Tire pressure warning TEST
12-20-2011, 08:03 PM
#1
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Tire pressure warning TEST
Has anyone that has tire pressure loss warner coded through STAR ever actually had a warning, aside from Drex? I know several members on here have this feature turned on but after a test tonight I'm not sold that it actually works at all.
My front tires were set at 35PSI at the start of the test, and I steadily decreased the PSI in the left front and went for short drives. At 25, no warning. At 20, no warning, at 15 still no warning. Finally I dropped it to 13PSI and limped the car along a little ways and still no warning, even though the left front tire had 22PSI less than the other front and 20PSI less than both rears. There would be no dash warning necessary at this point as the car felt horrible.
Everyone knows the system is very limited and no where close to the TPMS that uses sensors in each wheel, that is understood. However now I am of the mind that this feature is not just severely limited but altogether doesn't actually work.
My front tires were set at 35PSI at the start of the test, and I steadily decreased the PSI in the left front and went for short drives. At 25, no warning. At 20, no warning, at 15 still no warning. Finally I dropped it to 13PSI and limped the car along a little ways and still no warning, even though the left front tire had 22PSI less than the other front and 20PSI less than both rears. There would be no dash warning necessary at this point as the car felt horrible.
Everyone knows the system is very limited and no where close to the TPMS that uses sensors in each wheel, that is understood. However now I am of the mind that this feature is not just severely limited but altogether doesn't actually work.
Last edited by LILBENZ230; 12-20-2011 at 08:06 PM.
12-20-2011, 08:08 PM
#2
Administrator
Are you sure it was coded properly?
I had it and I had the screen turn completely red one time when I changed the rear tires to match the circumference of the fronts.
This was on my E when I went from 265/35 to 275/35. The system detected the difference.
I had it and I had the screen turn completely red one time when I changed the rear tires to match the circumference of the fronts.
This was on my E when I went from 265/35 to 275/35. The system detected the difference.
12-20-2011, 08:14 PM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Trey did the coding following the PDF instructions everyone seemed to be using. Enabling it in the instrument cluster then activating it through the chassis>ESP>tire pressure loss warner screen. I know Drex said it worked once for him, too, though Phil said it didn't work for him. I just went ahead and tested it out because I didn't see anyone else doing that. It looks like a 22PSI difference in one tire would be more than enough to trigger it.
12-20-2011, 08:54 PM
#5
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Camas, WA
Posts: 2,403
Likes: 0
Received 57 Likes
on
24 Posts
2007 C230SS; 2014 ML350 BT
Absolutely it works. I took a trip to Shasta Lake, CA last year and picked up a nail in my left rear tire. After leaving the lake and heading south to Sacramento, after ~1 mile down the highway, the Tire Pressure monitor went off. Now it didn't tell me the tire, but it did tell me to check pressure. I slowed down and ran a few more miles to the next gas station. I checked all tires, and sure enough the left rear was 6 psi low. I filled up the tire and headed down the road toward Sacramento, Just outside Sacramento, it went off again. I kept plowing through and made it to the America's tire in Roseville. Checked the pressure there and it was 8 psi low.
Drop one tire down 6-8psi and drive the car on the highway for a bit.
Oh wait, I remember, in the other thread, are you resetting the pressure monitor everytime you start the car? It is only meant to be reset when you adjust tire pressure. If you are resetting at each start, it is resetting to the lower pressure in that wheel, so it won't see a change.
Don;'t remember mine saying unavailable in acc position. I'll check tonight and report back.
Drop one tire down 6-8psi and drive the car on the highway for a bit.
Oh wait, I remember, in the other thread, are you resetting the pressure monitor everytime you start the car? It is only meant to be reset when you adjust tire pressure. If you are resetting at each start, it is resetting to the lower pressure in that wheel, so it won't see a change.
Don;'t remember mine saying unavailable in acc position. I'll check tonight and report back.
Last edited by johnand; 12-20-2011 at 08:56 PM.
12-20-2011, 09:00 PM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
I didn't reset each start. Mine says "tire pressure not available until ignition on" when I switch the ignition on it will very briefly say "inactive" but then says "tire pressure monitor active" and offers a reset. I might have messed it up by resetting once with a low pressure. More testing in order.
Trending Topics
12-20-2011, 10:11 PM
#8
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
John you were correct. I had reset the system with low tire pressure so it was thinking that was normal. When I aired the tires back up properly and went for a drive, this happened:
I reset it again with proper tire pressures and now know it works just fine.
This is the start-up process in the TPMS screen:
http://youtu.be/j9ZZbS_Ta3I
I reset it again with proper tire pressures and now know it works just fine.
This is the start-up process in the TPMS screen:
http://youtu.be/j9ZZbS_Ta3I
12-20-2011, 10:19 PM
#10
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Sorry I overlooked your post earlier in my quest to figure it out.
Our cars do not have sensors in the wheels, but the ESP system can measure rotational differences in the tires and alert to a tire pressure issue. This is disabled from the factory, though, and to activate the feature you have to have someone hook a STAR computer up and enable it.
See the last page in my thread here: 120,000 update for more about what Trey (samaritrey) did for my car.
Our cars do not have sensors in the wheels, but the ESP system can measure rotational differences in the tires and alert to a tire pressure issue. This is disabled from the factory, though, and to activate the feature you have to have someone hook a STAR computer up and enable it.
See the last page in my thread here: 120,000 update for more about what Trey (samaritrey) did for my car.
Last edited by LILBENZ230; 12-20-2011 at 10:33 PM.
12-20-2011, 10:27 PM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 929
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
2013 ML350
Sorry I overlooked your post earlier in my quest to figure it out.
Our cars do not have sensors in the wheels, but the ESP system can measure rotational differences in the tires and alert to a tire pressure issue. This is disabled from the factory, though, and to activate the feature you have to have someone hook a STAR computer up and enable it.
See the last page in my thread here: 120,000 update for more about what Trey (samaritrey) did for my car.
Our cars do not have sensors in the wheels, but the ESP system can measure rotational differences in the tires and alert to a tire pressure issue. This is disabled from the factory, though, and to activate the feature you have to have someone hook a STAR computer up and enable it.
See the last page in my thread here: 120,000 update for more about what Trey (samaritrey) did for my car.
12-20-2011, 10:32 PM
#13
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
It won't be in the owner's manual because it technically is not a feature of cars here in the USA. No one is supposed to have a STAR computer but dealerships.
Drex's car is a 2004.5, so that is pre-facelift. What I read is that it has less to do with the year of the car and more to do with the ESP module. You could always try.
Drex's car is a 2004.5, so that is pre-facelift. What I read is that it has less to do with the year of the car and more to do with the ESP module. You could always try.
12-21-2011, 12:03 AM
#14
Super Member
Absolutely it works. I took a trip to Shasta Lake, CA last year and picked up a nail in my left rear tire. After leaving the lake and heading south to Sacramento, after ~1 mile down the highway, the Tire Pressure monitor went off. Now it didn't tell me the tire, but it did tell me to check pressure. I slowed down and ran a few more miles to the next gas station. I checked all tires, and sure enough the left rear was 6 psi low. I filled up the tire and headed down the road toward Sacramento, Just outside Sacramento, it went off again. I kept plowing through and made it to the America's tire in Roseville. Checked the pressure there and it was 8 psi low.
12-21-2011, 12:50 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 929
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
2013 ML350
It won't be in the owner's manual because it technically is not a feature of cars here in the USA. No one is supposed to have a STAR computer but dealerships.
Drex's car is a 2004.5, so that is pre-facelift. What I read is that it has less to do with the year of the car and more to do with the ESP module. You could always try.
Drex's car is a 2004.5, so that is pre-facelift. What I read is that it has less to do with the year of the car and more to do with the ESP module. You could always try.
Worth having my indy with STAR take a look. thx Greg
12-21-2011, 10:34 AM
#19
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Since this system does work and is sensitive enough to pick up changes as small as 6-8PSI, I'm not sure why this system isn't the standard rather than the one with the sensors in each wheel. That one is more complicated and frequently damaged. This system allows you to set what is normal and warns you if the car deviates. It also uses something on board and no added sensors are necessary.
If you ask me it should be this way instead of the other, even if the other is a bit more specific.
If you ask me it should be this way instead of the other, even if the other is a bit more specific.
and as you said they are off and not 100% acurate
12-21-2011, 02:44 PM
#21
Super Member
I think it's because Americans need to be spoon fed everything and would besiege the service departments with questions and complaints. As I recall the feature is mentioned in my '06 owners manual as present for Canadian cars. Draw your own conclusions.
12-21-2011, 03:29 PM
#22
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Several friends of mine own TPMS equipped cars with sensors in the wheels. Almost every single one of them drive around with TPMS warnings on continuously paying it no attention. Likely the sensors have gone missing during a tire change or something of that sort and they're just not concerned with it. This system would serve them much better as it is completely maintenance free.
10-09-2012, 09:22 PM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Frederick MD
Posts: 263
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
83 500SEC, 87 300D, 02 C32(x2), 02 C320T (x2), 03 C320T4, 03 C320T, 03 E55, 05 E320CDI, 06 E320CDI
What versions of ESP are you guys running on the pre facelift cars that have had this work on? my car is 02/2003 and although I can code it for tire pressure loss warner in the EIS/EZL I still cant get it to come up in the ESP module (or display in the IC)- I may try and flash up newer software to the ESP if possible and see if that shows anything. Developer mode is not needed for this to work.
10-10-2012, 12:02 AM
#24
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 3,220
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes
on
6 Posts
W203 slightly modified
Has anyone that has tire pressure loss warner coded through STAR ever actually had a warning, aside from Drex? I know several members on here have this feature turned on but after a test tonight I'm not sold that it actually works at all.
My front tires were set at 35PSI at the start of the test, and I steadily decreased the PSI in the left front and went for short drives. At 25, no warning. At 20, no warning, at 15 still no warning. Finally I dropped it to 13PSI and limped the car along a little ways and still no warning, even though the left front tire had 22PSI less than the other front and 20PSI less than both rears. There would be no dash warning necessary at this point as the car felt horrible.
Everyone knows the system is very limited and no where close to the TPMS that uses sensors in each wheel, that is understood. However now I am of the mind that this feature is not just severely limited but altogether doesn't actually work.
My front tires were set at 35PSI at the start of the test, and I steadily decreased the PSI in the left front and went for short drives. At 25, no warning. At 20, no warning, at 15 still no warning. Finally I dropped it to 13PSI and limped the car along a little ways and still no warning, even though the left front tire had 22PSI less than the other front and 20PSI less than both rears. There would be no dash warning necessary at this point as the car felt horrible.
Everyone knows the system is very limited and no where close to the TPMS that uses sensors in each wheel, that is understood. However now I am of the mind that this feature is not just severely limited but altogether doesn't actually work.
TPMS beats TPW by a long way. But TPW saved me before a college exam. I had a slow leak and it forced my attention to the problem. I pulled over, inserted my air compressor and put enough air in my tire to make it to my exam. After the exam I went and bought a new tire. The original one was internally damaged and perforated with a nail.
One or the other is better than nothing.
