressure allows me to advance to the next tire, so I'm stuck...and yes the light does come on on the reset too so I think the batteries are OK.

My summer tires seem to work just fine (no "Tire Pressure Sensor Fault" error) I swapped the front and rear driver side tires and again I get stuck on the first tire (nothing happens with the reset tool or the raise/lower pressures procedure).

How do I troubleshoot this now to figure out what sensor is bad? COuld all four somehow be bad at the same time or if there a TPMS receiver of some sort that may be bad?

If I find the bad TPMS sensor, do I have to replace all four TPMS sensors or just the bad one and hope it matches/works.

Does anyone have the current part number from Ford or a link from Ford/Rock Auto/Tire Rack to buy a new sensor?

I'm confident the tires are OK but I'll never know now if one does go low with this sensor failure.

 

[Saempersun]

If you have elm327 or whatever else OBD adapter you can monitor each tire pressure in Torque app.

 

[fuzzymoto]

I retested swapping the front tire to the rear just in case the front tire was the issue and the same thing happened. Ignition ON Hazard switch 6-times, it enters training mode correctly prompting to go to left front tire....but no matter what I do with the driver front tire, it never beeps or moves on to the next tire. I've tried pumping it up and lowering the pressure as well as the factory reset tool and nothing happens. After a few minutes it beeps twice telling me the training failed, try again. I guess both driver side TPMS could be bad but that's a real stretch I think.

Any suggestions for something I can even try?

 

[JamoRS]

So many little glitches with these cars!

 

[fuzzymoto]

So many little glitches with these cars!

I can't complain too much. The head gasket recall was a little much, but other than this TPMS issue, I've only replaced bulbs, oil and gas. I'd rather not have to buy four new TPMS sensors so I'm hoping someone has some suggestions for troubleshooting.

 

[nicklulu]

I was going to say swing by at discount tire and let them take a crack at it to troubleshoot, its typically free.

 

[fuzzymoto]

I was going to say swing by at discount tire and let them take a crack at it to troubleshoot, its typically free.

Not a bad idea. The winter tires are approaching end of life so my last resort would be to replace the TPMS (all four or one bad one) when I swap new tires on (likely this summer) and let the tire place give it a run. I'd be concerned that they'd hit the same roadblock I have and want to replace all four sensors with their sensors$$$.

 

[GmpaJimj]

So many little glitches with these cars!

You mean like when I rinse during a wash the doors will occasionally lock?

 

[nicklulu]

Not a bad idea. The winter tires are approaching end of life so my last resort would be to replace the TPMS (all four or one bad one) when I swap new tires on (likely this summer) and let the tire place give it a run. I'd be concerned that they'd hit the same roadblock I have and want to replace all four sensors with their sensors$$$.

I would ask them to troubleshoot while the tire are still mounted.

so if its determined that a new TPMS is really the only solution, i would say drive off for now and buy a replacement TPMS and get it swapped out when you get the tires replaced.

 

[Si2RS]

You mean like when I rinse during a wash the doors will occasionally lock?

I thought I was the only one! Haha! It's for this reason I don't keep the key fob in my pocket while washing anymore.

 

[JamoRS]

You mean like when I rinse during a wash the doors will occasionally lock?

Yep, that's a pain in the ar5e too, I just leave the fob further away from the car now, problem solved.

 

[fuzzymoto]

I would ask them to troubleshoot while the tire are still mounted.

so if its determined that a new TPMS is really the only solution, i would say drive off for now and buy a replacement TPMS and get it swapped out when you get the tires replaced.

OK. The error only comes up after driving for 20-mins and it clears overnight. Maybe they can troubleshoot without the error displaying? Is there some other tool to test TPMS that they'd have maybe?

 

[fuzzymoto]

You mean like when I rinse during a wash the doors will occasionally lock?

Our Subaru does that too.

 

[StoddRS]

I retested swapping the front tire to the rear just in case the front tire was the issue and the same thing happened. Ignition ON Hazard switch 6-times, it enters training mode correctly prompting to go to left front tire....but no matter what I do with the driver front tire, it never beeps or moves on to the next tire. I've tried pumping it up and lowering the pressure as well as the factory reset tool and nothing happens. After a few minutes it beeps twice telling me the training failed, try again. I guess both driver side TPMS could be bad but that's a real stretch I think.

Any suggestions for something I can even try?

I haven’t had success in it recognizing the sensor when entering via the hazard way.
Try this instead:

• Turn ignition to the OFF position
• Press and release brake pedal
• Quickly turn the ignition from OFF to RUN (engine OFF) three times, stop in RUN position
• Press and release brake pedal
• Turn ignition OFF
• Quickly turn the ignition from OFF to RUN (engine OFF) three times, stop in RUN position
• NOTE: All the steps for this process must be performed within 10 seconds
• A single horn chirp will indicate the relearn mode is active

 

[fuzzymoto]

I haven’t had success in it recognizing the sensor when entering via the hazard way.
Try this instead:

• Turn ignition to the OFF position
• Press and release brake pedal
• Quickly turn the ignition from OFF to RUN (engine OFF) three times, stop in RUN position
• Press and release brake pedal
• Turn ignition OFF
• Quickly turn the ignition from OFF to RUN (engine OFF) three times, stop in RUN position
• NOTE: All the steps for this process must be performed within 10 seconds
• A single horn chirp will indicate the relearn mode is active

Well the procedure above worked. It's a bit tricky getting it all in with just 10-seconds but the horn chirped.
Rest tool to driver front--horn chirp
Reset tool to passenger front--horn chirp
Reset tool to passenger rear--horn chirp
Reset tool to driver rear--horn chirp

Display shows "training complete"

I don't think I identified a bad sensor since every tire responded to the reset tool with a horn chirp. I thought maybe one tire would NOT respond and identify a bad sensor but that didn't happen.

I guess we'll see the next time I drive the car to see if the training was enough to clear the issue or if I go right back to the original error again after driving for 20-minutes. I'm hoping the retraining was enough.

The car is currently waxed and sitting in the garage so I'm not sure how soon I'll be driving to test everything but I will report back. In any case, this process did work and I have no idea why the other process did not. Thank you.

 

[fuzzymoto]

I finally drove the car yesterday about 30-mins each way and NO Tire Pressure Sensor Fault error came up. I think the re-training Post #15 worked...at least for now.

 

[lvevo]

I finally drove the car yesterday about 30-mins each way and NO Tire Pressure Sensor Fault error came up. I think the re-training Post #15 worked...at least for now.

Lucky you, I tried using the start button and hazard button method (with and without the tool) and both will not get past the front right tire. I had a flat tire on that wheel, so maybe the sensor there got damaged? I never drove on the flat tire, I hit a pothole and got a bubble that popped the tire while the car was parked at home. Was like half a day before I noticed and jacked up that wheel.

 

[fuzzymoto]

Did you try swapping the wheel/tire that you suspect is bad to the rear of the car and see if you get any further? It's a lot of work but when I did that, it still didn't get past the drivers front time even after I moved it which made me think it was not just a bad TMPS sensor.

 

[MorningZ]

Strange there is a second way into the training procedure. Great to know there is another avenue just in case.

I know it doesn't help your exact situation and I see you got by the problem, but if someone stumbles across this thread later on:
I've had great luck with "ignition on, then hazards on/off three times" and using this tool (Part # 8C2T-1A203-AB) have never had a problem over the years. Two sets of rims, the forged rims with the OEM sensors and a second set of rims with sensors I bought from TireRack, works with both just fine)

 

[fuzzymoto]

I'll see if my retraining sticks when I'm back to driving every day. I'm actually disappointed the hazard button method doesn't work. Maybe because I'm a 2016 RS?

Is there a correct affordable replacement TPMS anyone is using?