TPMS System Fault
 

2012 Acuta TSX Wagon. ~60,000 miles. I have been intermittently, over the last 2 years, getting the TPMS System Fault message on my dashboard. The system works fine either for a week or a few days or even a few months.

Recently it has been popping up almost every time I drive the car and usually within the first 20-30 minutes. It will stay up for the rest of the drive
The sensors are original build sensors.

When the message pops up I do not see any pressures for any of the 4 tires.
When it does not pop I get all 4 pressures and they are correct.

Just now I started the car and the message popped up, but before I could get to the "tire pressure readout".. the message went away and when I did get to the tire pressure readout all was normal.

I am thinking is may be the receiver. They are available. New OEM is Over $300!!! eBay used is under $100.

Thoughts / Insights?
Where is the receiver located?
Where are the initiators located?

Thanks

/Greg

I now know where the receiver and initiators are located.

Just wondering if I should go for the receiver 1st.

If
A) One TPMS sensor, and/or
B) One initiator, and/or
C) The wiring between one initiator and the receiver goes bad

Does the entire system shut down or do you just get no reading from the bad senor / Initiator wheel?

Since the entire system goes down... is it safe to assume that their is something wrong with the main receiver under the dash?

Thanks

Greg

Yes, I believe the receiver is in each wheel well.

Did you try reading your OBD2 port for any error codes? AutoZone can loan you one if you don't have one yourself. I've also read elsewhere you can try to "reset" the system by disconnecting the battery for x minutes (don't know how long). The down-side is that everything will be erased including your radio stations, radio lock code, maybe your auto window up/down, and maybe your driving habits stored in the ECU.

ACTUALLY.. This AM it faulted out again... I remembered that there was a "menu" item called "Messages" I went there on the NAV screen and saw another menu choice called "Diagnostic Messages".. Selected that and got this on the screen
I guess I had NO ides. This is the only car I have ever owned that would present the driver with the actual DTC codes without using a reader....

" 1 ! Tire Pressure Monitor: 36"
"2 ! Tire Pressure Monitor: 38"

I looked them up on Alldata pro and found that the system was not receiving data from the left and right rear TPMS sensors....
THis from AlldataPro

TPMS DTC Troubleshooting: 32, 34, 36, 38

DTC 32, 34, 36, 38:

Tire Pressure Sensor Signal Failure

NOTE:

- Inspect for an aftermarket electrical device(s) (such as an inverter, battery charger, CB radio, etc) interfering with the RF signal from the tire pressure sensors when the ignition switch is ON (II).
- Vehicle must be driven for 3 minutes at 15 mph (24 km/h) or more for DTC 32, 34, 36, or 38 to set.

1. Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).

2. Check the DTC indicated to the tire location to make sure the wheel is a TPMS type with the tire pressure sensor.


https://my.alldata.com/ADAG/repair/A...egion=Region_1

Sometimes, a USB cigarette adapter can put out enough RF noise to interfere with the tire pressure sensors.

Scotty elaborates:

Very true.

The OP should disconnect ANYTHING plugged into the cigarette lighters and see if the fault goes away.

Radar detectors and cameras are also known offenders.

Often, a different brand of charger will resolve the problem. IIRC, one poster had issues with a Verizon branded charger, but any brand can cause issues.

about 99.99% Sure it was the cell phone charger
 

As a recap..
ISSUE:
1) TPMS system would just glitch out and set an error code (and pop a diagnostic message into the nav screen) saying that the TPMS system had a fault in the both rear circuits.
2) It would not matter what tires were on the car (summer or winter) or where they were rotated too on the vehicle. It was always the rear ANS always both at the same time
3) Sometimes the fault would just go away just driving along
4) Sometime the fault would disappear after the car sat turned off for a while
5) The TPMS system functions normally and displayed VERY accurate pressures unless it was glitched out.
6) It could go weeks or it could go a few miles between glitches.

What It Was Not:
1) Low batteries. There are new sensors in both sets of wheels (Summer and Winter) and it didn't matter what wheel was on what corner, it was always rear
2) Bad transponders... Nope.. Why would both go bad at the same exact time AND I put brand new ones in and that didn't fix it.
3) Low tire pressure... Nope.. Should be obvious from 1-6 in Issue.
4) Wiring Issue... Probably not... It has been going on for a few years and sometimes I pay attention and sometimes I don't care and it would probably have totally broken by now if it was.

UPDATE
I unplugged the cell phone charger I had in the car. I used to have it plugged in in the socket under the CD player.
I cleared all the codes from the ECUs and the diagnostic messages from the Nav display..
That was about 2 weeks and 300 miles ago..
NOTHING NADA NIENTE,,,, TPMS system functioning perfectly.. NO glitching.. It normally would have by now.

I am thinking if plugging it into the outlet in the center console armrest and see it it triggers the glitch from there

HELLO!!! Yes I am now pretty sure it was the cell phone charger.

Charger now plugged into socket inside armrest
 

ABout 100 miles and a week this way and no fault yet.

I can confirm that certain cig lighter USB chargers cause interference with the TSX's TPMS system. I had that issue a new years ago and I painstakingly traced it back to one particular charger I was using (There is a forum entry on it).