I know there are several threads on this, but I have a specific question that I'd like to get answered. I have a 2011 Base model. One day last year (almost exactly a year ago), and today, my TPMS light has come on. NOT the low pressure warning. It seems to occur when I go to a higher elevation with a temperature change, but not every time I do that.
Tire pressures were fine all around. I don't care if the light comes on---I can't really afford to get new sensors. However, if the light is indicating a true system failure, does this affect anything else, like skid control (VSA?)? This is what I wasn't sure about---do I actually need the TPMS to be functional? I am diligent about checking my tire pressures regularly.
Thanks!

 

TPMS is only to serve as a reminder/warning about tire pressure as most people do not check their tire pressure. And I can see it lighting up if going to higher elevation.

 

We had the same issue with our 2011 base fit. Had to get a few TPMS sensors replaced. Honda paid for one of them. You can't turn off the traction control when the TPMS light is on.

 

In addition to the a failed sensor being "the usual suspect", I've run into instances where electronics in the car cause RF interference bad enough that the control unit can't read the radio signals from one or more of the tire pressure sensors.

So what else is different on these occasions when you go up in the mountains and the warning light turns on?
Cell phone, phone charger plugged in, power inverter, laptop, tablet, navigation, kids gadgets, or something else??

 

It's weird---nothing else is different! Early November, just as it's getting cooler....driving to VA to get a New Year's R angle ticket.....temperature drops (??) as I climb to Buckner Gap...light comes on. Stays on until I stop in VA. Comes back on after a few miles. It did the same thing last year. The light also came on one other time, but I don't remember the circumstances. In October I drove up to MT Mitchell, where the temp also dropped, but no TPMS light.

So if for some reason the TPMS light was on, and I started skidding and the VSA came on, I wouldn't be able to turn off the VSA? What problems would that cause? When we had a little snow here last year, the TPMS light never came on, so it wasn't a problem. Or is the VSA always on, and when skidding happens, it turns off?

I just hate, and can't really afford, to give Honda money for sensors when I don't really want them in the first place.

Options?

 

Strange. Since it's generally accepted that for every temperature change of 10 degrees F the tire pressures will also change by about 1 PSI, temperature drop would be the likely cause if the tire pressures were already close to the cutoff limit, but that turns on the butt icon (_!_) not the letters 'TPMS' of the system malfunction light.

Does it happen in the same geographic location every time?


VSA/Traction control/ABS are always ON by default when you turn the ignition on.
When any of these are NEEDED due to driving conditions, it becomes active to take over throttle and brakes to a certain extent.

Most average drivers would only need to turn traction/VSA controls OFF when they get stuck in snow, in order to intentionally spin the tires so they can 'rock' the car free.




EDIT: You always have the "black tape" choice.

 

The thing is, if the TPMS light is ON, the VSA is automatically OFF, right?
Driving to work today, cold outside, no light. It's very strange.

Strangely, it was indeed in roughly the same geographic location. I can't remember where I was the other time it came on.

 

No. Read again.

 

Okay, the TPMS light being on will keep the VSA from being able to manually be turned off in a skid situation, which would be rain or snow, I guess.

 

No.

While either TPMS and/or low tire warning light is on, the computers will prevent you from manually disabling the VSA/traction/ABS systems using the button on the dash.

I believe this is explained in your owners manual. I'll suggest you check it out.

 

That's what I meant. No ability to manually disable the system.

When skidding, and the VSA light comes on, that means that the always-on system has simply become activated, right?

Are there any other reasons besides trying to get out of snow that you'd want to manually disable it?

 

Terminology is a killer LOL
Yes. Flashing triangle light on most of the cars while one of the systems (VSA or traction control) is taking control of something.

ABS usually has no extra light to indicate it is doing something but you are usually able to hear the ABS pump motor run and feel it pulsate through the brake pedal as it rapidly applies and releases individual wheel brakes as it sees fit.


Off the top of my head.......
ABS, VSA, and traction controls are 3 different functions of the same system (antilock brakes or ABS is the foundation of the systems).

A tire that is sliding against the road (pavement of some sort) has less traction and little to no directional control over a tire that is not slipping against the pavement, these systems are intended to and may help a driver retain SOME control in certain situations:

ABS helps you retain some amount of control in a panic stop (skid) by limiting wheel lockup,

Traction control helps limit drive wheel spin during acceleration,

VSA (vehicle stability assist) can assist in avoiding loss of control if you ...say, go around a corner way too fast and the computer senses wheel slippage. (NOTE it cannot prevent disasters, a driver can still overcome all those safety features if one tries)

Again, please check your owners manual and read about system user controls, expectations, limitations, and Hondas legal verbage.
Situations where you would purposely want to induce wheel spin or a controlled slide?
(or once in a while an intentional skid-- but ABS can't be disabled from the dashboard)

It snows once in a while where I live, so naturally I first think of getting a car stuck in snow and then trying to rock the car out of it by myself before calling for help. If traction control won't allow the drive wheels to spin and backs off the throttle against my wishes, it's gonna be tough to make the car do what I want it to do.

 

Thank you for all your input! I'm just not going to worry about it, since the light has rarely come on. Must be something about that raffle ticket! Lol

 

Pay closer attention to this...mental notes or maybe see if any others have similar experiences. If it really is something in the particular area causing the issue, it would be interesting to know what it is.

Any large TV antenna in the area? Industry?
Satellite, cell tower, radar, radio and/or radiation emitters?

The pressure sensors transmit wirelessly on either 315 or 433 MHz, (UHF) and are allowed to be susceptible to outside RF (radio frequency) interference.
If something is transmitting a signal that overpowers the signal from any of the tire pressure sensors, the receiver inside the control unit can't do its job and turns on the warning light.



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I heard about several random cars that would stall in the same general area on the Pennsylvania Turnpike several years ago (decades?), due to something like RF interference.

I have heard a complaint of a car repeatedly stalling----but only in a certain fast food drive-thru lane.....Turns out a microwave oven powerful enough to nuke an elephant in 30 seconds can also disrupt some cars electronics and kill its engine LOL. (this really was a problem more than a couple decades ago, but most critical vehicle electronics are shielded much better these days)

 

That's so strange! I had already driven 20 or 30 miles around here, then off I went to TN and into VA. The light came on as I got a little higher, then stayed on until I stopped in VA. When I headed home, I hadn't driven very far before the light came on again. Off it went when I got home, and when I went to work this morning---no light. And it was cold!

I hope I never get close to a microwave that can make a car stall! I think microwaves, along with wifi and cell phones, are already shooting us with who knows what kind of radiation. Kind of creepy, but I use them all.