TPMS program tool

[brennaman]

Does anyone have some first had experience with a good TPMS programing tool. I would like it for my JL, WK and my wifes ford, and I guess any other vehicle I have in the future. I would like to be able to reprogram sensors If I need to replace one. They run for anywhere from $150-$1500. Thanks

Sponsored

 

[HDSlowride]

If you want something you can easily swap from Jeep, truck, car, camper, etc. I have an EezTire system on my F350 dually and fifth wheel camper. Gives tire pressure and temperature every 6 seconds from tire to tire. So it covers all 10 of my sensors (dually towing the camper) every minute. Can program each sensor to pressure and temperature limits you like. Sudden pressure loss warnings. Sensors just screw on the valve stem. Other than swapping the watch size batteries out every couple years, it has been reliable and very functional. Suction cup monitor just sticks on the windshield for easy viewing.

 

[Reinen]

You can take the JL out of the list. It will automatically detect new sensors, if you have the right ones. The sensors were changed in 6/21 so make sure you know which side of the line your '21 JL was manufactured.

I'll also add that my wife's '21 Kia Sorento also automatically detects new TPMS sensors whereas her old '13 Subaru Outback didn't and needed to be programmed. So I suspect TPMS programming has become a non-issue for current & future vehicles.

 

[brennaman]

I did not explain myself. I have TPMS on all my vehicles, I want a tool so that I can program the sensor when I have to replace one. Also, I would like to "calibrate" the sensors. I am so anal, when I have 33 psi, I want the TPMS to read 33. Thanks

 

[Goin2drt]

I did not explain myself. I have TPMS on all my vehicles, I want a tool so that I can program the sensor when I have to replace one. Also, I would like to "calibrate" the sensors. I am so anal, when I have 33 psi, I want the TPMS to read 33. Thanks

Well here you go. Let me explain about a TPMS tool.

Tools come in all shapes and sizes. Tools do different things hence the huge price difference.

There are 2 distinct differences in terminology. PROGRAMMING and RELEARNING.

Programming - this is taking a "programmable" sensor that comes unprogrammed from the manufacturer and with a TPMS tool you put in the protocol for that year, make and model.

Relearning - is the process of telling the car you just installed new TPMS. There are 3 types of relearn.
- Auto relearn - the best find and you just install the correct OEM sensors or correctly programmed sensors and drive. All FCA cars, most German cars are all auto
- Trigger tool relearn - you need a trigger tool (most tolls as well as a little garage door looking tool for about $5) You put the car in relearn mode and use the trigger tool to initiate the relearn. GM and Ford mostly
- OBD relearn - the biggest PITA relearn but you need a capable TPMS tool WITH OBD cable functionality to do the relearn. Most all Japanese cars and Subaru.

- Many tools all do relearns except the OBD type. It will cost you more to have OBD capability.
- The PROGRAMMING is where the different tools get expensive. For a fully unlocked tool that will program most every brand out there will cost you $900. Then you have other tools that are basically "locked" and can only program their own brand of sensors, Autel is probably the most well known.

If you want the best tool with the most capability you want ATEQ. They are the gold standard for TPMS. They work very closely with all the top major TPMS sensor manufacturers as well as the top car manufacturers. You need this relationship to be able to get all the protocols to load in the tool. Autel is probably the worst. They are cheap and have just flooded the market with cheap stuff. They are on an island and do their own thing. Cheaply made sensor all from China, they don't work well with the OE's so therefore they are very late getting the protocols to program their sensors.

That should be enough for now. Feel free to DM with any questions.

 

[Goin2drt]

Also, I would like to "calibrate" the sensors. I am so anal, when I have 33 psi, I want the TPMS to read 33. Thanks

Also to answer this specific question. A tool will not allow you to "calibrate" a sensor. If the car reads a different psi(which they always will usually) that is a car issue not a sensor issue. You can get about 5 different readings with regards to PSI. Car tells you one thing, 3 different tire pressure tools give you another etc.

 

[brennaman]

This is what I am looking for. The higher end ones interface with the car, and gives you the ability to do more that just let the car know a new sensor is installed. I am looking for a unit, that someone has first hand experience with, that allows me to read the battery level of the sensor, optimize the cars readout so when there is 30 psi in the tire, the car reads 30, let the car know where each sensor is..... (my wk knows the location of each tire, but ford is not this sophisticated)

 

[brennaman]

Well here you go. Let me explain about a TPMS tool.

Tools come in all shapes and sizes. Tools do different things hence the huge price difference.

There are 2 distinct differences in terminology. PROGRAMMING and RELEARNING.

Programming - this is taking a "programmable" sensor that comes unprogrammed from the manufacturer and with a TPMS tool you put in the protocol for that year, make and model.

Relearning - is the process of telling the car you just installed new TPMS. There are 3 types of relearn.
- Auto relearn - the best find and you just install the correct OEM sensors or correctly programmed sensors and drive. All FCA cars, most German cars are all auto
- Trigger tool relearn - you need a trigger tool (most tolls as well as a little garage door looking tool for about $5) You put the car in relearn mode and use the trigger tool to initiate the relearn. GM and Ford mostly
- OBD relearn - the biggest PITA relearn but you need a capable TPMS tool WITH OBD cable functionality to do the relearn. Most all Japanese cars and Subaru.

- Many tools all do relearns except the OBD type. It will cost you more to have OBD capability.
- The PROGRAMMING is where the different tools get expensive. For a fully unlocked tool that will program most every brand out there will cost you $900. Then you have other tools that are basically "locked" and can only program their own brand of sensors, Autel is probably the most well known.

If you want the best tool with the most capability you want ATEQ. They are the gold standard for TPMS. They work very closely with all the top major TPMS sensor manufacturers as well as the top car manufacturers. You need this relationship to be able to get all the protocols to load in the tool. Autel is probably the worst. They are cheap and have just flooded the market with cheap stuff. They are on an island and do their own thing. Cheaply made sensor all from China, they don't work well with the OE's so therefore they are very late getting the protocols to program their sensors.

That should be enough for now. Feel free to DM with any questions.

So it looks like all the ones I have been looking at on amazon, will not do what I am looking for. The Autel is the unit that has a lot of amazon favorites, and I saw some reviews that recommended them. But as you explained (very well I may add), it looks like there is no inexpensive tool for programming. I was kind of afraid of that, but nice stuff is expensive.
Thanks for all the info, I will research the ATEQ models to see if they can take care of all my needs. thanks

 

[jaymz]

My vote for the best all around DIY tool is the ATEQ VT37. It's not cheap at about $250, but I've not seen anything else that offers the same bang for the buck.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I did some searching and couldn't find a definitive answer as to whether or not a sensor can be re-calibrated. That is: it displays 30 psi and the actual pressure is 28 psi and you want to change the displayed pressure to 28 psi.

Can a TPMS system or individual sensor actually be re-calibrated?

 

[Barney392]

I did some searching and couldn't find a definitive answer as to whether or not a sensor can be re-calibrated. That is: it displays 30 psi and the actual pressure is 28 psi and you want to change the displayed pressure to 28 psi.

Can a TPMS system or individual sensor actually be re-calibrated?

The simple answer is no. You get what you get.

 

[Goin2drt]

I did some searching and couldn't find a definitive answer as to whether or not a sensor can be re-calibrated. That is: it displays 30 psi and the actual pressure is 28 psi and you want to change the displayed pressure to 28 psi.

Can a TPMS system or individual sensor actually be re-calibrated?

No they can’t. It is a safety part they would not want people going and adjusting them because “they think” it is not registering the correct PSI.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

So it looks like all the ones I have been looking at on amazon, will not do what I am looking for. The Autel is the unit that has a lot of amazon favorites, and I saw some reviews that recommended them. But as you explained (very well I may add), it looks like there is no inexpensive tool for programming. I was kind of afraid of that, but nice stuff is expensive.
Thanks for all the info, I will research the ATEQ models to see if they can take care of all my needs. thanks

@brennaman
@other's

You can take anything @Goin2drt says about TPMS sensors to the bank so to speak. He is a fellow JL owner and is in the TPMS sales business. Very TPMS savvy he is..

We are lucky he takes the time to come here and field TPMS related questions, etc.. The info he spews here is always spot on!

@Goin2drt is my go to person when I want to purchase new TPMS sensors and or need TPMS related info.

I only purchase at his TPMS sales, website https://www.tpmsbargains.com . Always fresh, non counterfeit TPMS's and the Customer Service is excellent.... and, the prices there are very good.

 

[Reinen]

It sounds like you might be falling into a rabbit hole that I fell into, until eventually I truly understood the old adage:

Someone with a tire pressure gauge always knows their exact tire pressure.
Someone with two gauges is never quite sure.

The reality is that there are a lot of factors that effect tire PSI and PSI readings, far more than quality of your gauge. Even good PSI gauges have a degree of error beyond 1 PSI. The type of gauge matters, the PSI range of the gauge matters, they'll all read slightly different. Beyond the gauge itself, temperature matters (which will fluctuate as you drive). Even barometric pressure of the weather.

My advice is to redirect that need for precision elsewhere. You will never be able to maintain tire PSI at [Some Whole Number] across all your tires and all your gauges no matter how good they are. It's a case where close enough is good enough. Move on and enjoy life.

 

[brennaman]

I did some searching and couldn't find a definitive answer as to whether or not a sensor can be re-calibrated. That is: it displays 30 psi and the actual pressure is 28 psi and you want to change the displayed pressure to 28 psi.

Can a TPMS system or individual sensor actually be re-calibrated?

From what I have read, you can adjust what your vehicle reads. Is it a true calibration, no. It would be adjusting your car for what the sensor is transmitting. So no, you are not calibrating the sensor, but you can change what your vehicle is displaying.
So what I am looking into doing, along with being able to replace sensors as they fail and replace them at home, is I will put all my tires to lets say 33 psi. Then I will use the tool to have the vehicle all read 33. Now if I drop the pressure in all tires to 15 psi, will they all read 15? Probably not, I am not calibrating the sensor. I just want to have my vehicle read the typical pressure I run while driving on the road.

And will all the sensors transmit identical pressure's when the tires get up to temperature driving down the road? Probably not again, but as they change 4 or 5 psi as they heat up, my TPMS will probably be within 1 or 2 psi.

Is it worth getting a tool to do this? Probably not again. My wife also wonders why I have to have all of our digital clocks be withing a couple of seconds of the actual time. They don't. But I was a metrologist for about 25 years, so I just like things to be set up a certain way. I went as far as I had my Milton tire inflator calibrated, with a data sheet provided. That way I can compare it to my other gauges. To me it is more of a game I like to play.

Sponsored