Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Wheel and tire information and upgrade discussions
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Caretaker

Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by Caretaker »

I'm about 3 hours from home, escaping the red tide in favor of some clear ocean water. My tire light is flashing and then going solid. When I stop the car, it goes off, or once I slow down it goes off. I stopped twice along the way and all the tires are holding air just fine; I let air out to make sure each tire read 32 psi. I'm guessing, as I often do, I overinflated my tires and the flashing tire light is a result of driving on the highway for hours at a time and the tires heating up. I'm guessing it also could be a faulty sensor given the car is 12 years old and the sensor have never been replaced. Can someone quickly check their owner's manual and let me know if it says what a flashing tire light means? Thanks for your prompt reply............standing by.........I'll check the all knowing internet in case it is a common warning symbol in all cars.

Update: the all knowing internet seems to point to either a battery on the sensor or a faulty sensor. Do tire shops have the ability to determine which one is faulty or is it a "replace 'em all" situation? Is there a TPMS reset button under the steering column or elsewhere?
jolt
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Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by jolt »

Hi Caretaker, This link may help you: https://www.tirereview.com/tpms-diagnostic-strategies/

When it come to TPMS, there are so many aftermarket replacements out there that no one service tool can do them all for troubleshooting. If the shop has the proper scanner tools to work with your sensors, and your sensors have the ability to show battery life; then they can tell you which sensor is bad. The stock Denso sensors can be read by the Toyota Tech Stream software but as wheels get rotated around the car, then the displayed location in Tech Stream is not correct. You now need a scanner for the sensor ID's to locate which rim has that sensor. If you throw in all the aftermarket sensors that can change sensor ID numbers by programming the sensor, or you can buy sensors that have the ID numbers in them and you change the number in the ECM, like with the Tech Stream software. Things can get real messy trying to figure out what tools and what parts are being used.

If you what to keep everything OEM, then get Denso sensors. There are some cheap aftermarket sensors that go bad after a year from what i have read, and there are counterfeit sensor out there as well.

As the above linked site talks about, and I believe I had this happen a couple of years ago with my KIA, is interference with the wireless signal for my TPMS. I was driving down the freeway and the TPMS light came on. I pulled off the freeway to a station and checked my air pressure, all was good. The light was on the whole time until I shut the KIA off, checked the pressures, and then when I re-started the KIA, the light was out. That was two years ago and the light has not been on unless a tire was actually low on pressure. I think it was some interference in the wireless signal.
Caretaker

Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by Caretaker »

thanks very much for that reply jolt. Your second sentence is spot on. When they started going bad on my HET, short of swimming to South Korea, I couldn't find anyone with the proper tool to read the sensors. Even my Hyundai dealership could not guarantee they would be able to properly read it due to a delay in distributing the newest software from S.K. After reading your first paragraph, it sounds like I just need to trade my car in on a day the light isn't coming on and get some big $$ for the Vibe (from what I've read on the all knowing internet regarding hyperinflated offers for used cars). I'm just glad I don't have to sweat out the drive home. It is unlikely I will pay to get this inconvenience fixed, although due to the stupid chip shortage, my target replacements keep getting delayed so I have to keep this running for awhile longer. Again, thanks for the link and expertise.
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joatmon
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Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by joatmon »

sorry for not giving as quick a response as you may have liked

page 9-50 of the 2009 owner's manual says
The TPMS will not function properly if one or more of the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable. When the system detects a malfunction, the low tire warning light flashes for about one minute and then stays on for the remainder of the ignition cycle. The low tire warning light comes on at each ignition cycle until the problem is corrected. Some of the conditions that can cause the malfunction light to come on are:

• One of the road tires has been replaced with the spare tire. The spare tire does not have a TPMS sensor. The TPMS malfunction light and DIC message should go off once you re-install the road tire containing the TPMS sensor.

• The initialization (reset) procedure failed. See “TPMS Reset” later in this section.

• One or more TPMS sensors are missing or damaged. The TPMS malfunction light should go off when the TPMS sensors are installed and the sensor matching process is performed successfully. See your dealer/retailer for service.
• Replacement tires or wheels do not match the vehicle’s original equipment tires or wheels. Tires and wheels other than those recommended for your vehicle could prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. See Buying New Tires on page 9-54.

• Operating electronic devices or being near facilities using radio wave frequencies similar to the TPMS could cause the TPMS sensors to malfunction.

• If tire chains are installed on the vehicle.

• If there is a lot of snow or ice around the wheels or wheel housings.

• If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed.
page 9-52
TPMS Reset

The TPMS sensors and transmitters have unique identification codes. Anytime you replace a TPMS sensor or transmitter the identification codes need to be registered and the TPMS needs to be reset (initialized). When the system is initialized, the current air pressure in the tires is set as the tire pressure benchmark. The tire pressure warning system determines decreased air pressure by comparing tire pressure to the benchmark pressure stored in the TPMS.

Do not reset the TPMS without first correcting the cause of a low-tire condition.

To reset the system:
1. Park the vehicle at a safe place and apply the parking brake. Turn the engine off.

2. Turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.

3. Adjust the tire pressure of all the installed tires to the specified cold tire inflation pressure level indicated on the Tire and Loading Information label attached to the vehicle.

4. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
tpmsr.jpg
tpmsr.jpg (39.79 KiB) Viewed 2549 times
5. Press and hold the tire pressure warning reset switch until the tire pressure warning light flashes slowly on/off three times.

Wait for a few minutes with the ignition in ON/RUN, and then turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.

If the low-tire pressure warning light does not flash three times while you press and hold the reset button, the reset has failed. Repeat the reset process. If the reset cannot be performed, see your dealer/retailer for service.

If you press the tire pressure reset switch while the vehicle is moving, the reset is not performed. If you press the tire pressure reset switch accidentally and initialization is performed, adjust the tire pressure to the specified level and perform the reset procedure again.
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joatmon
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Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by joatmon »

and if you ever need it, you can download a PDF of any or all the owner's manuals from
https://forums.genvibe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=755
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jolt
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by jolt »

Caretaker, here is a link to sensors for the Vibe from Rock Auto Parts: https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/pon ... nsor,12036

They list the DENSO 5500103 for ~$31 a piece. This is one part that the prices have came down on over the years [more manufactures :) ].

Here is more info about that sensor on Rock Auto: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.ph ... 4&pt=12036

Check your rims to make sure the sensor stems fit you rims. I am not sure about the Vibe, but on some models of cars, they can have different factory rims that use different stems/sensors.

I seen a post were a person said that Costco will install the sensors and you can bring your own sensors. It could be another place to check if you have a Costco membership.

Thanks for the kind words. Hope all goes well and have a great weekend.
Caretaker

Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by Caretaker »

Thanks gents. I can definitely rule out the snow chains on Marco Island. :lol:

Once I see how tomorrow morning's drive goes, I'll perform the reset procedure. If no resolution, I'll check on the sensors at RA when I get home and see if Sam's will do the installation.

Again, thanks for taking your time away from the Olympics. 8-)
Caretaker

Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by Caretaker »

checked all 4 tires this morning. All reading 30psi "overnight cold." The drive home will determine if the warning light was simply from over inflation. But after 12 years, I'm guessing the sensor batteries must be near the end.

Post trip edit: nope, the light started flashing after about 15 minutes of driving (from cold) and then turned solid. I'll go try the reset procedure and edit my edit
Final: nope, reset procedure failed. Thanks for posting it joatmon.
Post Final: Went to Sam's. They have the reader and carry the(ir) sensor in stock should I need it. They only charge $41 installed. Pretty good deal (assuming they know what they are doing). I'll let you know later in the week.
Caretaker

Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by Caretaker »

So when the Sam's Club tire guy scanned my TPMS, two of the sensors had gone bad. He told me that 12 or 13 years is about the end of life for the first generation sensors; even less lifespan for "today's" sensors installed on cars. Once the two were replaced, he then had trouble getting a reading off of one of the remaining ones, so I may be going back for a revisit. The sensors they put on now have rubber stems. Apparently this is a "lessons learned thing" in that brake and tire shops were too often snapping off the aluminum stemmed sensors. Moreover, the rubber ones are un-or-less-likely to corrode in northern climates with road corrosives. My TPMS light is off for now, but may come back on for a return trip for the other two original sensors. $84 and change out the door for the two sensors installed.
tpollauf
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Re: Flashing Tire Light: Quick Response

Post by tpollauf »

Caretaker wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 10:26 am The sensors they put on now have rubber stems. Apparently this is a "lessons learned thing" in that brake and tire shops were too often snapping off the aluminum stemmed sensors.
Yep. When I finally got new rubber for my 2009 Vibe GT they also used a "universal" TPM sensor, which looks weird on the 18" alloy rims. Like there is something missing in the machined counter bore. What you pointed out does make sense though. I also had to tell the mechanic to use a 2009 Toyota Matrix XRS model for programming them. He tried the Pontiac model in the software BUT couldn't get it to work. Once he went with Toyota, all went smooth! To his defense, this shop exclusively works on semi & large specialty tires only, so he was only going by standard protocol. This shop owed me a set of tires for some AC repairs that I performed. Gotta love the bartering system.
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2009 Vibe GT (manual), 2009 G8Gt, 2009 Vibe GT (auto)
2014 Silverado, 2004 Vibe GT

"everything is modifiable"
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