Seeking Help TPMS

[Milton]

VEHICLE: 2009 Mazda B2300 MTX
MILEAGE: 52Kmiles
RELEVANT EVENTS: 42KMiles New set of 4 tires (P225/70-15 100T KUMHO SOLUS K21)

ISSUE: TPMS Light started coming on ~1,000 miles after installing the new tires.
- Seemingly randomly, the TPMS light will blink for about a minute then remain light.
--- As I understand it this means that the TPMS is unable to monitor tire pressures.
- The TPMS light will then go out with no intervention.
- Checking the tire pressure shows the pressures all 4 tires to be correct, tested with multiple gauges.
- Can happen at any speed from 0-90 MPH.
- If the light is on when I shut off the engine, it may/may not be on when I restart it.
- If it comes on while driving, it will eventually go off while continuing to drive.
- No OBD codes

ACTIONS TAKEN SO FAR:
- Retrained sensors:
-- Cold tires properly inflated.
-- Retrained using Motorcraft TPMS19 as follows:
-- 1. Inflate all tires to pressure listed on tire placard
-- 2. Turn ignition to OFF position and press and release brake pedal.
-- 3. Cycle ignition from OFF to RUN position 3 times, ending in RUN position.
-- 4. Press and release brake pedal.
-- 5. Turn ignition to OFF position.
-- 6. Cycle ignition from OFF to RUN position 3 times, ending in RUN position.
-- 7. Horn will sound once and TPMS telltale will blink once train mode is initiated. If equipped with message center, it will display TRAIN LF TIRE. Place antennae of learn tool on sidewall of LF tire 180 degrees from valve stem to activate sensor. Horn will sound once sensor has been recognized, Repeat step for RF, RR, and LR tires.
-- 8. After training LR tire the message center will display TRAINING MODE COMPLETE. If the vehicle is not equipped with the message center display, successful completion can be verified by turning the ignition to the OFF position and not hearing the horn sound. If the horn sounds, the training procedure must be repeated.

Truck runs great otherwise. No problems. So my questions are, what's the procedure to trouble shoot this issue? How do you determine if the problem is with one or more of the TPMS modules in the wheels or with the on-board TPMS system?

Yeah I know if I check my tire pressure regularly, and I do, then I'm safe. I just what to get it working as it should.

Thanks,
Milton

 

[RonD]

Did the horn "beep" for all 4 sensors/tires?

You may have a battery in one of the sensors that is dieing.

 

[adsm08]

The light flashes, that's not a low tire, it's a sensor fault.

You sir, are the proud owner of a least one failed TPMS sensor.

If they all train and as soon as you cycle the key the light is back, there is a dying battery, and you need to figure out which one it is.

 

[Milton]

Dying battery, that makes sense. Now two questions:
1) Are the batteries replaceable?
2) Any way to figure which one? Or just assume if one 5 year old battery is dying, the other 3 are not far behind so just replace then all?

 

[Milton]

Ok, so after looking around it appears the answer is no for battery replacement.

If I understand correctly inside the wheel is a "sensor cradle" that is "mounted" to the wheel by a "sensor mounting band". The sensor is mounted on the "sensor cradle". If this is correct, can I just replace the sensors reusing the existing "sensor cradle" and "sensor mounting band"?

 

[RonD]

You are correct, batteries are not replaceable.

You should have banded sensors so you can just replace the sensor only.
If you get new wheels you keep the sensors and replace the bands.

Yes, unfortunately, when one starts to go the others will not be far behind, so all 4.

Did the Rangers have a spare tire sensor?

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

No spare tire sensors.

 

[XLTsplash]

You can buy the senors aftermarket and save yourself some money.

 

[Milton]

So a few months after posting this I found the Utube video below. The summary is your TPMS sensors connect to you truck's computer via radio signals. Cheap USB chargers can cause radio interference producing TPMS faults. I changed out my USB chargers and have had no TPMS faults for 8 months. I'm sure the TPMS batteries will fail eventually, but this solved my issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMevsqjSEIQ