Chromatic Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Out of the blue,.. as I was pulling into the street to my home,.. the TPMS light suddenly started blinking. I was like hrmm.. odd. Guess a tire is low. So got out and checked the pressures.. Front Left 33 PSI,.. Rear Left 34.5 PSI.. Front Right 33 PSI,.. and Rear Right 32.5 PSI. Nothing seems off there,.. All I've done is add a nice Radar/Laser detector lately.. (Passport Max) -- lol. I've done some reading and this apparently is a common annoying problem with this car and tons of others. It's a Federally mandated "LAW" all cars after 2006 must have TPMS, and it's illegal to turn it off (So I can't even get it turned off with my tune.. ).. WTF? It's like $250-$300 to get just ONE sensor replaced.. again, WTF? Are you kidding me? There's no work around to this, really? Sorry, any imperfection bugs me, especially a blinking light on the dash that has no real fix other than paying hundreds of dollars apparently. Some people have it go off on it's own, come back later.. go off.. etc.. From what I've read so far I don't see anyone really giving me any magical advice here,.. but any ideas here? I didn't bother with it after checking air pressure,.. but it as blinking not just on solid as it just happened literally a few seconds before I Pulled in and parked... I *did* hit a pothole this morning .. but the light didn't come on then.. and I've driven it about 200 miles today,.. most of those AFTER that pothole/bump in the road. TPMS sensors are fine,.. but to have no way to EASILY disable them if there are issues with them is ridiculous. It's a safety feature that is fine,.. but theoretically you could bring a car to the dealer and pay over $1000 just to get your sensors replaced for something I don't use anyways. I check my tire pressure once a month or so, and have never had a problem knowing when my pressure was low from a nail, flat, etc in the past.. Sorry for the rant, I'm tired.. it's late.. and this bugs me. lol. Any ideas? Just how hard is it to remove the cluster to put some tape back there to block that light? I'm about to fork out $700 for my tune,.. and money is really getting tight,.. certainly not going to spend hundreds on a tire pressure sensor... although getting rid of the light (if I can't get it to go off/fix it myself) is a priority. Thanks for listening.. /rant off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choptop Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Hi, hope you get it sorted. Not a legal requirement in the UK although many new cars now have it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samsniss350z Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 There are a lot of posts about this on my350.com. As choptop says we don't have any legal requirement here so I doubt anyone will be able to help. Am I right in thinking the USA wheels have the TPMS units fitted to a band around the circumference of the rim or are they fitted inside the valves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlh Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 There are a lot of posts about this on my350.com. As choptop says we don't have any legal requirement here so I doubt anyone will be able to help. Am I right in thinking the USA wheels have the TPMS units fitted to a band around the circumference of the rim or are they fitted inside the valves? The TPMS sensors are attached to the inflation valve stem. Chromatic, The last time I checked, the sensors themselves cost around $60 US each. You need to demount the tire to change one, then activate it so the system recognizes it. The cost your dealer quoted is a bit high unless his labor rate is through the roof. The blinking pattern of the TPMS light will tell you which sensor is faulty. It's probably just a low sensor battery, but the sensors are sealed so replacing just the battery requires some surgery, It's been done, but I don't have a link to the procedure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Pull sensors out. Cut LED from dash. Job's a carrot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Pull sensors out. Cut LED from dash. Job's a carrot. Pulling the cluster, then cluster guts is a carrot? Is it? If so.. then I will.. I don't like the dummy light anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 There are a lot of posts about this on my350.com. As choptop says we don't have any legal requirement here so I doubt anyone will be able to help. Am I right in thinking the USA wheels have the TPMS units fitted to a band around the circumference of the rim or are they fitted inside the valves? The TPMS sensors are attached to the inflation valve stem. Chromatic, The last time I checked, the sensors themselves cost around $60 US each. You need to demount the tire to change one, then activate it so the system recognizes it. The cost your dealer quoted is a bit high unless his labor rate is through the roof. Depends.. I've seen them as cheap as $30 on ebay ( not oem).. And as high as $200 dealer/oem... and everything between. Usually it's going to be ONE sensor I'd think.. so I guess not so bad in parts.. but most places don't let you bring in your own stuff to put on. They want to buy it (to make money off it) charge you a markup on the part and labor.. But.. I've been getting this beeping that's hard to tell where it's coming from that I thought was something to do with my Passport Max.. but it's coming from the left (driver side (near clutch area side) ) of my dash.. It's been like beeping 3 times then just stops.. no lights, just those beeps then done. Maybe that's been a TPMS warning? Then I got a light last night? I'm going to pop the tires all to 35 PSI just to see if it does anything, and then go drive around for 20 minutes .. as they only set/reset at above X MPH/KPH. Maybe.. just maybe it will go away.. shrug. If not,.. I will try to figure out which one it is (surely it's just one).. and then price out getting one cheap but still quality So Probably 60-100 dollars I'm guessing.. then call around to see who can install (ideally needs a calibration/sensor tool thing) -- I know there is a procedure of grounding the TPMS plug like 5-6 times in a KOEO position but meh.. If the tire has to come off the wheel I can't do it myself anyway. I just hate something like a tire AIR monitor being something I have to fork out money for.. It should def. have a dedicated fuse/wire to pull/cut to disable it from going off INCLUDING dash light. I need to ask Uprev, but I doubt they can due to US legal reasons.. if they can disable that light in my tune.. (I'm doing an E-tune with the best Z tuning group in the country.. decided after talking to half a dozen local tuners that I needed to do it myself (the computer/cable flashing and data logging) and have a tuner group who does 20-30 Z's a week Make my Map. But I'll give them a shout to see if they could turn it off anyway.. never know. The blinking pattern of the TPMS light will tell you which sensor is faulty. It's probably just a low sensor battery, but the sensors are sealed so replacing just the battery requires some surgery, It's been done, but I don't have a link to the procedure. Is that blinking pattern an auto-diagnostic mode for which sensor is bad .. or do you have to put it in a Diagnostic mode to get the right blinking pattern for FR/RL/RR/RL ? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Ok.. got in and light blinks continuously.. so was like oh well for the telling me what the problem is.. And just drove it (intending on going 20 mins or so).. 30 seconds later driving slowly the light goes off.. ok..? So I pull off the road. Turn the car off. Turn it back on.. No more light? Drive more.. park.. turn off, back on.. lights gone? wtf ? (I didn't change tire pressure). There is / are 4 beeps when I turn it on that I didn't used to notice. Some posts say these 4 beeps are the normal and would not happen if you put your seatbelt on (haven't gone back to test that out).. ?? Oh.. have a question -- In these posts i'm reading, people are saying stuff like.. yeah at 85mph mine read 35psi and 38psi -- I'm like how do you know driving the car? Is there a readout that I don't know about for tire pressure in our cars? lol.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlh Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Oh.. have a question -- In these posts i'm reading, people are saying stuff like.. yeah at 85mph mine read 35psi and 38psi -- I'm like how do you know driving the car? Is there a readout that I don't know about for tire pressure in our cars? lol.. In US models up through model year 2006, tire pressures could be read on the trip meter. Beginning with model year 2007 Nissan removed the pressure readout and went strictly with the idiot light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Oh.. have a question -- In these posts i'm reading, people are saying stuff like.. yeah at 85mph mine read 35psi and 38psi -- I'm like how do you know driving the car? Is there a readout that I don't know about for tire pressure in our cars? lol.. In US models up through model year 2006, tire pressures could be read on the trip meter. Beginning with model year 2007 Nissan removed the pressure readout and went strictly with the idiot light. Lame, but thanks lol - I'd much rather just have the Tire pressure reading, without a light that can't be turned off.. if it malfunctions the reading would just show wrong numbers/values or -- -- . But.. I *think* the 4 beeps I'm getting may be the seatbelt reminder. And I think it's something that's caught my attention because as I've torn this car apart completely.. one thing I noticed is the plug under the driver seat was not connected (I have manual seats.. so it has to be just a seatbelt plug).. And, I only recently (days/week) or so ago actually thought to go connect it.. -- So maybe I just wasn't hearing the audible chime due to that , and now I am.. and all is good. however, if that is what it is.. Nissan doesn't bug you like most cars.. with the incessant noise when the seatbelt is off that NEVER goes off.. ie you take your seatbelt off for something while driving (at a redlight let's say, to get something in the driver floorboard).. most cars will start with the stupid ding ding ding .. I guess Nissan is like.. you get 4 beeps.. If you can't get it by then, you are part of the herd that needs culling ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Oh.. have a question -- In these posts i'm reading, people are saying stuff like.. yeah at 85mph mine read 35psi and 38psi -- I'm like how do you know driving the car? Is there a readout that I don't know about for tire pressure in our cars? lol.. You can get aftermarket systems that give you a constant readout from a dash mounted gauge. I got mine from Maplins which I guess is the equivalent of Radio Shack. Pete 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Not a legal requirement in the UK although many new cars now have it. Legal requirement on all new cars from November 2014 and already a legal requirement on any new models introduced from 2012. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatic Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Turns out the beeps, as I suspected, were the Seat belt "chime".. So far light hasn't come back on.. So maybe all is well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.