Hi. My 2010 Fit Sport (A/T) has had the TPMS light illuminated since I bought it about a year ago. I assumed that I was dealing with dead batteries in the wheel sensors based on the age of the vehicle but didn't worry about it too much or feel like paying to get the sensors checked. However, I'm about to get new tires installed and thought I might as well get new TPMS sensors at the same time.

I was just talking to the previous owner (who happens to be my brother) and he said the TPMS light was already on when he became the second owner of the car way back in 2011. Like me, he didn't really care so never bothered to fix it. It seems unlikely to me that the wheel sensors would have already been bad at that point (or perhaps I should say unlikely that the original owner wouldn't have had it dealt with via the new car warranty), although I guess they could have been damaged if the original owner got the tires swapped.

So, my question: can the TPMS light indicate some other fault in the system. I was looking at the service manual and see that there is a TPMS control unit under the dash, so I suppose that could go bad (but again, why wouldn't the original owner have taken the car back to the dealer if it happened in the first year?). The service manual lists a few diagnostic steps to determine if the control unit is bad. I'll give those a try tomorrow, but I'm wondering if anyone has had their TPMS control unit go bad? Did you replace it or ignore it.

I will note that I've never seen any trouble codes related to the TPMS, either on my Ultragauge or in the scan that happens during the MA annual inspection process. Again, I'm assuming that if the control unit was bad there would be some sort of trouble code.

Assuming that the TPMS control unit is not bad, can anyone recommend reliable aftermarket TPMS wheel sensors? I would prefer not to pay an arm and a leg, but also don't want to throw away money at a cheaper product that is likely to not work well (e.g., I've been looking at options for Honda on Amazon where review after review said that one or more of the brand new sensors didn't work).

Thanks.

 

You would need the Honda specific scan tool to pull codes for the TPMS module, as far as I've been made aware. Theres like 13 codes, low or high temp errors, absent signal, loss of signal memory, ect. It will talk in fairly plain English once the right tool gets a chance to read codes.

 

My 2010 Fit started showing the TPMS light last year. I had just bought a pair of tires from Walmart for the winter, so I brought it there to have it checked out.
They scanned it with their tool and said one of the sensors had a dead battery. I know none of them had been replaced before, so I told them to go ahead and replace all four.

If I remember right, the bill was $28 for each sensor and they installed them for free.

 

Thanks Red 05 and steve37.

I've already talked to Walmart about the cost of putting in TPMS wheel sensors (free install, whether you buy the sensors or bring your own) as I ordered my tires through the website. I don't really like shopping at Wallyworld, but the price for my tires was the best I found by far, plus you get a discount on mount and balance when you buy the tires from them.

My hesitation on buying and installing new wheel sensors is that it seems likely that there's a larger problem in my case, as the TPMS light was already on from the time the car was one year old (2011). The TPMS control module is pretty expensive (= hundreds of dollars) to replace and I know that working TPMS is not worth that cost to me. I suppose I could scrounge around in scrap yards to try to find a working control module on the cheap, but I'm not even sure if mine is bad or if there's some other issue I can't identify at this time.

I guess the best approach now is to see if I can find any tire places that will scan the TPMS system for trouble codes for free or low cost. Walmart told me that they can't do that, all they can do is program/reset the specific TPMS wheel sensors that they sell.

 

I understand what you're saying. But, I would still replace them first...given the age of the car. If it doesn't fix the problem, you'll still need them.
10 years is about the max for the batteries.

Walmart auto dept has always treated me well. I only use them for tire work.

 

"If it doesn't fix the problem, you'll still need them."

That's sort of the crux of the matter. I don't really need TPMS because I have thumbs, a tire pressure gauge, and my own air compressor (plus several bike pumps). The 2010 Fit is the first car I've ever had with TPMS, yet I've been able to keep my tires properly inflated through several decades of driving. I've also been a passenger in cars with low tires (and when a tire blows out) and both situations are something you know is there if you're paying attention.

So, I think what I'm trying to figure out, prior to buying the wheel sensors, is if there is some larger problem with my TPMS. If there is, and if it will cost hundreds of dollars to fix (e.g., to replace the TPMS control module), it's not worth it to me and paying for new wheel sensors would be a waste of money. Like I said, I'm going to call around and see if any local tire shops can take a look for cheap but if not I'll just keep living with the light as I've done for the past year.

 

I thought the same thing- who needs TPMS when I can feel a flat tire and I check the pressure regularly? Until you get a slow leak or you hit a nail and the sensor tells you you're running low just before you get on a highway. Then you appreciate having TPMS.

 

Both times I've had punctures they were slow leaks, I didn't catch them right off but the car did within a few hundred feet every time. I'll happily pay to keep my TPMS functional.

 

I agree with the OP. Super nice to have tpms, but am sitting on a similar problem. Need sensors, don't need tires 😂 haven't been willing to set aside funds for replacement, it's just low on the list. I check them every now and then, have a gauge and pump in each car, and if they ever feel goofy I pull over just to make sure stuff's fine. Like the old days!

TPMS is a great system though, generally providing one less thing to worry about. I dont like the idea of leaving that light on though. A scan would be great. If yuh elect to go without the system, see if you can find a mechanic to deactivate it. Removing clusters to deal with lights just sounds so un-fun.