Introduction: How to Program a Tire Pressure Sensor
If your vehicles has been diagnosed with a bad or faulty tire pressure sensor and you want to replace the sensor yourself, follow these steps.
Supplies
Step 1: Initialization
Connect the TPMS tool to the vehicle via the OBD port under the steering wheel and select the correct vehicle model and year. Some TPMS tools do this for you automatically.
Step 2: Sensor Detection
Place the tool directly in front of the tire valve stem to detect and test the existing sensor. If replacing a sensor, ensure the new sensor is ready for programming. If using an Autel TPMS tool, this can be done with the "auto create" function by placing the tool directly next to the new sensor.
Step 3: Sensor Replacement
Remove the old sensor from the wheel and replace it with the new sensor. This involves removing the tire from the rim or releasing all the air from the tire and then prying the tire down enough to access and remove the sensor.
Step 4: Trigger
After the new sensor is installed, you will need to scan each sensor (new and old) using a trigger function on the TPMS tool.
Step 5: Programming
Follow the on-screen instructions on the TPMS tool to program each sensor to the vehicle's TPMS system. This process may involve inputting new sensor IDs or copying the old sensor's ID to the new sensor. Top of the line scan tools like Autel allow for "auto creation" where it takes care of all this automatically.
Step 6: Verification
After programming, verify that each sensor is communicating correctly with the vehicle's TPMS system. This may involve either re-initializing the sensors or driving the vehicle for a short distance to ensure all sensors are correctly reporting tire pressures.