TPMS Fault while driving the same stretch of highway, every time.

[TreatYoSelf]

I'm getting a TPMS fault every time I drive a specific stretch of highway. The fault remains if I turn off and on the truck. It clears after I charge. This is an aftermarket set of TPMS sensors that I bought from Tire Rack for my winter wheels. The sensors haven't displayed this behavior anywhere else. Any ideas on what would cause this?

For those in Colorado, it's every time I'm heading up to the mountains from the front range. I'm heading west on I-70 and just after the bottom of Floyd hill by the US-6 interchange.

 

[VTbuckeye]

How long have you been driving when the error occurs. I don't have tpms sensors in my winter wheels. After driving for 20ish minutes/11 miles my tpms alert goes off. It clears after sitting a while (overnight for sure, a hour is not long enough). In my case I know there are no sensors, so I don't worry about it.

 

[TreatYoSelf]

The error happens after about 20 minutes of driving and only on that specific spot of interstate. The error stays on all day after turning the truck on and off multiple times and about 100 miles of driving. Only after I charge does the error go away and the tpms starts functioning normal. It’s super odd.

 

[Pioneer74]

The error happens after about 20 minutes of driving and only on that specific spot of interstate. The error stays on all day after turning the truck on and off multiple times and about 100 miles of driving. Only after I charge does the error go away and the tpms starts functioning normal. It’s super odd.

Where are your stock wheels when you are charging? Are they close enough to the truck to get a reading from them?

 

[B177y]

Long story warning, but it will make sense....

My wife has a 2021 Toyota Highlander. I got her an "AA Wireless" aftermarket Android Auto dongle that plugs into her Android Auto USB port and allows a wireless Android Auto connection through Bluetooth and WiFi, just like our Lightning's Android Auto.

There's a spot on the country road that we drive often that as soon as she passes that exact spot, the Android Auto disconnects EVERY time. It's one exact spot. We haven't had it happen anywhere else. Doesn't matter if it's her phone or my phone. It reconnects after about 20 seconds. Doesn't matter which direction we are driving either.

Our theory is that there is some sort of interference in that exact spot.

I had a tire shop tell me that TPMS sensors are little Bluetooth transmitters. This was on an old E150 van, but I assume that they still work on Bluetooth or something similar.

If your TPMS sensors loose their connection in the exact same spot every time you drive that route, maybe we are experiencing the same phenomenon? Some sort of Bluetooth interference that causes our Android Auto dongle and your TPMS to disconnect?

 

[TreatYoSelf]

Where are your stock wheels when you are charging? Are they close enough to the truck to get a reading from them?

Good thought. I wouldn't think so. I charge in my garage and the stock wheels are in my shed about 30 feet from the back of the garage. When i drive around town the TPMS functions normal with the winter wheels; fluctuating pressure readings on a cold day.

 

[TreatYoSelf]

Some sort of Bluetooth interference that causes our Android Auto dongle and your TPMS to disconnect?

You're spot on. I do think this is what is happening.

Ford tells me this in my messages:

I'm also wondering if there is any other way to clear this TPMS error (and get the sensors functioning properly) without having to plug in.

 

[Henry Ford]

There's a spot in the American West where airliners frequently lose GPS and data-link capabilities while flying over. Presumably it's a military base. Probably not helpful information but semi-relevent and at least slightly interesting.

 

[flyct]

Reminded me where my 300zx windshield wipers would actuate EVERY TIME when passed the same intersection. Interference.

 

[RocketGhost]

You've just disclosed the location of a top secret underground military facility.

Farewell. Nice knowing ya.

 

[Stalemate]

Agree this is probably interference related. A couple years back I bought an off-brand bluetooth FM Transmitter for my work truck (since we aren't supposed to modify our work trucks). Noticed immediately that when it was plugged in it interfered with my key fob signal. Also started getting TPMS fault any time I drove for more than about a half hour, well I just finally figured out a few weeks ago that it was because of that stupid transmitter. Apparently a lot of the cheap ones don't follow FCC regulations and it was blocking the (I think FM?) signal from the tire sensors. Bought a different FM Transmitter and it hasn't happened since; also I can leave it plugged in and still use the buttons on my fob.

 

[B177y]

You're spot on. I do think this is what is happening.

Ford tells me this in my messages:

I'm also wondering if there is any other way to clear this TPMS error (and get the sensors functioning properly) without having to plug in.

You might be able to clear the the error with an OBD dongle and a phone app like CarScanner or ForScan lite, but that seems impractical if you travel that stretch often and clear it every time.

You might have to dig through the ForScan spreadsheet to see if there is some sort of setting that can be changed with the full version of ForScan on a laptop. I would think that TPMS can be completely turned off, but that is also disabling a safety feature which causes other issues.

Or try to go back to the tire shop and see if there are different options for the TPMS sensors.

 

[jimfigler]

The error happens after about 20 minutes of driving and only on that specific spot of interstate. The error stays on all day after turning the truck on and off multiple times and about 100 miles of driving. Only after I charge does the error go away and the tpms starts functioning normal. It’s super odd.

Space alien secret hideout

 

[Danface]

"Two Bears Tap and Grill" is really a front for a clandestine underground government bunker, maybe?

 

[Zaptor]

Has anyone suggested gravity anomaly?
-Zap

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