TPMS issue

12238 Views 47 Replies 16 Participants Last post by ianjay, Dec 14, 2017

mrp10000

Discussion Starter · Dec 10, 2016

Got my Volt a few months ago. Had to have rotors and brakes worked on as mentioned in another post, and all has been good since then. I did, though, have a recent alignment done and two new tires purchased. I had the old tires moved to the front and new tires installed in the back since I had put about 5000 miles on my car since it was purchased.

On my front driver side tire, my TPMS tells me, from time to time, there is a problem. It will last for a while (10-15 min of drive time). TPMS has been relearned by local chevy dealer (and when they looked at the tires, they could find no problems with TPMS), and pressure is ok..The sensor shows that this tire has a problem (I'm assuming with low tire pressure), but readings from gauge/digital pump shows everything is ok.

What are possible causes? I'm only familiar with cars that tell you a tire is low, but my Volt measures pressure for each tire. This has happened for about two weeks. Tire warning light goes on. I measure pressure. Tire pressure is ok. Warning light goes off after a few more minutes of driving.

21 - 40 of 48 Posts

mrp10000

Discussion Starter · #21 · Jan 7, 2017

llninja said:
So when you are saying the tire has a problem, is it showing a lower pressure number on the dash, or does it just show double dashes where the tire should be showing pressure? Also curious is that in your first post you reported front driver side, and now you mention right rear. Did the problem tire get moved in a tire rotation?

I may have forgot to mention...I got the front driver tire fixed (had the sensor replaced, and have had not trouble since). Shortly after, the passenger rear sensor started going in and out, reading two dashes when it wasn't working, and reading correctly when it was working. On my return trip home after having the sensor replaced in rear passenger tire, the two dashes displayed once again, but only for a couple of minutes. To complicate matters, one other tire (passenger front) did the same thing a while back, but only for two minutes, and then never again.

Problems in this order: Front driver tire: two dashes, on and off. Front driver tire sensor replaced and no more issues (fixed a few weeks ago).

Rear passenger tire: two dashes on and off. Read correct pressure when working. (once, when rear sensor was displaying two dashes, front passenger tire did the same thing for about two minutes, but then read correctly, and never gave another problem). Rear tire came and went, and I got this one fixed today. On the return trip home, saw two dashes for about two minutes, and then all was good. I haven't had time to see if this is a one time thing ( I arrived home and the pressure was reading correctly). I will monitor to see if this problem will continue to come and go (if it does, I'll have the sensor looked at again).

My apologies for not being more clear and through on what the issues were regarding sensor failure.

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deekster_caddy

· #22 · Jan 7, 2017

I suspect you are seeing interference from some other electronic device. Many others have mentioned this as an issue.

TPMS sensors do go bad occasionally , and the batteries will fail as they age (usually 7-8 years), but intermittent sensor problems are very unusual - external interference is much more likely to be the culprit. We have a TPMS tool that can display the battery life of the sensor, I haven't tried it on my Volt's sensors yet but a good shop should have a similar tool.

mrp10000

Discussion Starter · #23 · Jan 10, 2017

deekster_caddy said:
I suspect you are seeing interference from some other electronic device. Many others have mentioned this as an issue.

TPMS sensors do go bad occasionally , and the batteries will fail as they age (usually 7-8 years), but intermittent sensor problems are very unusual - external interference is much more likely to be the culprit. We have a TPMS tool that can display the battery life of the sensor, I haven't tried it on my Volt's sensors yet but a good shop should have a similar tool.

So frustrating. The new sensor is coming and going. The latest: new sensor installed on rear passenger side a few days ago, two dashes showing up after driving 30 ish miles on new sensor. Two dashes also made an appearance on other rear tire. The new sensor (rear passenger) eventually started reading tire pressure. Went to Sears Auto and had tires relearned on car. Drove 30 ish miles and new sensor (rear passenger) acts up again (two dashes).

I had a front tire (driver) sensor installed and it has worked flawlessly since installed. I am waiting on the other rear tire to get flaky again. I'm thinking something must be wrong on the Volt side of things for this to keep happening.

I tried to chat with a Volt advisor, but the chat window kept telling me it would not connect.

Steverino

· #24 · Jan 10, 2017

mrp10000 said:
So frustrating. The new sensor is coming and going. The latest: new sensor installed on rear passenger side a few days ago, two dashes showing up after driving 30 ish miles on new sensor. Two dashes also made an appearance on other rear tire. The new sensor (rear passenger) eventually started reading tire pressure.

Do you have a dashcam, other power supply, or aftermarket item plugged in to the car?

mrp10000

Discussion Starter · #25 · Jan 10, 2017

Steverino said:
Do you have a dashcam, other power supply, or aftermarket item plugged in to the car?

As a matter of fact,I keep a 12 volt adapter plugged in in the armrest/center console of, and occasionally plug my phone in for charging. I've also had the adapter plugged into the front dash 12 volt socket, but find it more convenient where I have it placed now. Could this be causing some type of interference? ( I'm not sure of the name brand of the adapter I plug my lightning cable into)

TSquare

· #26 · Jan 10, 2017

mrp10000 said:
As a matter of fact,I keep a 12 volt adapter plugged in in the armrest/center console of, and occasionally plug my phone in for charging. I've also had the adapter plugged into the front dash 12 volt socket, but find it more convenient where I have it placed now. Could this be causing some type of interference? ( I'm not sure of the name brand of the adapter I plug my lightning cable into)

Pull it out and see if the problem persists. On some units, the circuitry in the adapter can add electronic noise into the CAN bus that the TPMS uses and cause problems.

mrp10000

Discussion Starter · #27 · Jan 10, 2017

TSquare said:
Pull it out and see if the problem persists. On some units, the circuitry in the adapter can add electronic noise into the CAN bus that the TPMS uses and cause problems.

Drove 32 miles, 12v charger unplugged. As I pulled into my driveway, new sensor began working again. Now I wait...

mrp10000

Discussion Starter · #28 · Feb 16, 2017

UPDATE: to recap...one newly installed tpms sensor front driver. (done at SEARS auto), then rear sensors started to go in and out with dashes. Had a second sensor installed rear passenger (SEARS and problem still persisted...SEARS replaced as defective). Both rear tires were showing dashes from time to time, but always started working again within a day or so. They quit working, showing two dashes for several days.

Called GM/volt advisor, and took the car in to be examined. Sensors had started working again when I took it in. GM was going to reimburse 100$ for what I guess was going to be some sort of diagnostic work. GM advisor found out that that one of the sensors (I reported both rear sensors were acting up) was a non GM part, the 100$ voucher was removed, but my local dealer didn't charge me anyway. Tires relearned by the dealer at no charge.

A week or two later, got both rear sensors replaced with original GM parts at my local dealer. The rear driver tire still shows two dashes every once in a while, but works when it reads. It works for a day or two at a time, then will show two dashes from time to time for 30-40 miles before working again. The rear tires now have original GM parts. If they are working when I take to the dealer, I will be told nothing can be done, since they are working (been there done that). I was almost able to get it to get looked at on my way home one day, but the sensor started working before I could get to the dealer.

I don't have anything plugged into any 12v charging ports, and there's nothing else I can think of that should interfere with the sensors...so frustrating!

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flyingsherpa

· #29 · Feb 16, 2017

mrp10000 said:
I don't have anything plugged into any 12v charging ports, and there's nothing else I can think of that should interfere with the sensors...so frustrating!

You got this used, correct? Check all the power ports (there's 3) and check all the fuse panels to see if any Add-A-Circuit fuse taps were used (may have a power converting device on such a circuit). Anything plugged into the USB port? Any other electronic device not stock to the car at all (even battery powered)? I've had repeatable TPMS interference from a 12V-to-USB charger and dashcam (whether running on battery or plugged in). Anything weird in the car (bunch of foil-lined sound-dampening material, new kind of tint, etc)?

Also, the problem is not your transmitters, you've had them replaced to death. It could be the receiver. If the problem persists, I would look at replacing that. Is anything mounted on your windshield near it (it's the black box by your rearview mirror)?

mrp10000

Discussion Starter · #30 · Feb 16, 2017 (Edited)

flyingsherpa said:
You got this used, correct? Check all the power ports (there's 3) and check all the fuse panels to see if any Add-A-Circuit fuse taps were used (may have a power converting device on such a circuit). Anything plugged into the USB port? Any other electronic device not stock to the car at all (even battery powered)? I've had repeatable TPMS interference from a 12V-to-USB charger and dashcam (whether running on battery or plugged in). Anything weird in the car (bunch of foil-lined sound-dampening material, new kind of tint, etc)?

Also, the problem is not your transmitters, you've had them replaced to death. It could be the receiver. If the problem persists, I would look at replacing that. Is anything mounted on your windshield near it (it's the black box by your rearview mirror)?

Yep, bought used. I will double check everything concerning ports, fuses, etc...the only thing I haven't check is fuse panels for the Add-a-Circuit fuse tap. Everything else has been checked and double checked. I've unplugged everything, and nothing is running on batteries nor is anything using the 12v charge ports. I remember asking about the receiver being the issue, but was told that there would be other issues that should be noticed if the receiver wasn't working properly. I'll go over with a fine tooth comb and get back to everyone.

ianjay

· #31 · Oct 15, 2017

Well, the right rear sensor is acting up again. After many months without the slightest problems, the right rear is indicating low pressure. This happened the first day the temperature was single digits. The right rear wheel that was indicating a problem intermittently last spring was moved to the right front this summer. It is now reading normal - I had three different sensors replaced when it was on the rear.
So the problem is back. When I place a mechanical gauge on the tire, it is properly inflated - a very close match to the left side. I think there must be a correlation due to temperature since no changes have been made to the car.

bentbiker

· #32 · Oct 15, 2017

ianjay said:
Well, the right rear sensor is acting up again. After many months without the slightest problems, the right rear is indicating low pressure. This happened the first day the temperature was single digits. The right rear wheel that was indicating a problem intermittently last spring was moved to the right front this summer. It is now reading normal - I had three different sensors replaced when it was on the rear.
So the problem is back. When I place a mechanical gauge on the tire, it is properly inflated - a very close match to the left side. I think there must be a correlation due to temperature since no changes have been made to the car.

Well, if you know the actual pressure is correct, either the value being sent by the TPMS is bad, or the receiving unit is having a problem receiving the signal. Since you've had the problem with two different wheels at the same RR position, I'd assume it's the receiver. If you have, or can find a TPMS device (like the Autel TS-401) that directly reads the TPMS signal, battery strength, and temp, you can verify that the sensor is sending out the correct info. Then you can take it to the dealer with proof that the receiver is the piece having the problem (broken or shielded?).

llninja

· #33 · Oct 15, 2017

bentbiker said:
Well, if you know the actual pressure is correct, either the value being sent by the TPMS is bad, or the receiving unit is having a problem receiving the signal. Since you've had the problem with two different wheels at the same RR position, I'd assume it's the receiver. If you have, or can find a TPMS device (like the Autel TS-401) that directly reads the TPMS signal, battery strength, and temp, you can verify that the sensor is sending out the correct info. Then you can take it to the dealer with proof that the receiver is the piece having the problem (broken or shielded?).

Check all 4 tires. It’s possible that the last tire change didn’t relearn the TPMS correctly and one of the other tires is actually low

ianjay

· #34 · Oct 15, 2017

Guess I will have to get a TPS tool. I just checked and adjusted all four wheels. The rears and right front were all 38 psi and the front left was 39. I adjusted them up to 42. Took it for a drive (about 26 kms). Still have the issue, so it must be the receiver. I have dumped too much money chasing this so far to bother getting fleeced by the dealer's diagnostic fee again. I wish it didn't take over the dash display the way it does!

hellsop

· #35 · Oct 16, 2017

ianjay said:
Guess I will have to get a TPS tool. I just checked and adjusted all four wheels. The rears and right front were all 38 psi and the front left was 39. I adjusted them up to 42. Took it for a drive (about 26 kms). Still have the issue, so it must be the receiver. I have dumped too much money chasing this so far to bother getting fleeced by the dealer's diagnostic fee again. I wish it didn't take over the dash display the way it does!

There's one receiver and four transmitters. One wheel is reporting low. What makes you think it's a receiver issue and not an transmitter issue with the single wheel?

bentbiker

· #36 · Oct 16, 2017

ianjay said:
Well, the right rear . . . After many months without the slightest problems, the right rear is indicating low pressure. This happened the first day the temperature was single digits. The right rear wheel that was indicating a problem intermittently last spring was moved to the right front this summer. It is now reading normal - I had three different sensors replaced when it was on the rear.

hellsop said:
There's one receiver and four transmitters. One wheel is reporting low. What makes you think it's a receiver issue and not an transmitter issue with the single wheel?

Two wheels and four different sensors, when, and only when, in the RR location display incorrect readings.

ianjay

· #37 · Oct 17, 2017

Yes exactly. No matter where the supposedly bad sensor has been put on the car, no matter if the sensors are replaced, only the right rear position indicates a problem. Also, cold weather seems to trigger the condition.

llninja

· #38 · Oct 17, 2017

ianjay said:
Yes exactly. No matter where the supposedly bad sensor has been put on the car, no matter if the sensors are replaced, only the right rear position indicates a problem. Also, cold weather seems to trigger the condition.

That indicates to me that you have a dying TPMS battery. The batteries aren't replaceable, so you need a new one. Maybe the replacement you purchased was sitting on the shelf for a few years or a substandard Chinese one.

bentbiker

· #39 · Oct 17, 2017

C'mon guys. He's changed the sensors multiple times. He's tried multiple wheels on RR. It's always the display for the RR that shows a low pressure. How can it be the sensors that are all bad, but only bad when on the RR?

Upper5Percent

· #40 · Oct 17, 2017

ianjay said:
Yes exactly. No matter where the supposedly bad sensor has been put on the car, no matter if the sensors are replaced, only the right rear position indicates a problem. Also, cold weather seems to trigger the condition.

When you moved the wheel did you have the car relearn the fact that the sensor had moved?

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