TPMS won't reset after airing down

[Hopeless Diamond]

Took the Bronco out on some forest service roads giving a tour of the area to visiting friend. Aired down to ~20lbs, mainly for comfort, rocky patches suck. Ended up getting a flat (drove over a metal spike at the very top of a mountain). With the usual amount of hassle, got the tire changed over to the spare. TPMS kept reporting the pressure (or actually the complete lack of pressure on the tire now mounted on the back). Figured no big deal will resolve after driving for a bit. TPMS was reporting 3 tires ~20lbs, and 1 tire at 0.

Got the tire plugged, and made sure all tires were inflated (~37lbs). Now I have 1 tire showing good (the old spare), and the other 3 are still showing as low. They are all reporting low. Have checked the pressures a with a couple of different gauges and all show 38. The one tire showing good starts ~30lbs in the AM, getting up to ~34. The others showing low all report around 29, then gaining to 32-33 while driving.

I've driven around like this for a week now, over 100 miles, highway speeds, etc. I'm thinking the one tire reporting good (although low) is actually the one mounted on the spare, may air it down and see if it is.

Anyway to get the system to reboot or wake up? The tire sensors are reporting as the pressures do change, it's just that they are reporting low. No dealer nearby so it would be a big hassle to get it looked at.

Sponsored

 

[Bschurr]

I would try over-inflating them to like 45 PSI and drive for a little bit and see if they reset and begin to operate normally.

but, 1 quick Q - when you aired down did you replace your valve stem caps while running low pressures? (I am asking because if you didn’t, the possibility of getting crud in the valve stem and then blowing that into the sensors upon airing up may have buggered them)

 

[Ducati1098]

Sometimes the sensors need to be manual reset or trained. Any shop (even independent) should have a tool to do this.

 

[MayhemMike]

Here is my take. I have experienced on other vehicles that when the valves are used to deflate or inflate the pressure sensor gets whacked. If you have the stem core removal tool, back out the schraeder core and then tighten it back up. It is rare but the core affects the sensor and it causes an incorrect reading. As I mentioned this has happened to me on one of my vehicles.

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

I would try over-inflating them to like 45 PSI and drive for a little bit and see if they reset and begin to operate normally.

but, 1 quick Q - when you aired down did you replace your valve stem caps while running low pressures? (I am asking because if you didn’t, the possibility of getting crud in the valve stem and then blowing that into the sensors upon airing up may have buggered them)

I'll try this and see where it lands.

Yes, did have the covers back on.

Thx!

Sponsored