Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[Louchie]

The other day I went to a local shop to swap out my winters and install my summer wheels and also replace the tires on my summer wheels. After I got the car back I keep getting the TPMS malfunction error and I can't reset it. When I go into the menu the "RESET" option is grayed out. Any advice? The shop said I would need to check codes but using JB4 the only code I have is for exhaust flapper. Any advice?

[Juiced46]

Is the tire warning on the cluster flashing or solid?

Also you can only reset with the car stopped FYI

If it is flashing there is a malfunction and more then likely they cracked the sensor when removing the tire. Very common when removing/installing tires on these cars if you do not know how to do it correctly

[Louchie]

Originally Posted by Juiced46

Is the tire warning on the cluster flashing or solid?

Also you can only reset with the car stopped FYI

If it is flashing there is a malfunction and more then likely they cracked the sensor when removing the tire. Very common when removing/installing tires on these cars if you do not know how to do it correctly

Flashes for about a minute then is solid. Same way the light would flash when I had my winters on with no TMPS.

Is there anyway to check if the sensor is cracked?

[Dark_Knight_335]

Believe it or not, the TPMS sensors may not be "compatible" anymore.
Check my situation out: I have 199 black BMW 19s which I had put on in lieu of the 18s my 2011 335 came with. Less then a mile into the ride boom TPMS inactive comes up.
Turns out after much deliberation at the dealer I need new TPMS sensors on the wheels I bought back in 2009 because they won't work with the 2011 TPMS system. Should set me back about 300 bones.

Fun times!

[Louchie]

Originally Posted by SDeFranco1

Believe it or not, the TPMS sensors may not be "compatible" anymore.
Check my situation out: I have 199 black BMW 19s which I had put on in lieu of the 18s my 2011 335 came with. Less then a mile into the ride boom TPMS inactive comes up.
Turns out after much deliberation at the dealer I need new TPMS sensors on the wheels I bought back in 2009 because they won't work with the 2011 TPMS system. Should set me back about 300 bones.

Fun times!

my car is an 09

[Juiced46]

Originally Posted by Louchie

Flashes for about a minute then is solid. Same way the light would flash when I had my winters on with no TMPS.

Is there anyway to check if the sensor is cracked?

Tire has to come back off

Did they swap TPMS sensors from the old wheels to the new or do you have an extra set.

If the tire isnt positioned in the correct position when pulling the bottom portion of the tire off of the rim, it puts stress on the sensor and cracks it.

[Dark_Knight_335]

Originally Posted by Louchie

my car is an 09

Ah ok...well, there goes that idea! GL.

[BlackBB6]

You're doing the actual TPMS reset steps and not just trying to click the button in iDrive right?

[Louchie]

Originally Posted by Juiced46

Tire has to come back off

Did they swap TPMS sensors from the old wheels to the new or do you have an extra set.

If the tire isnt positioned in the correct position when pulling the bottom portion of the tire off of the rim, it puts stress on the sensor and cracks it.

My winter set didn't have TPMS. My summers are just stock wheels with stock TPMS but the tires were bald so I had those replaced too.

Originally Posted by BlackBB6

You're doing the actual TPMS reset steps and not just trying to click the button in iDrive right?

I'm just trying to do it via Idrive. What are the reset steps?

[RoundelM3]

Louchie - did they put new valve stems in when swapping out your tires? Sounds like your TPMS are missing. Did you check to make sure they didn't remove them?

[Louchie]

Originally Posted by roundel335

Louchie - did they put new valve stems in when swapping out your tires? Sounds like your TPMS are missing. Did you check to make sure they didn't remove them?

no. I just assumed that since I had valve stems the tpms was still there.

[Juiced46]

Originally Posted by Louchie

no. I just assumed that since I had valve stems the tpms was still there.

If they swapped them there will be a hard aluminum stem, if they are rubber they didnt swap them and thats why the light is on. Are the sensors on the old wheels?

[BlackBB6]

Originally Posted by Louchie

I'm just trying to do it via Idrive. What are the reset steps?

I don't know off the top of my head, it's in the manual or online. It involves more than simply pressing the button though. If you don't do it right, the button stays grayed out.

[Juiced46]

You can absolutely reset it through the idrive without a special procedure

[Louchie]

Originally Posted by BlackBB6

I don't know off the top of my head, it's in the manual or online. It involves more than simply pressing the button though. If you don't do it right, the button stays grayed out.

I just checked the manual on BMWUSA.com and it says to just do it via Idrive

[Louchie]

Originally Posted by stevewatson

Even i had a similar problem.

Do you mind telling me how you resolved it?

[BlackBB6]

Edit: Because I have no faith in humanity, step 6 is what most people do wrong, you need to wait to start the motor until that step or the reset button will stay grey.

Copied from another post:

From my '07 manual with iDrive:

Resetting the system
Each time a tire inflation pressure has
been corrected or a wheel or tire has been changed, reset the system.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page



1.
Press the button
The start menu is called up.

2.
Press the controller to open the menu.

3.
Select "Settings" and press the controller.

4.
Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the controller.

5.
If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "TPM" is selected and press the controller.

6.
Start the engine, but do not start driving.

7.
Select "Reset" and press the controller.

8.
Select "Yes" and press the controller.

9.
Start to drive.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting
TPM..." is displayed.
After driving a few minutes, the set inflation
pressures in the tires are accepted as the target
values to be monitored. The system reset is
completed during your drive.

[Juiced46]

If you cannot reset through the idrive there is a malfunction! There is no special procedure. Either the sensor is broke or not there. Period

[BlackBB6]

Originally Posted by Juiced46

If you cannot reset through the idrive there is a malfunction! There is no special procedure. Either the sensor is broke or not there. Period

Does your car have the iDrive and have you ever reset your TPMS?
See my post above, step 6 is what most people do wrong. If that doesn't work then sure, the sensor is broken or missing.

Not sure why you are saying there is no special procedure, its not straight forward without the iDrive and its a procedure enough to put steps in the manual for people with iDrives.

[Juiced46]

Originally Posted by BlackBB6

Does your car have the iDrive and have you ever reset your TPMS?
See my post above, step 6 is what most people do wrong. If that doesn't work then sure, the sensor is broken or missing.

Not sure why you are saying there is no special procedure, its not straight forward without the iDrive and its a procedure enough to put steps in the manual for people with iDrives.

1. I work on these cars everyday, so yes I have reset TPMS' countless times

2. My car has I drive and you reset it though the I drive. Just did this on my personal car going from my wheels with no TPMS sensors to my summer wheels with TPMS sensors

3. If you have no I drive all you do is cycle through the menus on the turn signal stalk until you see the flat tire symbol. When you get to that menu, you hold the BC button until it says reset. However since the OP has an Idrive, this does not apply, he RESETS IT THROUGH THE I DRIVE. Plain and simple.

So like stated. If its grayed out there is a malfunction. Either a sensor is, bad, cracked, damaged, or completely missing. I am going to go with cracked/damaged since he just had tires mounted on it.

Please tell me to read the manual again

[Louchie]

Originally Posted by BlackBB6

Edit: Because I have no faith in humanity, step 6 is what most people do wrong, you need to wait to start the motor until that step or the reset button will stay grey.

Copied from another post:

From my '07 manual with iDrive:

Resetting the system
Each time a tire inflation pressure has
been corrected or a wheel or tire has been changed, reset the system.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page



1.
Press the button
The start menu is called up.

2.
Press the controller to open the menu.

3.
Select "Settings" and press the controller.

4.
Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the controller.

5.
If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "TPM" is selected and press the controller.

6.
Start the engine, but do not start driving.

7.
Select "Reset" and press the controller.

8.
Select "Yes" and press the controller.

9.
Start to drive.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting
TPM..." is displayed.
After driving a few minutes, the set inflation
pressures in the tires are accepted as the target
values to be monitored. The system reset is
completed during your drive.

This is exactly what I have been doing with no avail...

I'm going to take the car back to the shop tomorrow and have them take the tires off the car to check the TPMS.

[Juiced46]

Originally Posted by BlackBB6

Edit: Because I have no faith in humanity, step 6 is what most people do wrong, you need to wait to start the motor until that step or the reset button will stay grey.

Copied from another post:

From my '07 manual with iDrive:

Resetting the system
Each time a tire inflation pressure has
been corrected or a wheel or tire has been changed, reset the system.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page



1.
Press the button
The start menu is called up.

2.
Press the controller to open the menu.

3.
Select "Settings" and press the controller.

4.
Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the controller.

5.
If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "TPM" is selected and press the controller.

6.
Start the engine, but do not start driving.

7.
Select "Reset" and press the controller.

8.
Select "Yes" and press the controller.

9.
Start to drive.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting
TPM..." is displayed.
After driving a few minutes, the set inflation
pressures in the tires are accepted as the target
values to be monitored. The system reset is
completed during your drive.

These steps are correct. Sort of. These instructions are for a car with a CCC style Idrive (old style) So yes, you need to have the engine running to reset.

However the OP has an 09 LCI car which has the newer CIC Idrive, so those steps are actually different, similar but the menus and navigation are different and you can also reset the TPMS with just the key on and engine off and it will still be able to reset once you start the car and drive it. FYI.

Originally Posted by Louchie

This is exactly what I have been doing with no avail...

I'm going to take the car back to the shop tomorrow and have them take the tires off the car to check the TPMS.

That is your best bet @ this point.