Tire Monitor / Sensor Fault

[digifoss]

Just started getting this message recently. Got the "Tire Monitor Fault" coming home from a short trip a couple of weeks ago. It came on, stayed on for a few miles, then went out. Then last Thursday, driving down the highway, got the message again "Tire Monitor Fault", that stayed on a few miles, then it switch to "Tire Sensor Fault" then after about 5 miles, it cleared and hasn't come back on since. This is my first vehicle with tire monitors or sensors so I know nothing about that. Anything to check or suspect ? One thing, both times this happened it was snowing.

 

[Rcflyer330]

Most likely its a sensor in one of the tires going bad. The battery life is 5 to 10 years anything past that is a bonus. Without the proper tools its hard to say exactly what sensor is the problem. If you have forscan and a bluetooth obd 2 scanner you may be able to find what sensor is the problem. The only problem is the position that the sensor was originally trained at will not match the actual position on the vehicle. For example forscan will report sensor 1 is the left front tire sensor, but that tire may have been rotated and is now at right rear position. The car can't tell the position of the sensor just that they are working correctly.

I just went through this on a 2012 Lincoln Navigator. I have a tpms tool that will trigger the sensors and read the data. With that tool, forscan and some work I was able find the bad sensor (it would not trigger) then program 4 new sensors with the original id's. I did end up re-training them to the vehicle because the shop said their tool would not read the sensors. I think they just wanted to sell 4 new sensors.

 

[94Eddie]

This might not be your problem but it is worth checking out.

 

[digifoss]

Thanks for the replies, sorry for the delay in getting back. Have not had the fault message happen any more. The video on how a phone charger can interfere with the sensor signal is pretty interesting and something I wouldn't have thought of. Knowing that, If it comes back on again Ill know if a charger is plugged in or not.