Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) System
The Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) system monitors the air pressure in the 4 road tires. The TPM system consist of a TPMS receiver, 4 Radio Frequency (RF) tire pressure sensors, low tire pressure warning indicator, and TPMS warning indicator.
The TPMS sensors, located in each wheel well, measure the tire pressure and temperature and transmit the data to the TPMS receiver. The tire pressure sensor operates in 4 modes: configuration mode, normal fixed base mode, storage auto mode, and alert mode. In configuration mode, the sensor will measure pressure and temperature every 20 seconds, and transmit every 3 minutes 20 seconds. In normal fixed base mode, the sensor will transmits and measures as in the configuration mode until the TPMS sensor receive a command to switch into another mode. In storage mode, the sensor enters a low current consumption state where no measurements are made in order to conserve battery power. The sensor will not transmit unless requested to do so by the initiate command. In alert mode, the sensor will measure and transmit every 4 seconds. The TPMS sensor will enter this mode when the temperature is more than 230 degrees and the tire pressure change 3 psi from the last transmission.
The TPMS receiver general function is to auto-learn the TPMS sensor. The TPMS receiver decides which warning indicators to illuminate, from the radio frequency (RF) data received from the TPMS sensor.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.
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