GOE

Hello all, I have a '11 F150 XL 4x4, I'm putting on aftermarket wheels, I'm told the new TPS sensors need to be activated by the dealer, anyone have any experience with that? I'd like to know what's in tailed.

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

Many owners say they get a new set of wheels/tires installed that have a new set of tire pressure sensors in them, and they say that don't have to do anything to get the TPMS to recognize the new sensors.


I'm of the opinion that nothing happens automatically, and a new/different set of sensors needs to have their unique ID#s programmed into the memory of the TPMS computer in the truck.


However....there are two ways that nothing would need to be done:

1. Have your old sensors removed from your OE wheels and installed into your new set of wheels - nothing will need to be done because those ID#s are already in the TPMS computer
2. If you get a new set of sensors, get the new type that can be programmed to be exact clones of the ones in your OE wheels - the shop uses a special TPMS tool to download the data from each OE sensor, then programs special "cloneable" sensors so they're exact replicas of your other set of sensors, then the ID#s are the same as the four ID#s that the TPMS recognizes and nothing will need to be done

If you get a set of regular sensors that cannot be cloned to your OE sensors, then you'll need to program the new sensor ID#s into your TPMS.


The shop can easily do it in about one minute with their TPMS tool, or you can do it yourself by changing air pressure in the tires.


You need to put the truck into the "learn mode" as in the videos below (I think your 2011 will be the same by turning the emergency flashers on/off 3 times, but earlier model years may require a different procedure) then "trigger" each sensor (force it to send out its data so it can be logged into the TPMS memory) with either a TPMS tool or by changing air pressure.


The full procedure is in your Owner's Manual.



Below is how I did it by letting air out of each tire (you'll need a compressor to pump your tires back up afterwards):




And below is using a TPMS tool. All tire shops will have a TPMS tool, but the one I'm using is a Ford TPMS tool usually available on eBay for around $30 or so:





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prairieforce

That's not true that they need to be programmed at Ford dealer. I just had new tires put on and had one bad tpm they replaced it and reprogrammed all with install of new tires. The programmer they used was from Snap-on

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

Never mind (previous post deleted) - I see that you're saying you don't necessarily need to go to a Ford dealer.


That's absolutely correct! Any tire shop or individual owner can do the relearn procedure.


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GOE

Thanks, I'll give it try on my 2011