[Colt Hero]

Bought these things online (EBay) ... from some seller in New Jersey ... what could possibly go wrong, right ??

Well, they program fine with the EL-Knockoff Tool (VX), showing all four pressures ... but then about 15-20 miles later ... up pops the orange "Flat Tire" icon, and all the pressures change to flat lines (--). All of them!

It was a 4-pack for around $33. They look just like the ones that came out. You'd think if it was outright fraud, one or two might "fail" ... but all four (??) ... and all at the same time (??) ... and maybe right on cue, too!

Anybody experience this phenomenon?

 

[ricklack]

When you reprogram the sensors, it takes time until they provide accurate readings - possibly the 15-20 minutes you are experiencing when they all go offline. IE, they need time after being learned to the system to calibrate and give the actual readings.

I had some wheels without sensors in the past, and I kept getting tire pressure "readings" until the system calibrated and realized it was getting no readings, as there were no sensors. When I reinstalled the wheels with sensors, I did get immediate readings after the re-learn, but they were off slightly until driven a while. I think your 15-20 minute timeframe is pretty much that.

I'm wondering if the new sensors have a frequency mis-match or something along that line. I'm not sure who could test the new sensors and verify proper frequency compared to the originals. Perhaps there are markings on them to decipher to get frequency info?

If you are getting the correct horn verification to indicate they are "learning" properly - then maybe they do register with the controller but then drop offline as they cannot transmit to the system via proper frequency?

And of course i am hoping your name is Kenneth - so I can ask "What's the Frequency Kenneth"?

 

[Colt Hero]

@ricklack : I actually had one original tire removed - just to get the original TPM Sensor out ... so I could order the correct replacements ... but that proved fruitless, as I was unable to find the exact part #. I concluded that all that mattered was that they were 315 MHz, were made for GM, and maybe had some GM number that matched up.

I've reprogrammed them three times now. The first time was outside the tires ... before I actually had the new tires mounted and balanced. Once the new tires went on, I had to re-do the programming (for some reason). But it didn't quite work right, as the double-beep occurred on the 3rd wheel! Nonetheless, the pressures were there, so I drove it like that. 20 miles later, they all "flatlined".

So I reprogrammed them again this weekend. This time each wheel beeped right on cue, and then the double-beep at the end. I thought, "OK ... this time it went 'clean' ... probably will work now".

NOPE! Same thing. 20 miles later.

So - I can keep reprogramming it ... or maybe it'll just come back to life on its own? Who knows, right?

One thing that might be working against me ... I'm only driving the vehicle once per week to work (50 miles round trip), then about 25 miles on the weekend for errands.

Maybe sitting still too long after re-programming is causing it to repeatedly fail?

I'll tell you what, though ... between the TPM Sensors and the tires seemingly not balanced properly, I'm getting pretty close to just telling them to rip everything off!! (and I'll start over elsewhere).

=====
Oh - my name's not "Kenneth", but I have a good friend at work named "Dan" and he was just texting me about a water pump leak on his Mustang. Maybe I should've asked him what the TMPS Frequency was before ordering?

 

[RIT333]

Colt - If you are hoping that your TPMS will fix itself, then I am afraid that you a=have a long wait. I rarely, if ever, see automotive issues fix themselves. Butm you drive a lot more than I do !

 

[repairman54]

When it comes to TPMS sensors you get what you pay for.
I went the cheap route once on my old '09 Malibu, they don't last as long as OEM and can be erratic.
Especially with having to pay for tire mounting.
Even went sitting in the box new the batteries are draining BTW. And they don't have a best if used by date on them.

 

[superdave]

I went with Costco on my tire needs. They charge less per sensor and with full warranty. They usually recommend changing the tpms sensors when buying new tires. Pay them now or later is the same because they don't really care about your tire business. One employee told me that their existence is to keep you at the wearhouse so that you can spend more while you wait, I rather pay them once instead of waiting because they do have a busy shop. Can't beat the price on the lug nuts. I paid $0.90 cents CAD each comparing to at least $3+ from Walmart. The price of the tires installation includes life time repair but not easy to have them fix a flat if you don't have the time. The wait time just ridiculous. One time I have to take off a flat at their parking lot so they can fix it within the day otherwise a week wait time to get into the bay. Once I put the tire back on they were reluctant to torque the lug nuts for me because they have to follow their safety protocol. One of the gents kind enough to break the rules for me so I can be on my way before sunset 😁

Never trust the knockoffs from the online shop with a battery. I just replaced the battery in my wrist watch again after eight months with a brand name battery from online shop. Usually a new battery can run at least 8-10 years....

 

[ricklack]

Can't beat Costco for tire deals ...... lifetime nitrogen, balance, rotate, road hazard and flat repair, etc etc. All for less than other tire shops charge for balance only.

 

[Colt Hero]

Can't beat Costco for tire deals ...... lifetime nitrogen, balance, rotate, road hazard and flat repair, etc etc. All for less than other tire shops charge for balance only.

Maybe.

I was a COSTCO Member (for the first time ever) last year when they were offering the $3,000 Rebate toward a Chevy Bolt EV. I was sure it was a scam, but it turned out to be real. But, unfortunately, the Chevy Bolt Battery Packs catching fire also turned out to be real, and so that was the end of that!

But I did check COSTCO's tire selection for what I wanted to buy (before my Membership expired) ... and I didn't see anything I liked in terms of tire specs and pricing. Nothing "jumped off the page" at me. Just typical, run-of-the-mill prices ... and, in fact, more expensive than the average prices I was seeing across the board for the same tires elsewhere.

But obviously, they couldn't have done any worse than what I ended up with, right?

 

[repairman54]

2x on new tires, new sensors. Don't forget those new shoes will probably last 60-80k miles which usually is longer than the OEM tires in many cases. My 'nox's OEM Michelins only lasted 40k miles.

 

[ricklack]

True, Costco isn't always the cheapest for some items. However, in Canada, no one can touch Costco tire prices, especially when you consider all the things their tire service fee includes - these are all extra everywhere else in Canada and cost at least an extra 15 -20 per tire. But just for tires alone, Costco is lower in Canada whenever I have checked. All the other savings are gravy. Plus you get 2 - 4% cash back, depending on membership etc.

Yeah, their selection is somewhat limited but I find they have a nice variety of Michelin, BFG, Bridgestone Pirelli, etc. I have been sticking with Michelins as both summer and snow tires last me @ 100km. I have bought almost exclusively Michelin for the last decade. One time I decided to try Bridgestone as they had good reviews, were cheap and I liked the tread pattern. They were garbage.

To each their own.

 

[repairman54]

36k miles on my Bridgestone Alenza's and they still have 6/32 of tread on them.
Snow grip is good also. I put them on the 'nox as they performed well on my Tahoe.
Never got stuck with either vehicle either. Road noise is higher in the 'nox, less sound insulation than the Tahoe.
Probably will try something else on the 'nox next time around as the wife's retired now and no job to have to winter commute to.
3rd set of them on the Tahoe as they were OEM and they wear well on it.

 

[Colt Hero]

I programmed the TPMS again yesterday, and so far - without the vehicle moving - the pressure numbers are still showing in the DIC. So this is longer than just 15 minutes or 15 miles when the vehicle is moving (after which all four PSI numbers turn to Dashes).

But when I got home tonight, checking to make sure the pressure numbers were still there, I decided to let some air out of the left front wheel, since it was showing 39 PSI while the others were showing 34. Turned out ... the right front wheel PSI decreased! So then I went around to the other three wheels and let some air out of each one. Turned out the ECM thinks the two front wheels are swapped, while the rear wheels are correct.

So then I whipped out the VXScan handheld and programmed the sensors yet again!

Even though I got the HONK at the beginning (LF) (after placing the vehicle into "LEARN" Mode), a HONK at each wheel after that (RF, RR, LR), and a double HONK at the end ... it didn't seem to fix the problem! System is still confused as to what position the (front) wheels are in!

So ... I don't know what to do with this ... it could be the "knockoff" handheld ... it could be the "knockoff" TPMS ... I suppose it could even be some kind of incompatibility between "good" TPMS and "old" ECM firmware??

I don't know. It's aggravating! I did "program" these sensors outside the tires before installing them and they appeared to program OK ... showing zero in the DIC. But then ... after the new tires were installed (the 1st time), I had to re-program them again ... which seemed more than odd to me!

I wish I could see what's actually inside the tire right now. Maybe my new sensors were never even installed ... and what's in there are actually 400+ MHz sensors that came off another vehicle...

 

[rbarrios]

Sorry to hear of the tpms
Ive bought replacement sensors on ebay, some were the smaller updated sensors, and they worked fine... on both traverse and equinox.
Ill see if i still have pics of the new sensors.

 

[repairman54]

Knock off sensors.
I use OEM TPMS sensors and get the same performance out of replacements that the OEM delivered.
Ya get what ya pay for...

 

[Colt Hero]

Knock off sensors.
I use OEM TPMS sensors and get the same performance out of replacements that the OEM delivered.
Ya get what ya pay for...

Well ... I'm not sure you can say that just yet. It's unclear exactly what the issue is. They do program, and they "do* correctly detect PSI changes in the tires. I had the one problem where the LF and RF Sensors were swapped (even after "programming" them), but just this past weekend, I put a brand new battery in the VXSCan handheld (itself, a "knockoff", don't forget), and that corrected that problem. So that was kind of strange, too!

So now, for the first time ... all four wheels programmed quickly and correctly. And they're all detecting PSI changes correctly in their proper positions.

But will it hold these readings, or lose them again once the vehicle has been driven about 15 miles?

To make the conditions the same as the last test, I'm gonna let it sit there at least 4 days to make sure it's still holding the readings at least that long.

Then I'll drive it again on the weekend to see if there's any change.

If it fails again ... it's probably game over ...but it still won't be clear why.

Might just be bad batteries inside the "knockoffs" . So - not a "knockoff" problem, per se, but a battery problem inside the knockoff, which could affect any TPMS product .. just like it apparently affected my "knockoff" handheld ... appearing to be programming the Sensors correctly ... when it really wasn't.

And just like a bad battery in today's vehicles can manifest as all kinds of weird issues.

 

[ricklack]

I have a cheapo relearn tool, I got it off Amazon or Ebay maybe 10 years ago or more. It still works fine as long as the battery is good. Mine has a low battery indicator that is pretty accurate.

 

[Colt Hero]

I have a cheapo relearn tool, I got it off Amazon or Ebay maybe 10 years ago or more. It still works fine as long as the battery is good. Mine has a low battery indicator that is pretty accurate.

Yeah, mine has the "low battery" light, too. I was ignoring it because it seemed to be working, albeit somewhat slowly. I noticed with the brand new battery, I only had to hold the Relearn Tool on the sidewall for a few seconds and the horn HONKed. With the weaker battery, it took 30 seconds or more ... causing me to try re-orienting the Tool on the sidewall, which may have been prolonging the time (don't know).

 

[Colt Hero]

So after re-programming the TPMS with a fresh battery in the ReLearn Tool (handheld), letting air out, and adding air to each wheel (to verify each Sensor was operating properly), then letting the vehicle sit in the driveway again for 4 or 5 days (to verify it still held all the readings), I drove it to work today ... and after about 17+ miles ... POOF ... lost all the TPMS readings again (all dashes on the DIC).

But up to that point, while rolling down the Interstate at 70 mph, I had the TPMS display up, and saw every Sensor updating in real-time, adding 1 or 2 PSI as the wheels heated up !!

So, once again ... they appeared to be working fine .. and then POOF! ... all (4) went out at the same time!

Two more tests I can try:

1.) Re-program again, and then run the engine in the driveway without moving the vehicle ... to see what that might reveal. Is it related to motion, or just time?

2.) Stop by the Dealer and see if someone there could re-program the Sensors with a genuine ReLearn Tool. Would take them less than 5 minutes to do this.

Also wondering ... does it matter how the Sensors are oriented inside the wheel? You wouldn't think it would, but just trying to think of things that might be common to all (4) Sensors (besides the obvious).

Here's a question for you guys, though: Has anyone ever seen all four Sensors go out at once? If there's a dead battery in one, it only takes out that one, right? The other three continue to show readings, correct?

 

[superdave]

One sensor had a hiccup once because it was very cold. The other three was working fine. I was about to take it in to Costco for a replacement because I forgot to tell the tech to replace them when I bought the new tires. The weather started to get warmer and it started working again for me. I added air pressure to the tires in a very cold day, may be the humidity caused that sensor gone nuts. They are not chained together, so one gone south the others just kept going.

 

[Colt Hero]

@superdave : yeah, that’s what I thought.