gDMJoe

For sure, may be, probably not.

As long as the TPMS sensors meet all of the FLM spec's, it should. However, don't expect dealership coverage. And here's why (excerpted from Ford / Motorcraft TPMS document) ...Would recommend returning to the shop that did the installation and ask them. -OR- Visit the aftermarket TPMS makers web site and research there.
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Feathermerchant

gsxr1216 - I wonder if your TPMS is not going off because it can 'see' the other set of TPMS sensors and not the originals. My understanding is that it will not reprogram itself in the presence of new sensors but that does not explain why you have no warning light on or dinging. If you deflate a tire does the TPMS go off?


I installed the Kenwood receiver and other in my signature and can see the pressure in all 4 tires. So the TPMS 'knows' that much. It needs to know front from back because there are different recommended pressures.

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

Yes - the relearn procedure, using either the air pressure change method or using a TPMS tool, should work just same with aftermarket sensors as with the OE sensors.

Any aftermarket sensors you use should be the manufacturer's model that is compatible with our OE sensors, so the specs should be identical as far as the triggering method to get them to send out their data as well as the data they send out to the TPMS in the truck.

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KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, I have a very lengthy list of bookmarked sites.

However, after extensive searching I can find absolutely nothing about the automatic sensor learning procedure of our trucks.

I'll report back when I find that info.

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

Reporting back!!

I've been dealing with GM tire pressure sensors since I got a car in Dec 2004 that had them. With several sets of wheels/tires for the track, each with a different set of sensors, I had to learn about doing the relearn procedure every time I swapped on a different set of wheels. The Active Handling/stability control system acted up really badly if you drove without sensors - it was unsafe to drive the car on the track.

During the last 9-1/2 years of dealing with sensors I've learned a little bit, but mostly about GM sensors. However, I have helped many friends at shows and track events deal with problems on several makes/models of cars.

I've had numerous TPMS tools over the years, but I like my OTC 3833 for my personal use. And, I have numerous volumes of the "Tire Pressure Monitor System Reset Procedures and Reference Guide" that have information about working with the sensors and the TPMS in every vehicle that uses them (essentially all vehicles since Sept 2007, but many had them for a number of years prior to the government requiring them at that time).

I've helped friends with Fords over the years, but primarily Mustangs.

My b-in-law's Viper is the only Chrysler product that I've worked on when he had TPMS problems a couple years ago, and I found out then that some of the Chrysler/Jeep vehicles, and some of the Asian and European cars, are the only ones that have an "automatic relearn" procedure. In the case of the Chrysler vehicles, they have a transponder in 3 of the wheel wells so that when you drive the vehicle those 3 tire pressure sensor positions are recognized by the WCM/SKREEM modules, and the 4th (the right front without the transponder) is known and logged into the TPMS by a process of elimination.

The GM sensors (at least through the 2013 model year) are not automatic - the vehicle must be put into the learn mode and then the sensors must be triggered to send their data to the TPMS computer for the ID#s to be logged into memory. The early GM sensors were triggered by a magnet, but newer ones require the signal from a TPMS tool (there were a couple years that the sensors could be triggered by changing pressure in the tire, but GM discontinued using those sensors).

The 2014 Corvette sensors do an auto learn. I don't know yet how it works, or whether it's in other GM vehicles as well.

Since I got my F150 10 months ago I've been learning about Ford tire pressure sensors and the TPMS in my truck. I've read a huge amount of data available on the internet, and have learned a little bit about them.

And, for the last several hours I've been reading many, many sources of info about F150 tire pressure sensors in the wheels and the TPMS in the truck (most all of which I've seen over the last 10 months), and haven't learned anything new about any automatic sensor relearn procedure - because there isn't any such thing.

No F150 had tire pressure sensors until the 2007 model year, as far as I've been able to determine. For 2007 and 2008 the sensors were banded into the drop-center of the wheel and located 180 degrees opposite to the valve stem. There is no automatic learning of sensors when you replace one, switch on a different set of wheels with different sensors in them, or rotate tires. The sensors transmit on 315 MHz. There are some sensors used in earlier model year Fords that transmit on 433 MHz, but since the F150 first got them in 2007 all Ford sensors transmit on 315 MHz. (At least all U.S. vehicles - those built for delivery in Europe may have 433 MHz sensors. I know GM vehicles built to Euro specs for delivery overseas have 433 MHz sensors because that's what the European equivalent of our FCC requires).

Starting with the 2009 model year the F150 got "snap-in" sensors that have a rubber valve stem with the sensor attached to the valve stem inside the wheel. They do not do any kind of automatic relearn - when a new sensor is installed or a different set of wheels is put on the truck, the only way for the truck to recognize the new sensors is to perform a relearn procedure by putting the truck into the learn mode and triggering the sensor either by changing air pressure in the tire, or by using a TPMS tool that transmits the 125 kHz triggering signal.

Here's a link to a Motorcraft document that I've referred to since I got my truck last year. In it there is no reference to any automatic sensor relearn - it and every other reference to the F150 sensors and TPMS tell you that you must do the relearn procedure by changing air pressure or using a TPMS tool when new sensors are installed or when you rotate the tires (only required if your truck has different pressures in the front and rear tires):

Click for Motorcraft TPMS document

In there you can read:

That means that unless you log the ID#s of the sensors in the wheels on your truck into the memory of the TPMS computer in your truck, it won't recognize those sensors.

The only way to log a set of sensors into the TPMS in our 2009-2014 trucks is to put the truck into the learn mode and trigger the sensors either by changing air pressure or using a TPMS tool.

That's my report!

SeeManRun

Feels pretty definitive to me.

For the record, I have a 2011 and two sets of tires, both with Ford TPMS. I always have to go through the re-learn procedure when switching. The only time I saw anything funny was when my tires were in the back of the truck after switching, and the tire shop told me they re-programmed it and I saw no warning in the truck.

The next day after unloading the tires, my warning light was on. The old wheels were < 50' away. The truck did not detect them.

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

It sounds like they really didn't reprogram - is that right? I guess you had to do it yourself the next day.



I don't know how far the Ford sensors in our trucks will transmit. And indications are that when the sensors go to sleep they don't transmit at all.


I know with the GM sensors, when you park and vehicle sits still for 15 minutes, the sensors go into a sleep mode - but they still transmit once per hour.


All the info I've read about our F150 sensors says that when the truck is parked for 15 minutes the sensors go into sleep mode "and do not transmit" - which seems to indicate that they are totally quiet.


The Vette guys would not do a relearn of a new set of sensors when swapping wheels, and because they didn't get any TPMS warnings they thought some auto relearn had occurred - but it was just that the old wheels/tires/sensors were in the garage and were updating the TPMS all night long every hour. When they drove the next day and didn't get any lights/dings/messages they thought everything was okay. Over the years the time period of driving with no sensors (or wheels whose sensors weren't logged into the TPMS) went from an hour, down to 30 minutes, and for the last couple years it's been 20 minutes.


I have no idea how long it takes before our F150 TPMS has to go without receiving any signals from the tire pressure sensors (i.e., sensors in the wheels aren't logged in, therefore the TPMS doesn't pay any attention to them - just like if you pass another F150 and the TPMS doesn't pay attention to them). However, I believe somebody said 50 to 60 miles - which would likely be about an hour.


In the case of a Vette, if your old tires with the sensors that are the ones actually in the TPMS are stored in the garage, when you go driving the next day you won't get any alerts until you drive 60, 30, or 20 minutes - depending on model year.


Several years ago I checked how far a Vette tire pressure sensor would transmit. I started out about 30 feet away and triggered the sensor with my TPMS tool and the car got the signal. I worked my way out about 15-20 feet at a time until I got down to the end of my driveway and down the street to 120 feet away and the car's TPMS still picked up the signal from the sensor. I quit at that distance.


Again, I don't know how far our F150 sensors transmit, but I would expect that they probably will go at least 100 feet.


However, like the info seems to indicate, after the wheel has quit turning for 15 minutes the sensor goes to sleep - and that seems to mean for our trucks completely/totally asleep with no transmissions at all. So, if that's the case, then F150 tires stored near the vehicle whose sensors are the ones in the TPMS may not have any affect at all on the truck - that might be why yours that were <50 feet away didn't turn the light off in your truck.


I'm still learning about this system, so thanks to everybody that can add info for me keep learning!!

Kennuck

I had a 2007 with two sets of OEM wheels with OEM TPMS and it had to be relearned every time I swapped them.
My 2013 I purchased used OEM wheels with OEM TPMS and it does not need to be relearned. When the tire pressure is adjusted low it shows the warning and when its pumped up the warning goes away. So the newer F150s do self learn. My other set of OEM wheels are stored miles away.

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for that info!!

That confirms that the newer F150 system does an auto relearn procedure, and I'm glad to learn something new about the TPMS.

I know older Vettes did nothing automatically as far as the TPMS. However, the 2014 model year introduced a different system and, unlike the F150, they explained it in the Owner's Manual:

The new Vette sensors and TPMS computer have features that allow the auto relearn. The sensors detect which direction they are rotating so they can tell which side of the car they're on, and the TPMS can determine front or rear by the strength of the signal they recieve from the sensors.

It would be nice if Ford would let us know important info like this, but in my many months of trying to learn about the system I haven't come across any info except "when the tires are rotated, a new sensor is installed, or a different set of wheels with different sensor is installed, a sensor learn procedure must be performed".

So...thanks for confirming the auto learn procedure exists even though it's not documented anywhere.

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dosman

I hope this is correct about the 2013s. Auto or not, good info in this thread.

"So...thanks for confirming the auto learn procedure exists even though it's not documented anywhere."

Why wouldn't it be? Seems that knowledge could be quite helpful. I have the first and third editions of the manual. Relearn procedure same in both.