Hey, I have a 05 mt with a tpms malfunction. Just bought the car used with no warranty. Does anybody know how i can test each sensor and find out which one or ones are bad?

 

Im 99% sure that when I hooked up my AP I had 4 codes for my 4 missing TMPS sensors. If I'm right then you should have a code telling you which wheel is out of range or missing.

 

^........I think you might be wrong on the AP. Anybody else confirm or deny this?


Quoted from another thread:
"The trouble with our TPMS is that the instrument panel just renders one idiot light and not a specific readout of each tire's pressure (the sensors themselves are sending individual signals), therefore we/you don't know which tire sensor is malfunctioning [presuming your tires are properly inflated]. There's probably a way to test the sensors, but again you don't know which, so it's generally not cost effective to do so.
You can get 315 MHz compatible sensors from TireRack for a lot less than Mazda and they work fine. "


Also, make sure you are not over inflated.....that will cause a TPMS warning as well. I think the number on that end is something like 50PSI or so.

 

as far as I know, the AP doesn't monitor the TPMS which means you shouldn't be able to pin point the exact wheel.

 

^.........right, it only plugs into the OBDII port....................yes?
I don't think there is anything on the CANBUS in that regard anyway, so that means you are SOL.



so.....to pctsean............why specifically do you believe you have a TPMS malfunction?

 

I just replaced all 4 of mine and it cost about 200 dollars too. Well actually there is a way. Drop the pressure in each wheel to 16 and if it registers the low tire then you know that ones still good.

 

I had a bad sensor and one of my tires pressure went low. It still registered the low tire. I aired up my tires and the flashing went back to normal.

 

is there a way to check the sensors with a dvom?

 

The TPMS readings do appear on the CAN bus. I've got a Harrison code scanner, and when run with the RX-8 module the actual tire pressures appear.

There's no specific indication of which is which, but with a scanner hooked up a little detective work with an air hose should sort them out and identify the bad one - if it is a sensor propblem

Ken

 

I had never heard of harrison before, so I looked at their page. They have a photo showing that you use there product with a laptop, and they show an RX8 interior. Just thought I would point that out:P

 

the way to test the sensors

Step 1: Turn on car. If the car is already started, turn it off, wait a minute, and restart the car.
Step 2: let all the air out of one tire at a time
Step 3: Check if light is solid
a. if it gets solid, that sensor is working. inflate tire.
b. if it still blinks, sensor malfunction.
Step 4: Rinse and repeat on the remaining 3 tires.

For each one that makes the solid wheel still blink, those sensors are bad.

 

Well......shut, I say shut my mouth!

Hmmm....I'll have to look more closely and see if my PLX OBDII cna get them. Maybe I need to see if I need a firmware update.

Thanks for setting me straight Ken

 

I'm wondering why some people think it's a pain to have to actually check the pressure on all four tires...

My TPMS will trigger if the pressure drops only a couple of PSI. No need to drop it to 16.

I did buy new ones for my new wheels, however. The old ones are still in the stockers, still pressurized with the old tires on them.

 

Part of the plan. Low oil lights instead of using the dipstick, low coolant light instead of looking in the radiator, electric windows instead of wind up. Power lawn mowers. Electric razors and toothbrushes. Electric carving knoves. Anything to avoid exertion.

Pretty much the way they used to walk cattle gently on the old cattle drives, and not run them hard enough to lose weight. They're fattening us up.

Ken

 

TPMS helps a lot when you have run flats though...