Nightmare story: No communication with TMPS

[GiGi]

Hi,

I broke the top of the valve such that the dealer has to change one TPMS . (rear right)
Before changing the TMPS, everything was fine. all for TPMS worked and was recognized by the car.
After changing the rear right TMPS, they did the road test and the car lossed the contact with all 4 TPMS.
Here is the issue:
-When they do the relearn procedure, they drive and then eventually 1 or at most 2 TPMS (not always the sames) are detected but then , the tire light comes on and the system falls in fault.
- Lotus told them to restart the whole procedure (relearn, drive...) each time until it works.
It make no sense.

Do you have any idea?

Adding info: There is no third-party system in the car that could induce parasite frequencies .
They change the 4 tires at the same time than the broken valve (and thus the TMPS).

Thanks

 

[geoffbland]

Not sure if this helps but here's my TMPS experiences on my Emira V6.

Swapped all 4 factory supplied TPMS valves for aftermarket ones (reason for swapping was just to test if aftermarket ones worked). After restarting the car, it still had the readings from the old TPMS (and old pressures) but after driving for 15 minutes or so all the new TPMSs (and pressures) were picked up. All working fine.

Later swapped to winter tyres with another 4 new aftermarket TPMS valves. Same thing, initially reading from old TPMS/pressures but after driving for 15 minutes all new TPMSs were picked up.

And recently swapped back to summer tyres with the previous aftermarket TPMS valves. Same again - all picked up after driving for 15 minutes. Although, now with these tyres/TPMS, twice the front and rear TMPS has got mixed up, but after restarting the car and driving for a while this resolves itself.

None of that probably helps you at all.

 

[GiGi]

Not sure if this helps but here's my TMPS experiences on my Emira V6.

Swapped all 4 factory supplied TPMS valves for aftermarket ones (reason for swapping was just to test if aftermarket ones worked). After restarting the car, it still had the readings from the old TPMS (and old pressures) but after driving for 15 minutes or so all the new TPMSs (and pressures) were picked up. All working fine.

Later swapped to winter tyres with another 4 new aftermarket TPMS valves. Same thing, initially reading from old TPMS/pressures but after driving for 15 minutes all new TPMSs were picked up.

And recently swapped back to summer tyres with the previous aftermarket TPMS valves. Same again - all picked up after driving for 15 minutes. Although, now with these tyres/TPMS, twice the front and rear TMPS has got mixed up, but after restarting the car and driving for a while this resolves itself.

None of that probably helps you at all.

thanks for your answer . I actually try to help the dealer who will not install aftermarket parts.
I do not understand the idea of restarting the relearn each time if 4 TPMS are not detected before pressure tires lights cames on.

 

[netsinah]

I'm assuming: the replacement TPMS sensor is OEM (made by Lotus) and the correct one, for the Emira, and it matches the 3 other sensors? If so, it sounds like it might be defective. I'd suggest having it tested...or simply replaced again with another...to see if that works.

I put on a new set of tires/rims, using TPMS sensors purchased from GRP (Greg's Race Parts in Nevada) and the vehicle detected the new sensors right away and they've been working flawlessly since then. Every time I swap tires (each set with sensors) it continues to work OK.

Something isn't working properly with your set-up. Since it was working OK before and the only change is the replacement of the one sensor, that suggests the problem is that new sensor. I don't see how continually restarting the system when it keeps failing, will solve anything.

All that said, I'm no mechanic. However I just called my local tire shop and explained what was happening. They told me this general (not Lotus specific) information:

1. TPMS sensors have a battery life of as little as 5 years, after which they stop sending a signal.
2. It does sound like your new TPMS sensor installed, is malfunctioning. Perhaps (?) it's "old stock" with a dead battery, or otherwise defective.

Hope this helps out. Good luck, welcome to the Forum, and let us know how this is resolved.

 

[nixx]

I have several sets of wheels on my track car that has TPMS. One set of wheels had one wheel that wouldn't work. I had to take it to a tyre shop to get them to "activate" the sensor using some scanner that runs on 433 MHz to "wake up" the sensor. Apparently the TPMS sensors go into a dormant state to conserve batteries when they are boxed up and sitting on the shelf. When you wake it up, you must drive the car soon after or it will go back into dormant state. Maybe worth taking it to a tyre shop and asking them to wake them up. (I did this instead of doing a relearn on the car and it worked)

 

[GiGi]

I'm assuming: the replacement TPMS sensor is OEM (made by Lotus) and the correct one, for the Emira, and it matches the 3 other sensors? If so, it sounds like it might be defective. I'd suggest having it tested...or simply replaced again with another...to see if that works.

I put on a new set of tires/rims, using TPMS sensors purchased from GRP (Greg's Race Parts in Nevada) and the vehicle detected the new sensors right away and they've been working flawlessly since then. Every time I swap tires (each set with sensors) it continues to work OK.

Something isn't working properly with your set-up. Since it was working OK before and the only change is the replacement of the one sensor, that suggests the problem is that new sensor. I don't see how continually restarting the system when it keeps failing, will solve anything.

All that said, I'm no mechanic. However I just called my local tire shop and explained what was happening. They told me this general (not Lotus specific) information:

1. TPMS sensors have a battery life of as little as 5 years, after which they stop sending a signal.
2. It does sound like your new TPMS sensor installed, is malfunctioning. Perhaps (?) it's "old stock" with a dead battery, or otherwise defective.

Hope this helps out. Good luck, welcome to the Forum, and let us know how this is resolved.

Thank you very much for taking the time. It make sense. However, the "new" TPMS seems to work sometimes.
Indeed : the replacement TPMS sensor is OEM (made by Lotus) and the correct one, for the Emira, and it matches the 3 other sensors.
It is in Lotus hands... never thought that changing a TPMS would be that hard. The dealer has already spent 8 hours on it.

 

[GiGi]

I have several sets of wheels on my track car that has TPMS. One set of wheels had one wheel that wouldn't work. I had to take it to a tyre shop to get them to "activate" the sensor using some scanner that runs on 433 MHz to "wake up" the sensor. Apparently the TPMS sensors go into a dormant state to conserve batteries when they are boxed up and sitting on the shelf. When you wake it up, you must drive the car soon after or it will go back into dormant state. Maybe worth taking it to a tyre shop and asking them to wake them up. (I did this instead of doing a relearn on the car and it worked)

Yes. The dealer tried this. But all are randomly detected, but never the 4 before falling in fault mode after pressure light comes on. That's crazy