Wait...TPMS programming tool NOT needed?

[MRGTX]

I have an old set of wheels which I ran on my dearly missed 2011...these will serve as my winter wheels eventually but they still look a hell of a lot better than the stock 18s (IMO) so I am trying to get some last use out of the old 200 treadwear 285s before I add them to the great tire fire in the sky.

When I bought these wheels, I got a set of OEM TPMS sensors with them but I never got the tool to program them...the 2011 NEVER showed a low pressure light and I just forgot about it since I check tire pressures regularly anyway.

When I put the wheels on the 2020, I got the warning light almost immediately and a million notifications on my phone and watch...and it would cycle on and off periodically and continually annoy me so I thought I was going to have to buy the damn programming tool after all.

So after running them for a couple hundred miles, the TPMS light is off and has stayed off...and the app is now registering tire pressures. WTF? Is that right? Does the car eventually recognize the new sensors on its own?

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[NightmareMoon]

Usually the car will pick up new sensors automatically. Its rare to need the training tool.

 

[MRGTX]

Good to know! I got warnings for several days in a row then they stopped all at once. I wonder if the fact that the sensors are five years old has something to do with that?

 

[dn1984]

i used the tool on my wheels after i bought them, guess that wasn't necessary

 

[maniak]

I have a 2nd set of tires/wheels (OEM) in the shed and when we got a flat (rear). I just grabbed one of those wheel/tire combos and installed it. I never saw a TMPS issue and when I checked the next day it was showing the correct pressure for the new tire so I guess it figured out what tire was on the car now.

I did buy a TMPS tool but haven't needed it yet. We'll see what happens when I swap all the tires in another 10k-15k miles.

~Mark

 

[MRGTX]

Well, the car is back to squawking at me every time I start it up.
How could it recognize then forget these sensors?

Did they change the sensor format since the S197 gen?

 

[maniak]

Well, the car is back to squawking at me every time I start it up.
How could it recognize then forget these sensors?

Did they change the sensor format since the S197 gen?

This is the TPMS programmer I bought for our 2019 but so far I haven't needed to use it as it has self learned single tire changes. The p/n it states it is should work for 2007+ Mustangs. Steeda also sells something like this (shows the same p/n) but their is much more (not sure why).

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PNP9SVB

~Mark

 

[MRGTX]

This is the TPMS programmer I bought for our 2019 but so far I haven't needed to use it as it has self learned single tire changes. The p/n it states it is should work for 2007+ Mustangs. Steeda also sells something like this (shows the same p/n) but their is much more (not sure why).

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PNP9SVB

~Mark

Thanks, Mark.
It looks like I may need one after all. It remains puzzling that it would connect and then lose connection but this is worth a try! At least the tool is pretty cheap.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Thanks, Mark.
It looks like I may need one after all. It remains puzzling that it would connect and then lose connection but this is worth a try! At least the tool is pretty cheap.

It takes about ~100 miles for the sensors to throw a warning if they don't have a connection. In that interim period it will show old pressures from the previous wheels as if nothing is wrong and they're actually connected (but they aren't). You can kind of tell because if the pressures never change as you're driving, you're probably not connected.

 

[MRGTX]

It takes about ~100 miles for the sensors to throw a warning if they don't have a connection. In that interim period it will show old pressures from the previous wheels as if nothing is wrong and they're actually connected (but they aren't). You can kind of tell because if the pressures never change as you're driving, you're probably not connected.

that would make sense. Thanks!

 

[NightmareMoon]

that would make sense. Thanks!

Do you know how to put it in TPMS training mode to use the tool to connect up to the right wheels?

 

[MRGTX]

Do you know how to put it in TPMS training mode to use the tool to connect up to the right wheels?

Not off the top of my head. I believed that I would be able to look it up...is there a trick to it?
Thanks again.

 

[maniak]

Here are the notes I have for doing it. I haven't needed to try it out yet so I can't say if it really works on Mustang, but I would expect it to.

Worked perfectly on my 2016 Ford Focus ST winter wheels (with VDO aftermarket TPMS sensors).
Since I didn't see this anywhere, instructions for PUSH BUTTON START vehicles are as follows:
1) Make sure ALL TIRES ARE INFLATED TO SPEC
2) Ensure vehicle is in OFF mode
3) PRESS AND RELEASE BRAKE PEDAL
4) Press IGNITION BUTTON 5 times (on-off-on-off-on) ending in ON (within 10 sec)
5) PRESS AND RELEASE BRAKE PEDAL (again)
6) Turn the ignition switch back to OFF.
7) Press the IGNITION BUTTON 5 times ending in ON (same process as step 4) (within 10 sec)
8) The HORN SOUND sound indicates vehicle has entered into TPMS RELEARN mode.
10) Place the top of the TPMS triggering tool very close the sidewall of the DRIVER’S SIDE FRONT tire in the location of the valve stem. PUSH TRIGGERING TOOL BUTTON, HOLDING IT until the horn sounds
11) Once the horn sounds, move on to the PASSENGER SIDE FRONT tire and repeat the process. Each tire should only take 30 seconds or less.
12) Once horn sounds continue on to the PASEENGER SIDE REAR tire and
13) Once horn sounds continue on to the DRIVER’S SIDE REAR tire.
14) You may now turn the ignition to OFF.
· If the horn does not sound, the sensors were learned successfully.
· If the horn sounds twice, then the process must be repeated because there was a malfunction.

 

[CoolRod]

FWIW...I've only ever had to use the TPMS training tool when I bought aftermarket (non Ford) sensors.

 

[MRGTX]

Here are the notes I have for doing it. I haven't needed to try it out yet so I can't say if it really works on Mustang, but I would expect it to.

Good lord that’s a hassle! Thanks so much for sharing those steps!

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