# Defective Wheel on Board



## vwnow8 (Jul 16, 2002)

Has anyone else had this problem? My wife just called me after she got this (rather alarming) message while driving our 2004 Touareg. I think I read on another forum that this might be related to problems with the tire pressure monitoring system, but I don't know for sure.
On the other hand, it might be related to the terrible grinding noise I heard while backing up in my Touareg this past Sunday morning. It was cold out (around 30 deg or so), and the noise was loud enough to be heard with the windows closed and the radio playing.
I sat in the truck for a 1/2 hour with it running, chatting with a friend, at which point I *tested* it again, and the noise was gone.
Every day I have more and more problems with this truck, which is said, 'cause there are so many great things about it








Brian


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## jinxegg (Oct 14, 2004)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (vwnow8)*

And the message was???


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## vwnow8 (Jul 16, 2002)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (jinxegg)*

"Defective Wheel On Board"
That's the message.
Brian


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## Curjo (Nov 21, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (vwnow8)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vwnow8* »_"Defective Wheel On Board"
That's the message.
Brian

Set the TPMS to relearn the pressures. The messge should go away. The operation of the TPMS is explained in the car's manual.


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (Curjo)*

Actually, she should carefully check the tire pressures of each tire with a tire gauge. She may well have a tire that it low on air for reason that she has a slow leak or the low temperature has reduced the pressure significantly enough to set the TPM warning off.


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## Curjo (Nov 21, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (spockcat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *spockcat* »_Actually, she should carefully check the tire pressures of each tire with a tire gauge. She may well have a tire that it low on air for reason that she has a slow leak or the low temperature has reduced the pressure significantly enough to set the TPM warning off.

You're absolutely correct. I was hoping that they would read the manual, because that is VW's recommendation, also.
I've found the TPMS to be very reliable and I hope they become comfortable with it, too.


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## vwnow8 (Jul 16, 2002)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (Curjo)*

I guess I never thought there was a correlation between low tire pressure and a defective wheel








But thanks for the heads up on this, we will look into the manual on how to "relearn" the pressures in the tires.
Brian


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## vwnow8 (Jul 16, 2002)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (spockcat)*


_Quote »_Actually, she should carefully check the tire pressures of each tire with a tire gauge. She may well have a tire that it low on air for reason that she has a slow leak or the low temperature has reduced the pressure significantly enough to set the TPM warning off.

We have had problem after problem with the tire pressure monitoring system. Our first run-in was a constant indication that the tire pressure was too low in one or more tires. Checking the pressure manually indicated there was nothing wrong. I also had the dealer remove and reseat all the tires on the wheels, in case of a slow leak, but still received the message.
Finally, they replaced some part of the TPMS and the messages went away ... for a couple of weeks. A week or so ago I started getting a "Tire Pressure Monitoring System Fault" message. When I explained this to the dealer, they simply checked the pressure in the tires and said "nope, the pressure is fine". They obviously didn't listen to me very closely.
So, I guess I will check the pressure manually just to be safe, but I expect there is something more "sinister" going on here








Brian


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## isolani (Jan 23, 2004)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (vwnow8)*

I have also been plagued with this problem. Looks like a combination between a defective sender in one of the wheels in addition to several slow leaks. I have one more tire that needs to be checked out, but at least I've got the problems localized to one wheel. 
I'd suggest again that you get a GOOD guage and manually check your pressures both hot and cold. A 3 or 4 lb. difference seems to be all it takes to trigger the ominous "Defective Wheel" and "Flat Tire" warnings. 
Why they chose such severe wording instead of "low pressure" is another matter entirely...


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## vwnow8 (Jul 16, 2002)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (isolani)*


_Quote »_I have also been plagued with this problem. Looks like a combination between a defective sender in one of the wheels in addition to several slow leaks. I have one more tire that needs to be checked out, but at least I've got the problems localized to one wheel.

Have you had the "Tire Pressure Monitoring System Fault" message pop up yet? I am trying to establish a correlation between the two, as this would be the third or fourth instance of taking in my vehicle to have the tire pressure monitoring system fixed.
Brian


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## Rickanns (Oct 25, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (vwnow8)*

I have full faith in the TPMS system. I had many TPMS warnings in the beginning. The dealer checked and said everything was fine. I then started getting the Defective Wheel warnings. It turned out that the original Dunlop had a really slow leak thet caused the repetitive warnings. All was solved when replaced the tires with Bridgestone Revos.
Rick


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## kcmg (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (Rickanns)*

I had the same problem after bursting a tyre on a V10. The problem will happen if you change a tyre as only 4 of the 5 tyres on at Touareg have a TPMS sensor on the rim.
I found that I had to turn it off and then when I had the tyre replaced I set it to relearn the pressures and all was sweet.
Happy motoring.


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## vwnow8 (Jul 16, 2002)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (kcmg)*


_Quote »_I had the same problem after bursting a tyre on a V10. The problem will happen if you change a tyre as only 4 of the 5 tyres on at Touareg have a TPMS sensor on the rim.

Well, turns out it was a nail in the tire (according to the dealer). $200 for a new one ... geesh!








BK


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## leebo (Dec 17, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (vwnow8)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vwnow8* »_
Well, turns out it was a nail in the tire (according to the dealer). $200 for a new one ... geesh!








BK

They couldn't patch the tire? Was it in the side wall?
I usually never get "Road Hazard" insurance for my tires. However, when I wanted to balance my tires, the vendor had a special running that included lifetime balance, rotation and road hazard for just a few $ per tire ($7?)...
So far it's paying off for me. The hurricanes we had last summer have created a huge demand for new roofs...resulting in a large number of roofing nails on the road...and in my tires. I've had 4 nails in as many months...


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## vwnow8 (Jul 16, 2002)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (leebo)*


_Quote »_They couldn't patch the tire? Was it in the side wall?

They claim it was in the sidewall, so that it couldn't be patched. They also claimed that the metal-on-metal scraping noise I heard this past Sunday morning for about an hour was probably the nail. I have no idea if this is true or not - what exactly would the nail scrape on, and if so, wouldn't it have been more likely to pull the nail than to push it in further so that the noise stopped?
Brian


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## ButteBeautie (Aug 16, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (vwnow8)*

Brian,
I also am getting the same error message ... this [only] since having the tire pressure monitoring system aerial relocated under one of the recall / required service items a month ago. Seems to happen more frequntly the colder the ambient temperatue, also.
Have not checked back with dealer yet (200 miles from where I'm at, high in Colorado Rockies) but, if I learn anything, I'll post here ... or email you directly if I can find/get your email address. Please do the same for me.
[email protected]


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## ringman (Aug 15, 2004)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (ButteBeautie)*

Had the defective wheel on board message pop up when I restarted the car after my first experience with loud knocking sounds in the front wheels while turning sharply in a parking lot. The tire pressures were fine. After 15 minutes of driving, the message switched to flat tire. Is there a wheel sensor unrelated to tire pressure?


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (ringman)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ringman* »_Had the defective wheel on board message pop up when I restarted the car after my first experience with loud knocking sounds in the front wheels while turning sharply in a parking lot. The tire pressures were fine. After 15 minutes of driving, the message switched to flat tire. Is there a wheel sensor unrelated to tire pressure?

Did you check the pressures on all tires with a tire guage? 
Knocking sound could be related to your stepper problem. Or perhaps one of your pressure sensors failed and broke apart in one of your wheels.


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## ringman (Aug 15, 2004)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (spockcat)*

Yes - carry a pressure gage now due to faulty sensor earlier in Treg's life. Just wondering if the wheel sensors keep track of anything other than air pressure.


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (ringman)*

If the tires are different pressures on the same axle (I think the difference has to be 5 psi or greater), then an alarm will be given.


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## swampg8rs (May 27, 2005)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (spockcat)*

I've has TPMS messages pop up on my right rear tire every couple of weeks since I got the car. I'd check the pressure, always slightly low, refill, and relearn. A few weeks would go by and it would come up again. Now it's gotten to the point where it came on two days in a row. The car is now at the shop getting the tire looked at. A slow leak for sure. I love the TPMS. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
update: turns out it was a nail in the tread on the far side of the tire that i couldn't see.


_Modified by swampg8rs at 2:59 PM 8-23-2005_


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## Ridgeback65 (Sep 1, 2005)

I'm having the same issue. First it starts out with a low pressuer warning and then graduates to the "defective wheel on board" warning. I've reset the TPMS. How long does it take to "reset". Does the motor have to running or do you just have the key in the ignition to power up the electronics?


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## eclou (Feb 22, 2001)

Sequence of warnings is 
Low Pressure >> Defective Wheel >> Flat Tire.
I have a slow leak in one and get the above messages depending on how low the pressure is in the tire. It is truly annoying, but effective.


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: (Ridgeback65)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Ridgeback65* »_I'm having the same issue. First it starts out with a low pressuer warning and then graduates to the "defective wheel on board" warning. I've reset the TPMS. How long does it take to "reset". Does the motor have to running or do you just have the key in the ignition to power up the electronics?

Read the TPMS section of the owners manual - you need to drive the car while it's learning.


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## ajax1977 (Mar 16, 2005)

*Re: Defective Wheel on Board (vwnow8)*

Use your mfi to locate "defective" tire, add air with engine running and see if light goes out- if light goes out it was a drop in pressure tha caused warning, if light does not go out you might have a component or wiring concern. The system works well, its getting firmiliar with it that takes patience. If you take it to a dealership their scan tool can access the system and monitor "actual" pressure and compare it to "set" pressure in same screen, ocasionally wheel location is not accureate, but it is helpful. Do not let them check these MVB's around other T-regs, their systems will interfear with yours and give false readings.


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