Tire Monitoring System: Description and Operation

Principles of Operation
The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) monitors the air pressure of all 4 road tires. The wheel-mounted tire pressure sensors transmit via radio frequency signals, to the smart junction box (SJB). TPMS functionality is integral to the SJB. These transmissions are sent approximately every 60 seconds when the vehicle speed exceeds 32 km/h (20 mph). The TPMS function compares each tire pressure sensor transmission against a low-pressure limit. If it has been determined that the tire pressure has fallen below this limit, the SJB communicates this on the vehicle communication bus to the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster then illuminates the TPMS indicator and displays the appropriate message(s) in the message center (if equipped).

For vehicles with different front and rear tire pressures (such as the E-Series and certain F-Series), the tire pressures must be adjusted and the tire pressure sensors must be trained following a tire rotation. Failure to train the sensors will cause the TPMS indicator to illuminate.

For vehicles with the same tire pressures for front and rear tires, tire rotation will not affect the system.