Low Air Pressure Warning Light

[Palladini]

A few weeks ago, Our 2013 Ford Edge was hit by a snow plow.  Now the snow plow company has paid for the fix and a rental car for us.  During the fix, they replaced the rim and wheel on the rear driver's side of the vehicle.  We picked it up today, and the Low Air pressure Warning light was lit, so we went to a service station and checking the tires with an air pressure gauge, the passenger side front tire was low, the rear on that side was fine, the front driver's side was OK, and the rear needed about 4 to 5 lbs of air.   My wife has gone to work, she works as PSW in the community, she drives to peoples houses and takes care of the elderly and the disabled person in that house.  That low Tire Air Warning light is still on.  So when she got home, I went out, got the Air pressure testing device and checked all the tire, they were all within a Lb of 35 lb.  If that rim the car repair company put on the car did not have an air pressure sensor, would the car throw that code because of that?

I do have video of the snow plow hitting our car from my security cameras, the video is on Facebook page. Go down about ten or so posts and you will see the video - https://www.facebook.com/dave.vandecappelle

Edited April 19, 2023 by Palladini

[dabangsta]

Is it a solid light, or a blinking light? I wonder if they transferred over the TPMS sensor from the old wheel to the new one, installed a new one, and didn't initialize it, or there isn't one there.

[Palladini]

32 minutes ago, dabangsta said:

Is it a solid light, or a blinking light? I wonder if they transferred over the TPMS sensor from the old wheel to the new one, installed a new one, and didn't initialize it, or there isn't one there.

It is a solid light, on when ever the car is running

[Haz]

Document download link> Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Diagnosis and Testing - 2013 Edge Workshop Manual.pdf

 

Scanning your Edge may yield a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) in the above-linked document that points to a specific issue, but likely is damaged sensor, wrong sensor, no sensor.

 

Pinpoint Test D - Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Warning Indicator On Continuously and Message Center Displays LOW TIRE PRESSURE

 

Normal Operation

The Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) module monitors the tire pressure of all 4 road tires. The wheel-mounted tire pressure sensors transmit data via radio frequency signals to the TPM module. The TPM module is a radio receiver that collects the tire pressure data from the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) tire pressure sensors. The data is then sent to the Body Control Module (BCM) where a predetermined pass/fail criteria is applied.

 

The TPMS sensor radio transmissions are sent approximately once every 60 seconds when the vehicle speed exceeds 32 km/h (20 mph). The BCM compares each TPMS sensor transmission against a low-pressure limit. If it has been determined that the tire pressure has fallen below this limit, the BCM communicates this on the vehicle communication bus to the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) . The IPC then illuminates the TPMS warning indicator and displays the appropriate message(s) in the message center .

 

This symptom can also be caused by a spare tire currently being used in place of a road tire. Make sure the spare tire is not currently in use.

 

This pinpoint test is intended to diagnose the following:

• Tire pressure not set to specifications listed on the Vehicle Certification (VC) label
• Spare tire currently in use
• TPMS sensor(s)

  PINPOINT TEST D : TPMS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATES CONTINUOUSLY AND MESSAGE CENTER DISPLAYS LOW TIRE PRESSURE

NOTE: Use only the Digital Tire Pressure Gauge any time tire pressures are measured to be sure that accurate values are obtained.

NOTE: If a warranty case is opened for an actual TPMS fault, document and include the actual tire pressure data in all warranty communications.

 

D1  CHECK FOR SPARE TIRE IN USE

NOTE: The spare tire is not programmable even if it is equipped with a TPMS sensor. If a damaged road wheel is located in the trunk, the sensor may still be recognized by the TPMS as low. Make sure the spare tire is not currently in use. To restore TPMS functionality, repair the damaged road wheel and re-mount it to the vehicle.

• Check spare tire location.

Is the spare tire in use?
 

Yes	REPAIR and REMOUNT the wheel to the vehicle. REFER to Wheel and Tire in this section. ADJUST tire pressures to the required pressure as defined on the Vehicle Certification (VC) label located in the driver door jam. TEST the system for normal operation.
No	GO to D2.

  D2  CHECK FOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE

• Using the Digital Tire Pressure Gauge, measure and record the tire pressure in all 4 road tires.

• Adjust the pressure for those found to be below the specification listed on the VC label.

• Activate each sensor at least twice with the training tool or customer activation tool to make sure the module gets the latest tire pressure data. Refer to Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Sensor Activation or drive the vehicle for at least 2 minutes above 32 km/h (20 mph) to clear the low pressure warning. Do not train the sensors at this time.

Has the TPMS warning indicator gone out?
 

Yes	The system is operating correctly at this time. The cause was low tire pressure.
No	GO to D3

  D3  CHECK FOR STUCK TPMS SENSOR

• Ignition OFF.

• Connect the scan tool.

• Ignition ON.

• Enter the following diagnostic mode on the scan tool: BCM DataLogger .

• Monitor and record the following tire pressure PIDs :
  • TPM_PRES_LF
  • TPM_PRES_RF
  • TPM_PRES_LRO
  • TPM_PRES_RRO

• Using the Digital Tire Pressure Gauge, measure the actual tire pressures.

• Compare the tire pressure PIDs with the actual tire pressures.

Do the compared tire pressure values match within ± 5 psi?
 

Yes	REFER to Section  413-01 to diagnose the TPMS warning indicator light.
No	INSTALL a new TPMS sensor(s). REFER to Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Sensor in this section.

 

 

Clearly, the repair shop should correct the problem, hopefully, without you contacting the snowplow company owner / insurance company.

 

Good luck!

 

Edited April 19, 2023 by Haz

[Palladini]

I just looked at the Paper the Car repair place gave us and I do not see anything about a tire pressure sensor being installed.  I need to call them to day to find out if they did install one.  Ok, I called them, and they said drive it for a few days, and it should fix it, are they shooting me a crap or what?

Edited April 19, 2023 by Palladini

[Palladini]

Well last night, my wife came home complaining, the that light is now flashing, and she does not want to drive the car!  I told her this is not a safety item.

And TAZ, I do not have the tool need to check the Air Pressure sending units, and I am on Disability and I cannot afford this tool.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Palladini

[dabangsta]

When you called them, did they tell you that they:

• transferred the existing sensor from the old wheel to the new wheel
• installed a new one
• thought the new wheel had one
• didn't know they needed to

If it hasn't found it in a couple of 2+ minute drives over 20 mph, it isn't going to find it. If there is a new one, it might need to be enabled, I am pretty sure that it doesn't need done. I put 4 new tires/wheels with new sensors, and once it was driven a couple of times the sensors initialized and were detected.

 

I know that I can use Torque and an OBD-II adapter to get the pressures on my 2017 Escape, I haven't tried my 2012 Fusion, and my 2019 Edge shows them in the dash.

 

While I agree it isn't a direct safety issue in the short term, I wouldn't want to drive with it on, or more annoyingly, blinking, and sorta defeats the purpose of it, and I wouldn't want to get used to a light being on, then you ignore others, or if there is really an issue with a tire.

[Haz]

Supplementing dabangsta's comments...

 

Start your Edge and watch the Tire Pressure dash light, which, if it's flashing, should flash for 70-seconds, followed by the Tire Pressure dash light being continuous-on until the Edge is shutoff.

 

Take your Edge for a continuous at-least 20-minutes-long drive at higher-than 32k/h (20 mph) to ensure the Tire Pressure Monitor System is given the opportunity to to gather enough Tire Sensor data to correct the Tire Pressure Monitor System Fault that the flashing Tire Pressure dash light indicates.

 

After completing that at-least 20-minute Drive Cycle, shut-off the Edge, and then restart it to see if that eliminates the 70-second flashing Tire Pressure dash light -- and possibly the continuous-on Tire Pressure dash light.

 

If the flashing Tire Pressure dash light does return, it most likely indicates at least one Tire Sensor is not reporting -- the sensor on the wheel the Repair Shop replaced.

 

If the Tire Pressure dash light issue continues to be an issue, it's your choice on whether to wait the additional day they asked, before contacting them.

 

You might print a copy of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Diagnosis and Testing - 2013 Edge Workshop Manual.pdf and take it with you. They may be interested by it, or, they may say they know everything they need to know -- though they did release the Edge back to you with a non-functioning Tire Pressure Monitor System.

 

From the previously shared  Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Diagnosis and Testing - 2013 Edge Workshop Manual.pdf, with emphasis added...

 

TPMS Warning Indicator Flashes

The TPMS warning indicator flashes for 70 seconds, then remains ON continuously when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position and 1 or more of the following conditions exists:

• Tire Pressure Sensor Fault — The message center displays TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FAULT when a TPMS sensor is malfunctioning. GO to Symptom Chart.
• No communication with the BCM . The TPMS indicator is illuminated when the IPC has not received any signals from the BCM for more than 5 seconds. The message center displays TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT. GO to Symptom Chart.
• Tire Pressure Monitor Fault — The message center displays TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT when the TPMS is malfunctioning or communication with the IPC has been lost. GO to Symptom Chart.

The TP_STAT PID can be used to determine why the TPMS warning indicator is flashing.

 

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) PID Definitions and Intermittent Troubleshooting

TPMS Status PID

The TPM monitors the TPMS status. The current status can be viewed by accessing the TPMS status PID : TPMS_STAT using the scan tool. This helps identify the current system status and may aid in diagnosing the system. The PID has 4 valid states:

1. TPMS_STAT = SENSOR FAULT.
   • If the module has not received the tire pressure status from 1 to 3 TPMS sensors for 20 minutes when the vehicle speed is above 32 km/h (20 mph), the PID displays SENSOR FAULT.

1. TPMS_STAT = SYSTEM FAULT.
   • If the module has not received the tire pressure status from all 4 TPMS sensors for 20 minutes and the vehicle speed is above 32 km/h (20 mph), the PID displays SYSTEM FAULT.

1. TPMS_STAT = LOW.
   • If the module has detected that at least 1 TPMS sensor is reporting low tire pressure, the PID displays LOW.

1. TPMS_STAT = SYSTEM ACTIVE.
   • If the TPMS is functioning normally, the PID displays SYSTEM ACTIVE.

Good luck!