Checking tire pressures a couple times a month with a tire pressure gauge (apparently extinct) works for me. I just don't trust that little light to give me such important info.

 

Love the "winter mode" comment. That's a place to say away from!

 

I have some of the same symptoms in my 2007 Durango Limited 4x4 5.7 HEMI. 110K miles on it. At first the light would remain illuminated. Checked the tire pressure- psi was correct at OEM recommendation (OEM rims & tire size too). Then the wife got a flat tire due to bolt in the road, tire went flat in like 100ft, put the spare on (regular valve stem). Had the tire replaced, put spare back. Then as time went on it would go off for a few days then back on. Finally it began blinking in 60sec intervals every 10min. According to the manual this is when there is a system fault. Ran a scan tool on it retrieved the fault code, then erased the code. Just had (4) new tires put on a week ago because it was time to replace them and now the flashing light is back, 60sec every 10min.
Looking at the posts above and the sensor being part of the valve stem- is this a certain or special kind of valve stem? When the tire shop replaced the tires they also put in new valve stems- could this be the problem? The TPMS not receiving an RF signal? Trying to understand the basic theory of how the system works and for the most part have it but not sure about these valve stems & RF signal.

 

Here is the system operation description from the service manual for the Durango.






22 - Tires and Wheels/Tire Pressure Monitoring/Operation

BASE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING

The tire pressure monitoring system is designed to operate without loss of function for all OEM tire construction for this vehicle. The wheel sensor shall monitor tire pressure, air temperature inside the tire, wheel acceleration and the sensor internal battery status for all four active road tires. The sensor will broadcast this information, along with a unique 32 bit ID, to a central receiver circuit located inside the WCM. The information received by the WCM will be decoded and stored in memory (RAM) in the WCM. If a "warning or "fault" condition exists, the WCM will send a bus message request to illuminate the yellow telltale and to sound the chime.

If the WCM detects a warning or fault condition at ignition key "on" it will wait ten seconds +/- 10 % before sending the first request to illuminate the yellow telltale. This will assure that the display module has concluded its bulb check period. The display module will request a chime once per ignition cycle for each "warning" or "fault" condition detected. A "warning" or "fault" condition will remain enabled until the problem causing the condition is corrected and removed/reset.

The WCM shall continuously monitor for the receipt of tire pressure RF message transmissions from the wheel sensors during both the ignition key "on" and key "off" cycles. The wheel sensor ID's and the location of each sensor (e.g. Tire 1, Tire 2 etc.) are stored in the WCM non-volatile memory during the initial Manufacturing Plant Process, or during a service procedure, as required. The recommended "placard pressure", "low-pressure threshold" and “Hysteresis Pressure Values” for the tires installed on the vehicle, are stored in the WCM non-volatile memory during the initial Manufacturing Plant Process, or during a service procedure, as required. (Note: For vehicles with optional wheel/tire sizes and significantly different tire placard pressures, the placard pressure value and the low-pressure threshold value's programmable using a scan tool to accommodate the customer selected wheel/tire combinations recommended by Chrysler).

The TPM System will continue to warn the driver of low tire pressure as long as the condition exists, and will not turn off the indicator lamp until the tire pressure is at or above the Low Pressure (lamp) OFF threshold (see placard table below). The system will automatically update and the TPM warning lamp will extinguish once the updated tire pressures have been received.

The tire pressure will vary with temperature by about 1 psi (6.9 kPa) for every 12°F (6.5°C). This means that when the outside temperature decreases, the tire pressure will decrease. Tire pressure should always be set based on cold inflation tire pressure (placard pressure). This is defined as the tire pressure after a vehicle has not been driven for more than 3 hours - and in outside ambient temperature. The tire pressure will also increase as the vehicle is driven - this is normal and there should be no adjustment for this increased pressure. For a system fault, the system will return to normal once the WCM receives a valid transmission from that sensor location

 

OK have a question on this, have a 2013 GC SXT with EVIC, but DO NOT have the TIRE PSI on the EVIC list:

• Radio Information
• Fuel Economy
• Vehicle Speed
• Trip Info

• Tire PSI This is not listed

• Vehicle Info
• Messages
• Units
• System Setup (Personal Settings)
• Turn Menu Off

Did they eliminate it on the 2013 Grand Caravans?
I have all the other ones listed.

 

You would have a tire pressure monitoring lamp on the cluster. And the center of the cluster may show low tire pressure. The information above is for a Durango. And the reason the member posted here is to get a response.

 

Hi Gabby-Rudy

I believe that ALL new vehicles sold in North America have to have some form of TPMS fitted by law - so it will be fitted to your car.

However, if it is the same design as my G.C., then don't expect much.....

 

I don't understand your negative conclusion about the TPMS system design because your trouble was self-inflicted. You are apparently expecting your vehicle which is designed to have a TPMS sensor on each wheel (by law) to gracefully accept steel winter wheels and all four sensors REMOVED. The vehicle is simply not designed to operate with no sensors installed and all threads and factory literature suggest that. An old school minimalist winter wheel strategy no longer works without complications. I suspect similar issues will crop up if you try to remove an airbag, O2 sensor or seatbelt assembly. Factory programmers have their hands full trying to avoid bugs and account for normal system faults and operating conditions. They didn't see fit to add wheel theft or an infinite list of owner modifications to the mix which may include non-factory wheels or missing sensors.


The TPMS sensor system on my GC operates properly because I am not running the vehicle with TPMS sensors removed. When my air pressure is low I get an alarm and it shows no faults or abnormals. I have not removed all my sensors expecting the system to somehow accept or adapt to the situation. Your vehicle is still drivable; it just isn't designed to be run with no sensors.


Cars are designed to accept one spare tire in case of an emergency, not four. This is the only abnormal condition that TPMS programmers accounted for. When a sensor is missing or not functioning the problem should be corrected within 50 miles, not hundreds of miles or weeks.

 

Hi lscman

I think you mis-understand my comment. My negativity is based on the amount of time it takes for the vehicle to recognize that either the sensors are there or not.

If we ignore what happens when the winter rims are installed (let's assume you are correct and the van cannot handle having no sensors in winter) and look at just when I reinstall the factory wheels for summer, then I do believe that there is an issue when the van takes 1 week to "re-discover" that there are four fully functioning tpms sensors now attached to the car. The electronics in a vehicle should be able to report an issue in seconds / minutes, not days/weeks later .

Put simply, when will I know in summer that I have an issue with tire pressure - when the tire looses pressure or when days later ? I do not know the answer and that is why I'm negative about the system fitted to my GC.

 

My conclusion is TPMS and laws regulating it is the result of irresponsible auto owners who can't drive a turd down a toilet without complaining or trying to create a lawsuit against someone or company. Now others like us are stuck dealing with sensors that cost $60-$80 a piece. They last for about 5-7years. My '07 Durango just had all 4 go out within a month at 7yrs old. Cost me a little over $300 to get them set back up just so I didn't have to hear the wife complain about the damn light throwing a fault code. (Blink for 60sec every 10min)
As years go by and technology bounds forward partially because of people who get themselves into wrecks due to their own negligence they don't want to accept responsibility for not conducting basic preventive maintenance on their own vehicle.
I.E. Get out of the truck and use an air gauge to check your tire pressure. I taught my sons the easiest way is to develop a routine like checking the tire PSI, fluids, etc every other time you fill up on fuel - or whatever works but check it yourself.