Tire Pressure Sensor-'05 Ford Explorer

[Dellfin]

In cold weather months, my dash displays a tire pressure warning. After checking them numerous times last winter I finally decided to live with it. Spring came, it went away, and I was happy. This year, of course it's happening again and I'm growing tired of it. Is there a simple way to isolate which of the sensors is bad without a trip to the stealership?

Thanks!

[jeffreyd]

should tell you which tire is reading low. if you go to a tire shop, like discount they usually have a scanner that they can look at the system. same if you go to an auto parts house that will test things. look in the manual for ways to use the system.

[spearchucker]

Tire pressure will drop in cold weather. Sensor is probably just doing its job.

[jeffreyd]

also check your spare as it should have a sensor also that will be sending a signal. If that tire is low then it could throw the system.

[Dellfin]

My truck doesn't tell which tire, just that pressure is low.

I would disagree that the sensor is doing it's job if it's sending false warning of low pressure...

Checking the spare is a great idea; never thought of that. Thanks.

[jwhjr]

I know that in our vehicle with a TPMS in it, the PSI reading I get on my tire gauge is usually off by at least 2 (lower) from what the vehicle is showing as the pressure. We get a readout per tire on the cluster. I just fill to 2# higher than I want based on my gauge and it then reads fine from the vehicle. I don't know if that is the case with yours since you don't know what your vehicle is actually reading as the pressure. I do know that I added an extra 4-5# per wheel when the weather got colder so the pressure definitely drops in the winter.

[Jeremy airjer W]

What pressure are you inflating them to?

If the spare tire isn't the problem than the next step is to find a shop with a high end TPMS tool capable of reading sensor data.

[Dellfin]

jeffreyd called it. It was the spare tire low on pressure.

[zamboni]

jeffreyd called it. It was the spare tire low on pressure.

Wow, would have never guessed that!!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Many manufacturers where putting TPMS's in the spare. I think they had enough complaints than many have stopped.