TPMS Reset? Is it possible?
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Super Member
Joined: Jan 2006
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TPMS Reset? Is it possible?
Hello. Does anyone know if I can reset my TPMS myself or do I have to have the dealer do this? It keeps displaying Tire Pressure Monitoring System Inactive. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 431
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From: Midwest USA
2004 S500 & 2011 Mini JCW
Yes it's a simple DYI. Scroll to the TPMS on the dash display, push the reset button to the right of the steering wheel. The TPMS will tell you that it will take some drive time in order to give you the new reading. In my experience around 10 to 20 minutes of drive time. If takes longer be patient, don't keep reseting.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,063
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From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
I just went through this myself. The thread at https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...highlight=tpms has some interesting information, especially beginning with my06clk's post at #18.
You should check your cold tire pressures before reactivating the system. If the actual tire pressures are too far from one another, especially left-right, the system will not reactivate even after driving 20 to 30 minutes. Also, ensuring proper inflation at the time of reactivation properly calibrates the system. Upon reactivation, the TPMS will read front 29, rear 32, no matter what the pressures really are (as long as they're close enough for the reset to occur at all). To keep it accurate, your cold pressures should be 29 and 32 when you reactivate it. When I did that, my system was reactivated after less than 5 minutes of driving. I rechecked actual tire pressures after it reactivated, and the TPMS was accurate.
if the system will not reactivate despite those steps, then either a single sensor is bad, or the main unit is.
You should check your cold tire pressures before reactivating the system. If the actual tire pressures are too far from one another, especially left-right, the system will not reactivate even after driving 20 to 30 minutes. Also, ensuring proper inflation at the time of reactivation properly calibrates the system. Upon reactivation, the TPMS will read front 29, rear 32, no matter what the pressures really are (as long as they're close enough for the reset to occur at all). To keep it accurate, your cold pressures should be 29 and 32 when you reactivate it. When I did that, my system was reactivated after less than 5 minutes of driving. I rechecked actual tire pressures after it reactivated, and the TPMS was accurate.
if the system will not reactivate despite those steps, then either a single sensor is bad, or the main unit is.
Last edited by Skylaw; Apr 5, 2008 at 12:32 PM.
