Hyundai Forums banner

Intermittent Low Tire Pressure Indicator

61K views 30 replies 19 participants last post by  bebo 
#1 ·
I had a low tire indicator show up on the dash today while driving home. It was flashing. I continued to drive, (only a mile from home) since there was no indication of anything going wrong with the tires. Then, the indicator stopped flashing, and went to steady. Then, by the time I hit the brakes to turn down my road, the indicator was gone.

So, I checked all my tires, and with my very old accutire gauge, they all showed 34.5 (35 being the spec). I hope to not see that again. Anyone else seen anything like that?
 
#3 ·
Out of curiosity, have a phone cord or NAV cord plugged into the lighter socket or pwr outlet ??
 
#5 ·
Check your tire pressures COLD. Sensors go off at about 30 psi, and with 35 psi hot, you should be pretty close to that minimum, hence the intermittent signal. I run mine at 35 cold. Spec is 33, by the way. Remember every 10ºF temperature differential means 1 psi. If there's a problem with a sensor or anything with the system, you'd get the 'TPMS' light on the dash. When it's the low tire symbol, one or more tires are low in pressure. Good luck.
 
#7 ·
QUOTE (Tom Brodrick @ Aug 22 2010, 10:38 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=351194
I had a low tire indicator show up on the dash today while driving home. It was flashing. I continued to drive, (only a mile from home) since there was no indication of anything going wrong with the tires. Then, the indicator stopped flashing, and went to steady. Then, by the time I hit the brakes to turn down my road, the indicator was gone.

So, I checked all my tires, and with my very old accutire gauge, they all showed 34.5 (35 being the spec). I hope to not see that again. Anyone else seen anything like that?
After 5 mos my indicator lit up and I checked my tires with a digital guage. My rt frnt tire was 29.5 lbs. I added the necessary air and all is well. Another plus feature that seems to be working as designed.
 
#9 ·
The blinking TPMS happened in my wife's Sonata while she was talking to me on the phone. The phone wasn't the issue because she had spoken to me plenty of times beforehand. Gotta love Bluetooth. She was driving and said that the "horseshoe" light suddenly started blinking. Turns out it was the outline of the tire with the "!" inside it. So I asked her where she was when she saw the light blinking and she said it was near a police station. A quick Google search turned up lots of content about Hyundai TPMS being extremely sensitive to interference. So I checked the frequency used by that police department and found out that it is almost exactly half of the TPMS frequency used. Since that'd make local police and fire radio frequencies a harmonic of the TPMS frequency, strong broadcasts can out-shout the signals from the four sensors. The blinking apparently means the car lost communication with some or all of the sensors. The light was blinking for about 15 seconds and then stopped blinking and remained off.

It will also blink when driving near the other police station closer to home. But not all the time. Apparently the missing link is that they have to be broadcasting over the big antenna at the station just as you're driving by. Our Sonata TPMS light will also blink if there is a police car within a couple of car lengths (waiting at a light, for example) and the car broadcasts. So I told her to ignore the TPMS light, or use it as a FuzzBuster instead of a low pressure warning.
 
#11 ·
QUOTE (elp_jc @ Aug 24 2010, 11:42 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=351792
SEs are indeed 35 (you don't have that on your sig), but sensors are the same, so they go off around 30 psi.
How do you guys know the sensors go off around 30 psi? Something similar happened to me, so I checked the manual, and according to the manual, the warning light only comes on when the tire pressure is "significantly low".
 
#12 ·
no sooner do you post this topic... my low tire pressure warning was on all day today, first time ever. checked the tires, even though i knew they were fine. two of them were at 35psi, the other two at 34psi. so either they arent set for 30 to go off, or mine needs some adjustment.

pulled out my little 12volt air pump and brought all 4 tires to 36, and the stupid thing finally turned off about 5 miles later.
 
#14 ·
I think it is a known problem.

My tires were inflated to either 35 or 36 psi (I can't recall exactly) even though the door sticker says 33.

When I asked about this, I was told it was to keep the TPMS from going off.

I dropped them down to 33 and haven't had a problem so far.
 
#15 ·
Woke up this morning and my low pressure light was on when i left for work (yes I had to work today!!!).

According to the documentation, the TPMS is supposed to set the low pressure indicator when the pressure drops more than 25% below the spec located on the drivers side B pillar (35 psi) OR a "sudden drop in pressure" (the rate of which is undefined). A couple of weeks ago it was ~110F here and this morning it was around 67F. So, I figured maybe the pressure dropped to low. When I checked, they were all around 30-31 psi. Although that's low, it's still well above the 25% threshold. I haven't had a chance to add some air, but I'm hoping the threshold is actually around 30 psi as others have described. I'll let you guys know how that works out.

I'm a bit paranoid because I have had horrible luck with the reliability of the TPMS on my Tahoe. The sensors just don't seem to last very long. The Tahoe actually has a self diagnostic/teach/reset routine built in that can be used to determine the problematic wheel, but it appears that the Sonata requires dealer intervention with some sort of a scanner. Not a good deal when I live over an hour from the nearest dealer. =(

EDIT: Setting all of the tires to ~33 psi did resolve the issue. So, either the HMA information is incorrect and the threshold is actually ~30 psi, or the accuracy of the sensors is very poor.
 
#16 ·
QUOTE (DMLexpert @ Aug 23 2010, 08:30 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=351476
A quick Google search turned up lots of content about Hyundai TPMS being extremely sensitive to interference. So I checked the frequency used by that police department and found out that it is almost exactly half of the TPMS frequency used.
It will also blink when driving near the other police station closer to home. But not all the time. Apparently the missing link is that they have to be broadcasting over the big antenna at the station just as you're driving by. Our Sonata TPMS light will also blink if there is a police car within a couple of car lengths (waiting at a light, for example) and the car broadcasts. So I told her to ignore the TPMS light, or use it as a FuzzBuster instead of a low pressure warning.
RF interference is normal.. one dealer I was at got all the rentals from the airport store.. TPMS channel failures all the time. Seems to issue with .MIL installations, or other areas with monitoring/radio transmissions.

As of late, seems any strong close proximety RF broadcast will goof with the TPMS module. There is supposedly issues with phone chargers and NAV power cords emmitting some RF when the charge cord plugged into socket, in most cases they are located close to the TPMS module in the console, so signal from sensor may get fuzzy reception at module due to RF coming from the power cord..

Supposedly a dealer in WI has spent time on the issue, and has a survey form their TPMS customers fill out,, they supposedly have it narrowed down to specific phone cords and NAV cords that create the most problems, supposedly their warranty for TPMS claims is almost nothing, as it is appearantly customer induced.
 
#25 ·
QUOTE (DMLexpert @ Aug 23 2010, 08:30 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=351476

RF interference is normal.. one dealer I was at got all the rentals from the airport store.. TPMS channel failures all the time. Seems to issue with .MIL installations, or other areas with monitoring/radio transmissions.

As of late, seems any strong close proximety RF broadcast will goof with the TPMS module. There is supposedly issues with phone chargers and NAV power cords emmitting some RF when the charge cord plugged into socket, in most cases they are located close to the TPMS module in the console, so signal from sensor may get fuzzy reception at module due to RF coming from the power cord..

Supposedly a dealer in WI has spent time on the issue, and has a survey form their TPMS customers fill out,, they supposedly have it narrowed down to specific phone cords and NAV cords that create the most problems, supposedly their warranty for TPMS claims is almost nothing, as it is appearantly customer induced.
Ya know, I never made the connection that my tire pressure light always comes on when my Garmin is plugged in, now I know. It's also never when the tires are cold, it's only after I've been driving for a little while.
 
#17 ·
I have always found that low pressure is what sets off the indicators. Always, and without exception, I'll find something wrong, like a nail in the tire. Fix the problem and air them up properly and the indicators should go off. And I wouldn't trust a cheap tire pressure gauge either. You can't really tell by looking at the tire and the pencil type gauges are notoriously inaccurate. I like the round gauges and would go to a reputable auto supply store and get one. I'm not entirely certain of the quality of the gauges you find at discount stores even if they are of the round gauge variety. I'd air them up to about 36 psi cold and see if they go off. If not, then I would take them down to the recommended psi and take it to the dealer. They are definitely worth having because they have alerted me to two tires going flat from nails and I didn't know it nor could I see from looking at the tire from the outside.
 
#18 ·
New Owner here. Sonata 2011 SE. I've had the car about 1 1/2 months and checked the tires as soon as I bought it (got a new ACURA TL a decade ago which was deliverd with 42 PSI in the tires)...........

Temp's have dropped from low 80's to mid-50's here in Ohio. I got my first low pressure indicator on the way home from work today as soon as I started the car. I thought crap, I got something in a tire. Got out and visually inspected them. They all looked fine. No warning light going into work (Sonata is garaged and the outside temp was in the mid-60's in the garage).

I expected the indicator to go off on the way home, when the tires heated up, but nope, it stayed on. When I got home, I checked all four tires and they had lost pressure due to temp change, but were all around 33 PSI hot. I inflated them to 35 1/2 PSI and will see what the sensor reports tomorrow morning.

One of the comments in this thread was about the sensors coming on due to a big "rate of change". I'm thinking along the same lines.
 
#19 ·
I'd check the cold air pressure in the morning with an accurate tire pressure gauge. I am inclined to agree with the sudden temperature theory. I had the same thing happen in a Ford product one time and the service department had all kinds of complaints that came in at one time, more or less ruling out the occasional nail in the tire.
 
#20 ·
There's nothing 'sudden' about it folks. Tires seep air all the time, to the tune of about 1 psi per month. And temperature changes drop pressure as well, to the tune of 1 psi for every 10ºF ambient temperature difference. If the last time you checked your tire pressures was 3 months ago, they're about 7 psi low by now. Sensors trip at around 30 psi. You should check your tire pressures more often, especially when temperatures are declining. And you need to drive a few miles after airing tires up for warning light to go out. Hope this helps.
 
#21 ·
We also need to factor in the low volume of air in these 18" wheels (SE) and low profile tires. There is such a small volume of air in them, that the slightest loss will affect the pressure very quickly. I bet temperature will effect them more as well due to this. My Pickup can lose a lot of air before it is seen on the gauge.
 
#22 ·
No low pressure alarm this morning after inflating to 35 1/2 PSI last night. I'm not going to conclude anything based on this first time occurrence. But, I hope this system isn't too sensitive. Going from a 60 degree garage in the winter to sitting outside at 20 degrees all day will drop you 3-4 PSI just due to temp changes.
 
#23 ·
I own a 2011 SE and was recently on a 300 mile roadtrip, about 250 or so miles in the tire warning light came on, I pulled into the next gas station and checked all 4 tires. No screws or nails the tires seemed fine so I checked the pressure and found the left rear tire was showing 50 psi. Outside air temp was 93 degrees. I let air out until it was 35 psi did the same for the rest tires and got back on the road. The warning light went out. So could the warning light also warn if the pressure is too high?
 
#24 ·
I have a 2011 Hyundai with 28000 miles on it I was driving to Fl. in June and my low tire pressure lite would come on for a while and then go off I checked all the tires and they were all at 34 lbs. so that is not the problem I just had the Battery changed and was wondering if there was something I have to reset or if anyone else had this problem and what if anything did they find Thank You
 
#26 ·
May want to scan TPMS (do complete fault code search of all modules) and see if you got hit with a low battery voltage DTC in a few modules that need to be cleared out, or other DTC maybe in the TPMS module
 
#28 ·
@currahee440 @sbr711 I recently purchased 4 brand new Genuine Hyundai TPMS sensors(Part number:52933-3X200) and had them installed by the local mechanic because of the one minute-ish blinking followed by a solid light continued to come on over the Boston winter so I figured one of the batteries were dying as this is a 2013 Elantra. (Orange horseshoe looking with exclamation point). The mechanic also reprogrammed. Totaled to be 260 USD. I drive about 10 miles and the light comes back on. I take back to mechanic two more times where he attempts to reprogram and each time after a few miles the light comes back on. Finally I ask the mechanic for a print out of the fault code. I attached below. I figured this C1306 RF internal Interference Failure may be just because this mechanic doesnt have the proper skills/equipment to perform the reprogramming. So I take the Hyundai dealership and they perform a reprogramming of the sensors and charge 130 USD. I drive about 10 miles down the road and again the light comes on. As I initially drove the vehicle I made sure to unplug the dash camera and shut off my wifi and Bluetooth on my cellphone just in case that may be causing some type of RF internal interference as Fault code says. I did NOT however unplug the phone charger and reading along in here I see that can also cause issues with reprogramming. Now I guess I have to reset system again and drive around with everything unplugged? Can I reset myself by unplugging the car battery or do I take back to mechanic for a reset? I dont want to throw anymore money at this problem blindly as I've already done. Any help is much appreciated.
 

Attachments

#29 ·
Remove electronic devices from console / forward shifter area.... phone, computers, GPS related,, and power packs

We was told yrs ago at training that even some power packs would generate interference that hinder RF signal from wheel to TPMS module

I think we had 1 that Hyundai had tech do all kinds of silly stuff to reduce interference,, dont know what ever happen to it..
 
  • Like
Reactions: bebo
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top