bravenrace
bravenrace MegaDork
4/1/15 12:41 p.m.

When I bought this truck the TPMS light was on. It said to reset it. I figured that's all it needed. So I followed the procedure, but it doesn't work. How do you tell if the sensors are working properly or not? I don't even know for sure that there are sensors in the tires. Is there any way to turn the whole system off so I don't have that stupid light on the dash all the time? I'd appreciate any help on this.

mazdeuce
mazdeuce PowerDork
4/1/15 12:52 p.m.

Do you have the onboard computer that gives individual pressures? If you do you page through it by pressing the middle of the three buttons to the left of the steering column.

bravenrace
bravenrace MegaDork
4/1/15 1:02 p.m.

No, I access it with the odometer reset button. The problem isn't accessing it, it's the the reset procedure doesn't work. I can initiate it, but it then tells you to let air out of the driver side front tire until the horn beeps. But the horn never beeps. I'm not sure what to do from there. I suppose I need to break down the tire and see if there's a sensor in there? I really don't care if I have this function, but as is usual for GM, it has an obnoxious light and message that keep flashing on my dash. So I either need to know how to diagnose it or how to turn it off.

fasted58
fasted58 UltimaDork
4/1/15 1:05 p.m.

tape

atm92484
atm92484 Reader
4/1/15 1:18 p.m.

My 08 did the exact same thing after I rotated tires (truck thought I had 80 psi in the front and 60 in the rear) and I couldn't get it to sync. I broke down and took it to the dealer. They were able to reset it with their tool.

bravenrace
bravenrace MegaDork
4/1/15 1:54 p.m.

In reply to atm92484:

So it worked, then you rotated your tires, then you went to reset it and it beeped upon initiation, but then didn't beep when you tried to reset the drivers front tire? Did the dealer say why it didn't work? What did they charge you for it?

atm92484
atm92484 Reader
4/1/15 2:25 p.m.

Exactly. They didn't have an explanation but they were also kind enough to not charge me. Not sure if this is typical or if they were being nice but it might be worth a call.

mazdeuce
mazdeuce PowerDork
4/1/15 9:04 p.m.

I've never been able to get mine to reset using the pressure method. I've long since lost track of which wheel is which. If one is reading low I check all four. That is until I had to buy a reset tool for the Cadillac. The newer GM cars require a reset tool. Bastsrds.
I'd go to a dealer and explain the problem. It should take them about 30 seconds to determine if you have the sensors or not.

bravenrace
bravenrace MegaDork
4/2/15 7:11 a.m.

I wouldn't really care if it had the tires mixed up, but I get a message on the instrument panel to reset the system, and a stupid light flashes constantly. I'd be happy to just get rid of those. I guess I run by my local Chevy dealer and see what they say. Is there a way to tell if the sensors are present in the wheels without unseating the tire?

mazdeuce
mazdeuce PowerDork
4/2/15 7:53 a.m.

They use a tool which "activates" them. It forces them to emit a signal which the truck recognizes which is what you're trying to do by letting air out. You'll put the truck in learning mode and point the tool at the valve stem and if there's a sensor present the truck will recognize it and tell you to move onto the next wheel. There is a not insignificant chance that if the sensors are present then at least one of them is bad. You can figure out which one when it won't talk to the truck in learning mode when you zap it with the tool.
It literally takes 10 seconds to reset all four sensors once the truck is in learning mode. I do it on the Cadillac every time I change wheels.

iceracer
iceracer PowerDork
4/2/15 9:20 a.m.

In my case, the TPMS light comes on when a tire pressure gets below a certain point. Saved me a tire tice. Or a defective sensor in the wheel or complete lack of them as in my winter wheels. As mentioned, black tape works well.

2002maniac
2002maniac Dork
4/2/15 9:30 a.m.

My dad's suburban has had that light on for at least 100k miles. At some point you just have to give up chasing gremlins in an aging GM

bravenrace
bravenrace MegaDork
4/2/15 10:11 a.m.

In reply to 2002maniac:

Ah yeah, I don't do that.

mazdeuce
mazdeuce PowerDork
4/2/15 10:17 a.m.

When the window switches stop working let me know and I'll talk you through polishing the contacts to fix them. I'm about to do it for the third time on my 2007.

Opti
Opti Reader
4/2/15 10:56 p.m.

Start the reset procedure, let the air out in the left front, sometimes it takes a while if it doesnt beep after 5 psi, go to the right front, see if it beeps for that one, and continue, if it works for the others and only the left front doesnt work probably have dead sensor. Sometimes driving around the block, gets an intermittent one ready to read.

If none of them work take it to a shop with a tool.

If you think you have an intermittent one after getting them reset atleast if it drops off youll know the position for sure.

If you have this style stem

you probably still have sensors. If you take the cap off and look closely the GM style stems have some exposed brass below the threads a normal stem wont. Some of the older GMs have the common metal stem like almost every other tpms sensor.

Generally when someone pulls the sensors they will just stick normal stems in so if you have the TPMS style stems you probably have the sensors but never know what a PO did.

I bet if its more than a few years old you probably just have an intermittent or dead sensor.

bravenrace
bravenrace MegaDork
4/3/15 9:02 a.m.

In reply to mazdeuce:

This isn't my first GM rodeo, this time I bought a truck with manual windows and door locks.

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