# installed new tires/rims, getting TPMS light



## Bull_D (May 28, 2012)

from everything i have read, i expected this to clear itself in a bit of time but no luck. it has been several days, and quite a few starts. it has not cleared. can i clear this with my VAG-COM cable?


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## ceese (Jul 2, 2011)

Bull_D said:


> from everything i have read, i expected this to clear itself in a bit of time but no luck. it has been several days, and quite a few starts. it has not cleared. can i clear this with my VAG-COM cable?


 Probably stupid questions but have you tried pressing the TPMS button on your dash for 30 seconds? As far as I know you can't clear TPMS with the vag com and can't disable it on any 08 or later models. If it doesn't clear on it's own there is probably something wrong with one of your sensors. 

This is what I would do. Check my tire pressure and inflate to the proper load. Hold down the TPMS sensor button on the dash for 30 seconds to see if it goes out. If not, drive it for 30 minutes and try hitting the button again. If it still doesn't go out one of your sensors is probably bad or installed incorrectly. If they are the same set from your old wheels and working correctly before I'd take it back to the place that did the wheel install, explain the situation and have them check them.


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## dman4486 (Jun 22, 2011)

What year? the new A3 require a zero via the dash. You set the tires where you want them and then go in the menu and store the current settings.


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## Bull_D (May 28, 2012)

its and 09. and no, it wasn't a stupid question....aside from the fact that i don't know about the TPMS reset button.  time to hit the manual....


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## BrillntRed06 (Mar 13, 2009)

Did you have TMPS installed on the new rims? I have TMPS on my A4 which work with the stock wheel but didn't add the sensor to my summer setup and I will always get that warning. Resetting the TMPS only works for a short period of time until it figures out that you once again don't have the sensor installed on the new rims.


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## Bull_D (May 28, 2012)

no, new sensors for my summer set. there has got to be a way to reset them to the new sensors?


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## mike3141 (Feb 16, 1999)

The procedure is probably documented in your Owner's Manual.


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## Subaruski1 (Oct 22, 2010)

There is a button on your dash below your radio. Hold it down for 30 secs. Done. 


opcorn:


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## Pretarion (Jun 13, 2003)

I thought the A3's don't require TPMS sensors. So, if you have the light on, go into your main menu and reset the TPMS settings. That should calibrate the new wheels. I am not aware of a TPMS button you can press.


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## ceese (Jul 2, 2011)

Pretarion said:


> I thought the A3's don't require TPMS sensors. So, if you have the light on, go into your main menu and reset the TPMS settings. That should calibrate the new wheels. I am not aware of a TPMS button you can press.


 All 08 cars and later in the US are required by Federal law to have TPMS sensors from the factory. 

The button looks like this and it's three buttons to the left of your hazzard button on US Cars.


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## mike3141 (Feb 16, 1999)

I believe the "11 and "12 models have passive TPMS systems that don't use wheel sensors. The ABS system monitors relative wheel rotation rates and alerts when any wheel starts rotating relatively faster due to a smaller circumference due to air loss.


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## Pretarion (Jun 13, 2003)

mike3141 said:


> I believe the "11 and "12 models have passive TPMS systems that don't use wheel sensors. The ABS system monitors relative wheel rotation rates and alerts when any wheel starts rotating relatively faster due to a smaller circumference due to air loss.


 Correct. In USA 2008 A3's they (Audi) definitely used in-wheel sensors, you can tell by looking at the valve stems and seeing the fixing nut. 

Before that some of the lines used the circumference differential ABS (fancy math...less pressure equals smaller circumference = more rotation for a timing cycle than others = problem = eventual alert) method to calculate and report loss of tire pressure. 

My dealer told me that the 2010+ A3's have gone back to the fancy math method, this makes wheel/tire swaps painless. 

The old sensor method in the A3's does not tell you which tire is low (not sure if the new method does in A3's either...) and eventually (5 years +) the batteries in the wheel mounted sensors will fail. I was told then you don't replace the battery you get to replace the sensor... 

And I do not have a TPMS button on my car. I have to go into the settings on the dash interface to adjust the TPMS settings. My Audi TT has that button, but the A3 does not.


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## Subaruski1 (Oct 22, 2010)

My 2010 A3 has the button on the dash and I'm assuming that it has the sensors in the wheels. When I swapped my OEM wheels for aftermarket I received the TPMS light. I know that the aftermarket wheels had sensors in them. Held the TPMS button down for 30 secs, no problems after that. Install new wheels next week with no sensors in them. So what your are saying is that I don't need sensors for 2010+ :what: 



mike3141 said:


> I believe the "11 and "12 models have passive TPMS systems that don't use wheel sensors. The ABS system monitors relative wheel rotation rates and alerts when any wheel starts rotating relatively faster due to a smaller circumference due to air loss.





Pretarion said:


> Correct. In USA 2008 A3's they (Audi) definitely used in-wheel sensors, you can tell by looking at the valve stems and seeing the fixing nut.
> 
> Before that some of the lines used the circumference differential ABS (fancy math...less pressure equals smaller circumference = more rotation for a timing cycle than others = problem = eventual alert) method to calculate and report loss of tire pressure.
> 
> ...


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## mike3141 (Feb 16, 1999)

Check your original wheels' valve stems. If they're metal then you have sensors.


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## Pretarion (Jun 13, 2003)

No button on my 2011...


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## daniel.ramirez (Nov 24, 2001)

Look in the cluster convenience menu


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## clashofhope (Sep 9, 2011)

Pretarion said:


> No button on my 2011...


 I say you fix that and get one of these bad boys.

http://carstyle4you.com/product_info.php?cPath=15_18_30_41&products_id=324

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Pretarion (Jun 13, 2003)

:laugh:


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## Bull_D (May 28, 2012)

ceese said:


> All 08 cars and later in the US are required by Federal law to have TPMS sensors from the factory.
> 
> The button looks like this and it's three buttons to the left of your hazzard button on US Cars.


 ding ding ding......we have a winner (in my case) once i got the car back from the dimwits that installed my clear bra/tint a month ago, i found the button (i had not noticed before), held it for 
30 secs and problem gone. thanks.


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## ceese (Jul 2, 2011)

Bull_D said:


> ding ding ding......we have a winner (in my case) once i got the car back from the dimwits that installed my clear bra/tint a month ago, i found the button (i had not noticed before), held it for
> 30 secs and problem gone. thanks.


 First couple weeks I had my car I wondered what the button was for and kept forgetting to check the manual to see until the TPMS light came on.


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## Bull_D (May 28, 2012)

ceese said:


> First couple weeks I had my car I wondered what the button was for and kept forgetting to check the manual to see until the TPMS light came on.


 yeah, i find it strange there is actually a button on the dash to do that. ahh, whatever works. wish there was a button like that for women....:screwy:


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