tire pressure sensor fault (what it means & how to fix it)

you are driving your car, and suddenly the message “tire pressure sensor fault” appears on your dashboard. 

what does this mean, and how expensive will it be to fix it? will it disappear once i have inflated my tires to the correct pressure?

there are a lot of possible questions about this, but don’t worry. in this article, you will learn what the tire pressure sensor fault message means that how you can fix it.

what does the “tire pressure sensor fault” mean?

the “tire pressure sensor fault” message indicates that there is an issue with the tire pressure monitoring system (tpms). there is most likely an issue with a tire pressure sensor or the connection to the sensor.

the error code may tell you that the tires’ air pressure is too low or too high or that one of the tire pressure sensors is defective.

it could also be caused by a faulty tpms control unit, faulty wiring, or a tpms reset. the easiest way to find out is to read the error codes from your tpms control unit with an obd2 scanner.

4 causes of the tire pressure sensor fault message

there are some reasons that could cause the tire pressure sensor fault message to appear on your dashboards. here is a list of the 4 most common causes.

remember to always check the trouble codes before making any conclusions, though.

1. faulty tire pressure sensor

a faulty tire pressure sensor is, unfortunately, the most common cause of this message. tire pressure sensors are located in the tires and have batteries in them. after some years, these batteries may run out of batteries, and you have to replace the whole sensor.

2. tire pressure sensor lost memory

sometimes it happens that the tire pressure control module and the tire pressure sensors lose communication with each other. if this happens, it can sometimes work to reprogram the sensors. to reprogram the sensors, you need a tpms reset tool.

3. you changed wheels

if you live in a colder country with cold weather, you probably change between the summer and winter tires. you may not know that you have to reset the tpms after the wheel change, and if your car was never equipped with these tires before, you need to program the sensors to your car. if the tire pressure sensor fault message appeared after the tire change – you might need to program the sensors.

4. low tire pressure

in some car models, the tire pressure sensor fault light can also mean low tire pressure in your car. inflating your car is pretty easy, and if you do not know how to do it – you can go to any workshop or fuel station and let it do for you. ensure that you have the exact tire pressure – as too high pressure can also cause this light to come on.

how does a tpms system work?

a tpms system can operate in two different ways. if you have a vehicle manufactured after 2007, you will most likely have a tpms system in your vehicle. some vehicles have sensors in each tire of your vehicle. the sensors sense what tire pressure you have and send that information to your tpms control unit.

if the tire pressure is too high or too low or the control unit cannot communicate with your sensors, the message “tire pressure sensor fault” appears on your dashboard.

other cars have no sensors in their tires, and they use the abs sensors to calculate your wheel rotation. if you have low pressure, the wheel diameter will be more compressed and must rotate faster to reach the same speed as the car. if the speed at one wheel is different than the other wheels, the vehicle stores this as an error code in your tpms or abs.

for this reason, you must drive for a distance before the car displays the tire pressure for you. this is only a simple estimation and not the exact tire pressure.

how to fix the “tire pressure sensor fault” message?

fixing the tire pressure sensor is often pretty straightforward, and here are some tips on how to easily fix this message.

1. check tire pressure

first, you should make sure that you have the correct tire pressure in all your tires. check your tire pressure with a tire pressure gauge. to find the correct pressure you should check the tire pressure label. you can often find the label on the body behind the driver’s door. you can also find it in your repair manual.

2. reset with tire pressure button or with a scanner

once you have inflated your tires to the correct pressure, you often have to manually reset the system. some cars have a reset button, and in some cars, you should drive for around 15 minutes until the lights go out. refer to your repair manual to reset the tpms system on your vehicle. in some vehicles, you need a diagnostic tool to reset it.

3. read trouble codes

if the error still occurs, you will need to read the tpms system error codes to see the error codes. it could be a communication error with one of your tire pressure sensors or a damaged tire pressure sensor. only the diagnostic tool can tell you. remember that you need a diagnostic scanner to read enhanced trouble codes on your vehicle to read the tpms control module.

4. reprogram tire pressure sensors

sometimes the tire pressure sensors lose the communication or programming values to the tpms control module. if this happens, you have to reprogram all sensors to the control module. this can often be done with a quality tpms reset tool.

5. replace faulty tire pressure sensor

if you have tried everything but the problem still occurs, you probably have a faulty tire pressure sensor. check the trouble codes of which sensor the problem appears in, and replace this sensor. do not forget to reprogram the sensors after this again.

where is the tire pressure sensor located?

tire pressure sensors are typically installed inside your car tires. you can usually see it when you look at the tire air valve. when a tire pressure sensor is installed, you can often see a nut placed around the valve, but not in all cases.

the only way to find this out is to remove the tires from the rim or call your authorized dealer and ask them.