Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPM) Sensor - Operation

OPERATION

The battery operated tire pressure sensor is both a transmitter and a receiver. The TPM sensor can be forced to transmit by using a special tool such as a TPM-RKE Analyzer, or from a transponderTire Pressure Monitoring (TPM) Transponder - Operation. The TPM-RKE Analyzer has the ability to change the sensor's operating mode to PARK MODE and to help diagnose a faulty TPM sensor. Using a TPM-RKE Analyzer can take up to a minute to force a transmission from a sensor.

The TPM sensor can be in one of the following operating modes:

- SLEEP MODE - A new TPM sensor will be in this mode. If placed on the vehicle as a road tire, the TPM sensor will transmit once every 20 seconds when the vehicle is driven at speeds over 15 mph (24 km/h). If the vehicle is not moving, the sensor will only transmit on a pressure change greater then 1 psi (6.9 kPA). Driving the vehicle continuously at speeds over 15 mph (24 km/h) for more then 4 minutes will change the sensor state into 30 BLOCK MODE. The TPM sensor will not return to SLEEP MODE. Now, if the vehicle has been stopped for 20 minutes, the TPM sensor state will change to PARK MODE.
- PARK MODE - This is the correct operating mode when the vehicle is not moving. The sensor will transmit once every 13 hours to update the WCM, or will transmit on a 1 psi (6.9 kPa) delta change. The sensors will internally take a measurement of the tire pressure every minute to determine a change in tire pressure.
- 30 BLOCK MODE - If the vehicle has been stopped for more then 20 minutes, or if the sensor's operating mode was forced to PARK MODE using a TPM-RKE Analyzer, the sensor's operating mode will transition from PARK MODE to 30 BLOCK MODE once the vehicle is driven over 15 mph (24 km/h). In this mode, the sensor will transmit once every 15 seconds when the vehicle is driven at speeds over 15 mph (24 km/h) for the first 30 transmissions. After about 10 minutes of continuous driving above 15 mph (24 km/h), the sensor's mode will change to DRIVE MODE.
- DRIVE MODE - In this mode, the sensor will transmit once every minute when the vehicle is driven at speeds over 15 mph (24 km/h). Anytime the vehicle speed drops below 15 mph (24 km/h), the sensor mode will still be in Drive Mode, but will not transmit until the vehicle reaches speeds over 15 mph (24 km/h) once again. If the vehicle has been stationary for more then 20 minutes, the sensor state will transition to Park Mode.

Each sensor's (transmitter) broadcast is uniquely coded so that the wireless control module (WCM) can monitor the state of each of the sensors on the four rotating road wheels. The WCM can automatically learn and store the sensor's ID while driving "within 10 minutes continuously above 15 mph (24 km/h)" after a sensor has been replaced. The vehicle must be stationary for more then 20 minutes in order to initiate the learning sequence. The WCM can also learn the sensor's ID using the TPM-RKE Analyzer, Special Tool 9936, with the Scan Tool following the procedure listed in the appropriate diagnostic information.