A ten year battery apparently. Can be susceptible to curb knocks and become intermittent. The control unit has to be re-programmed after wheel changing with the config tool. Other than that it is down to magic!


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Most recent cars will self learn the position of each. Even my old 2008 C6 did this.

On current EVs, I swop the winter tyres into different positions on each fitment and no problems.

 

I have rotated my tyres a couple of times with no problems. The system seems to update itself? Also I seem to remember something about pressing and holding the configure button by the side of the steering wheel. Maybe worth checking the manual.

 

I have rotated my tyres a couple of times with no problems

Unless you followed process below (copied from Volt forum) your TPS is now measuring the wrong wheels It seems the rearm tool is a special magnet.

TPMS Sensor Matching Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique identification code. The identification code needs to be matched to a new tire/wheel position after rotating the vehicle’s tires or replacing one or more of the TPMS sensors. Also, the TPMS sensor matching process should be performed after replacing a spare tire with a road tire containing the TPMS sensor. The malfunction light and the DIC message should go off at the next drive cycle. The sensors are matched to the tire/wheel positions, using a TPMS relearn tool, in the following order: driver side front tire, passenger side front tire, passenger side rear tire, and driver side rear. See your dealer for service or to purchase a relearn tool.

There are two minutes to match the first tire/wheel position, and five minutes overall to match all four tire/wheel positions. If it takes longer, the matching process stops and must be restarted.

Follow the TPMS sensor matching process:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Put the vehicle in ON/RUN and place the vehicle in P (Park).
3. If the DIC display is minimized, press the SELECT knob to maximize it.
4. Use the SELECT knob to scroll to the Tire Pressure display screen.
5. Press and hold the SELECT knob for five seconds to begin the sensor matching process. A message displays confirming to begin the process.
6. Use the SELECT knob to select YES with the highlighted selection, and press the SELECT knob again to confirm the selection. The horn sounds twice to signal the receiver is in relearn mode and the TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message displays
on the DIC screen.
7. Start with the driver side front tire.
8. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall, near the valve stem. Then press the button to activate the TPMS sensor. A horn chirp confirms that the sensor identification code has been matched to this tire and wheel position.
9. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 8.
10. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 8.
11. Proceed to the driver side reartire, and repeat the procedure in Step 8. The horn sounds two times to indicate the sensor identification code has been matched to the driver side reartire, and the TPMS sensor matching process is no longer active. The TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message on theDIC display screen goes off.
12. Turn the vehicle off.
13. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure level as indicated on the Tire and Loading Information label.

 

Had a pressure imbalance warning , a couple of time on the FNS since I had the Alloy wheel refurb.
seems to have settled down never had it showing zero !

 

Step 8 - From forum it seems that you can reduce pressure in that tyre rather than use tool at that stage. Need to keep valve open for a few seconds.

 

EU Amperas don't need this US stuff. Different sensors. Amperas will automatically resync. No need for a tool, it will achieve nothing.

Sounds like a low battery in the first flush. This would be a new TMPS module as the batteries are potted. However, coincident with new tyres?? Hmmm.... sounds like it might be damaged. But whether either case, you would need to buy a new one.

It is possible it has been wrongly positioned and this is making a difference. It would be a waste of time to check - by the time you have removed the wheel, checked, reseated the valve and then discovered it was none of that, you have already wasted as much as it'd cost to buy the replacement sensor.

I was looking last year considering getting a set for winter rims. There is a German source on ebay for £30 or so, IIRC, per sensor, genuine 466MHz GM. When you get the right one, I think you just have to fit it, but don't hold me to that. For a new sensor it may require ECU programming to accept the new sensor. I cannot say. I seem to recall I asked the vendor this same question, and he said you just fit them, the car sorts it.

 

EU Amperas don't need this US stuff. Different sensors. Amperas will automatically resync. No need for a tool, it will achieve nothing.

Good to know as was thinking of getting my tyres swapped front to back. Interesting what IS different between US and EU models. I assume one reason for change is (like the keyless entry) it has to use different RF frequencies in EU.

 

I've had my tyres swapped every year on the same rims (summer->winter->summer->winter->summer so far) and I'm sure the mechanics don't worry about what wheel goes on what corner, and the TPMS has always picked them up correctly. No need for anything in the UK. Sounds like your sensor either has a flat battery or has been trapped or fitted wrongly.

 

I think I will have a go at re-caling them as above by reducing the pressure.
What is odd is that it fails on the same tyre only after around ten minutes after every start.

I can't think how one could be damaged during tyre changing unless a numpty took one out and dropped it.......you never know.

 

If they were careless with the tyre removal tool, they could have damaged the board with the sensor and battery in. Re-calling them probably won't even be possible on ours - I bet holding down the Select knob doesn't do anything...

 

I'm sure you're right. All I know is when my tyres are rotated the positions update automatically after a few seconds on the display (that is on a Volt and as someone has said the Ampera has different sensors?)

 

I swapped to winter wheels, fitted with 466MHz tyre pressure sensors and, after a short period, the car automatically displayed 'winter wheels detected' and the new pressure was shown. However, when I switched back to my summer wheels, it didn't work. Instead, I continually get the 'winter wheels detected' message and there is no pressure readout. The summer wheels are on in exactly the same position as they were before, too.

 

It is not a change of pressure that triggers a transmission. It is a LF 125khz inductive field from a sender unit. It is also possible that the sender unit is faulty (or bashed during fitting the wheel?).

The way to check this is pretty simple - swap the wheels around and see if the fault follows the wheel, or remains at the same corner.

 

Hi If you haven't seen what a transmitter looks like, well here it is, its a sealed unit so I don't think you can do anything with them. I purchased a second hand wheel from Ebay and had it refurbished but I took out the transmitter just in case it interfered with the other 4 wheels as I keep it in the boot just in case. It looks like a new wheel now. GT.

 

My TPMS still logs a lost sensor after ten minutes of driving every day.
Can that be the frequency of tyre checks?

I cannot see how the system can tell a front from a back wheel even if it can sense direction of rotation to auto configure its self.
Also, @proddick 's earlier post regarding the calibration routine, I saw that as well and it starts with the nearside front (drivers side in the US) just in case anyone else is going to try it out.

 

From the UK Volt manual, which should be equally applicable to Amperas:

TPMS Sensor Matching Process — Auto Learn
Function:
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. The identification
code needs to be matched to a new
tyre/wheel position after rotating the
vehicle's tyres or replacing one or
more of the TPMS sensors. The
TPMS sensor matching process
should, also, be performed after
replacing a spare tyre with a road
tyre containing the TPMS sensor.
After a new tyre with a TPMS
sensor is installed or after rotating
the vehicle tyres, the vehicle must
be stationary for, approximately,
20 minutes before the system
recalculates. The following relearn
process takes up to 10 minutes,
driving at a minimum speed of
19 km/h (12 mph). During the
recalculation process, dashes (–) or
pressure values changing tyre/
wheel position will display in the
DIC.

 

From the UK Volt manual, which should be equally applicable to Amperas

It doesn't work, though . My car has been 're-learning' for the past six months and still displays the dashes!

 

I guess my question prevails, how does the UK Ampera know the correct wheels if I change front to back? Voodoo magic?

 

Yes ;-)

 

The tyre fitters said there is nothing inside the rim - it is just built into the metal valve body.


-- Richard Goldsmith : Ampera (2012). EVangelist & Sustainability Champion.
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The tyre fitters said there is nothing inside the rim - it is just built into the metal valve body.

They're talking bollocks and don't know cr@p.

OK, quite a few posts here with wrong information, I will clarify (PS I have actually been part of a design team on a TPMS product, so I know this stuff 1st hand...)

Your car consists of 4 sensors in each rim, in which a battery and a small board of electronics is potted in a solid block, with a small aperture to a silicon strain bridge. The valve stem varies in designs, some can be a fixed angle to the block, some you screw on to the back of the block.

FWIW it is entirely possible that the removable stem type could mean someone removes the block from the back of the valve stem and chucks it away, you would not know from the outside, except you don't get a signal any more!

In early versions of TPMS the block wasn't attached to the stem at all, but held by a metal band in the well of the rim. There is no particular reason for the block to be where the stem is, just that it is somewhere convenient to bolt it on to, using the valve stem (hence it is solid metal because it is actually a fixing bolt).

An initiator sends a simple 125kHz local transmission into the wheel area. This might be 4; 1 in each arch (I believe this is what the Ampera has), or 2, or 1, with increasing power and area coverage. The 4 initiator system can be set so it only triggers the local sensor, so this is how it can tell what is where, however the signal can accidentally trigger more than one sensor so additional checks have to be done to make sure they are correctly monitoring (statistical, over time).

One way is to reject accidental signals is to only allow where the ID of the sensor matches a pre-defined initiator, one for one. This is how the US volts are configured, it would seem. Ampera doesn't do this. It does it by some other means. The sensors and receiver have to be different because of different operating frequencies, so I guess the later EU version had an improved false-signal algorithm programmed in, which did not require this.

The sensor will be triggered by the initiator only once every 10 minutes or so. If it transmitted continuously the battery would be flat in a couple of months. These are specified for 10 year battery life.

The low frequency of signals might well mean you suffer an instantaneous blow-out and your TPMS says all is fine. TPMS is not a deflation indicator, it is a slow-leak indicator. Normally it does not fire up the measurement parts unless it has an initiator signal, so there is no continuous reading build into the hardware (at least, in standard TPMS, there may be variations of that out there now).

The sensor will transmit the strain reading and the temperature. It cannot measure relative pressure as it is within a sealed volume, so has to measure absolute and then the receiver software calculates a relative pressure from that.

Does that cover it?

If there is a fault, change your wheels around and fiddle with the pressures, and you will soon figure whether it is the sensor, initiator or receiver fault.

 

I didn't ask about the battery inside


-- Richard Goldsmith : Ampera (2012). EVangelist & Sustainability Champion.
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What is that big plastic bit then that goes inside the tyre?

 

Expertly described Donald

 

I wish they had exposed the rims where I could see them for myself, but they were out of sight ding that part of the fitting process. What is the accuracy/tolerance to be expected of the reading they give ?


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If it's any help, Ampera uses "RDKS Schrader 3033" tpms bits. At least that's what came with my winter tyres, which operate perfectly. Or maybe this is simply a clone - an Amazon advert says "This Sensor RDKS 3033 replaces the OE Sensor 13581560 for Chevrolet and Vauxhall original Fahrzeuge." whatever a Fahrzeuge is. Sounds like Escaping-Wind-Detector to me...

 

It's German for cars, but I prefer your interpretation

 

I believe etymologically it's more like 'the thing that allows you to drive'. I quite like the idea of defining things by their actions/uses rather than categorising objects with names.

 

Hmm, that approach has its problems!

Years ago I worked at a firm where we'd just developed a prorotype microprocessor-controlled machine for making shoes. It had a 16 character x 2 line LCD display - a rare & novel item in those days! The menu was all in English, with well-known names for shoe terms like "sole", "insole", "counter", "vamp", etc etc. All was well. You selected the style, size etc & off it went. Then the internationalisation stage started - and we needed a German menu. Disaster! Names like "Insole" became (in German) something like "PieceOfLeatherToCushionFoot", "Sole" became "PieceOfLeatherBelowPieceOfLeatherCushioningFoot", etc etc!

OK, I exaggerate a bit, but the principle's there - pretty much all the German words were far to long to fit in our display! In the end the machine got cancelled as the German end of the multinational got scared (as they made a similar, but teutonically different version), said they'd make their own for the same money, but never did. The UK management was also frightened of new tech, and canned it all. At that point I left.

 

Same here, I do software on touchscreen type terminals which always starts in English then tends to migrate via French and Russian to numerous other languages such as Turkish to even Kosovan. English always seems to be shorter than any other language and my carefully laid out text boxes go completely to pot very quickly!

 

My lhf sensor has gone pete tong!!

Measures 30psi all the time and the message center on the dash will throw up "service tyre monitor system" Vauxhall have agreed to replace the sensor under warranty...........

 

Oh yes, I'd forgotten the original topic