# No need to go to dealer or buy tpms tool for tire rotation



## kkilburn (Mar 1, 2011)

I usually just go to Discount Tire, and they do the rotation and all for free.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

I rotate my own tires and I was expecting having to reset the TPMS but I got in my car started and drove. No lights, nothing. No tools req'd for the rotation. As long as the sensors are able to transmit back to the computer and the PSI is correct should be no problem.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

Yeah, but the tires will not be associated with the correct corner of the car on the display. It might tell you the RF tire is low when it's actually the LR after the rotation unless you perform the relearn procedure.


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## FieroItaliano85 (Aug 5, 2011)

all you have to do is go through the re-learn process in your owners manual, and then the "tool" is you letting air out of the tires  it will beep the horn when it learns the position


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

I don't think you looked hard enough as there have been a few threads on this topic, the last one only being about a month ago and yes, letting out the air works.


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## BucaMan (Mar 22, 2011)

So, to clarify, using the "letting the air out" method, in order to complete the process within the 5 minutes stated, results in all four of your tires being low on pressure once the matching is complete. Then you just re-inflate all the tires to normal pressure, right?

BTW, thanks for the thread. It served as a reminder that I didn't rematch the sensors after I rotated the tires a few weeks ago. :biggrin:


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## GoldenRS (Nov 11, 2010)

After this last winter was over & it was time for the summers to go back on,I also followed the owners manual and then I aired the tires up to 42psi. Then performed the 'let the air out' with a small flat tip. All 4 corners done in or around 5mins. :eusa_clap:


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

GoldenRS said:


> After this last winter was over & it was time for the summers to go back on,I also followed the owners manual and then I aired the tires up to 42psi. Then performed the 'let the air out' with a small flat tip. All 4 corners done in or around 5mins. :eusa_clap:


...+1, that's how I've been doing it.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

BucaMan said:


> So, to clarify, using the "letting the air out" method, in order to complete the process within the 5 minutes stated, results in all four of your tires being low on pressure once the matching is complete. Then you just re-inflate all the tires to normal pressure, right?
> 
> BTW, thanks for the thread. It served as a reminder that I didn't rematch the sensors after I rotated the tires a few weeks ago. :biggrin:


Exactly! However, if you don't relearn the sensors, they will still give the correct air pressure in the tires, just not in the correct tire location which is still usefull to let you know if one of your tires becomes extremely low.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

How far down are you guys "airing down" to do this? Rotated my tires yesterday and was wondering about this?

So you air up to 42-ish psi, then down to what?


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> How far down are you guys "airing down" to do this? Rotated my tires yesterday and was wondering about this?
> 
> So you air up to 42-ish psi, then down to what?


Until the horn beeps...usually 5-10 lbs. I let my air out slowly which I believe gives the TPMS more time to notice the change in pressure but that's just me.


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## BucaMan (Mar 22, 2011)

Vetterin said:


> Until the horn beeps...usually 5-10 lbs. I let my air out slowly which I believe gives the TPMS more time to notice the change in pressure but that's just me.


Yes, I pumped mine up to about 39 lbs, but I shoulda went further. I let out air, and then I thought it should have beeped by then, and I stopped. Then after a few seconds it beeped. Afterwards, they were all in the 20s, so I had to pump them up again. Well, next time I'll get the slow bleed right!


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

Cool, that's good info. Will the horn only beep if the key is in the ignition, or will it do the same thing if you are "away" from the vehicle?


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## gunner22 (Nov 20, 2010)

Interesting. I did not do anything like this. I just rotated. Hit the reset button on the turn stalk in the TPS mode on the DIC. The DIC stated 'Learning' for about 10 seconds, horn honked, and I was good to go.

All pressures are accurate and indicating the correct tire.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

gunner22 said:


> Interesting. I did not do anything like this. I just rotated. Hit the reset button on the turn stalk in the TPS mode on the DIC. The DIC stated 'Learning' for about 10 seconds, horn honked, and I was good to go.
> 
> All pressures are accurate and indicating the correct tire.


I think the horn honking only means it's ready to START the relearning process.
If all your tires are within 1-2 lbs of each other the DIC will always appear to be correct.


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## BucaMan (Mar 22, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> Cool, that's good info. Will the horn only beep if the key is in the ignition, or will it do the same thing if you are "away" from the vehicle?


I think I left the key in for the entire procedure....


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## gunner22 (Nov 20, 2010)

Vetterin said:


> I think the horn honking only means it's ready to START the relearning process.
> If all your tires are within 1-2 lbs of each other the DIC will always appear to be correct.


I don't know. The pressures changed from the previous settings and correspond to my hand held pressure gauge. I usually just have Discount Tire rotate them so I don't think I will be running into this issue much in the future.

Honestly I dont care for GM's TPMS system. Seems to create more headaches than solutions. My Nissan just has a dummy light if one or more wheels are low. I guess I could be the exception since I have always kept a close eye on tire pressures on all my cars.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I had a Chrysler 300 with TPMS and somehow the Chrysler system is able to self identify which wheels are on each corner of the car. In other words you don't have to reset the system when you rotate the tires - the car does it automatically. I have no idea how it works.


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## David1 (Sep 16, 2011)

gunner22 said:


> Interesting. I did not do anything like this. I just rotated. Hit the reset button on the turn stalk in the TPS mode on the DIC. The DIC stated 'Learning' for about 10 seconds, horn honked, and I was good to go.
> 
> All pressures are accurate and indicating the correct tire.


 
Yup, All you need do is that. The beep lets you know that learning has been started. When the dic changes screens, learning is complete. About 30 seconds.


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

David1 said:


> Yup, All you need do is that. The beep lets you know that learning has been started. When the dic changes screens, learning is complete. About 30 seconds.


Tried that but it didn't work. I'll try it again this afternoon. Perhaps I didn't hold it long enough.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...or, _maybe_ 2011 Cruzes are programmed differently than the 2012 Cruzes?


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## David1 (Sep 16, 2011)

SlowBoost said:


> Tried that but it didn't work. I'll try it again this afternoon. Perhaps I didn't hold it long enough.


You do this with the engine off but key on. I don't do the full process as the owners manual states since I have no error messages after rotating the tire and using the relearn process. My other cars don't require near what the owners manual states to do on this car. Just hit the reset button and drive. In am realizing that the electronics that GM uses is really antiquated compared to other manufactures especially the way the Bluetooth works and how you are suposed to reset the Cruze TPMS. I have talked to a couple chevy techs and even they don't do it the way the manual states. Who is right?


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## SlowBoost (Jul 26, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...or, _maybe_ 2011 Cruzes are programmed differently than the 2012 Cruzes?


Seems like most of the people are talking about 2011 models.



David1 said:


> You do this with the engine off but key on. I don't do the full process as the owners manual states since I have no error messages after rotating the tire and using the relearn process.


I tried with the key in and in the ON position (not started) several times tonight. The horn would honk, but the position remained the same. I waited a few minutes until the "Learning" message disappeared from the DIC. Tried similar methods each time. 

I did finally start the procedure, let the car honk, then show the "Learning" message, then went out and let out 3-4 lbs from each tire at which point the car honked, and showed the correct sensor now in position. Did this with all 4 wheels, so that matched up with the procedure mentioned on Page 2 here. 

Did both of you guys that said you just reset without touching the pressure have tunes? I thought I read that elsewhere. Perhaps that only works with the tune? Otherwise you just do the airdown or up as others stated, or buy the tool? 

Glad this info was here so I could finally get the dang tires correct. Thanks folks.


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## David1 (Sep 16, 2011)

Owners manual says nothing about letting air out of the tires. Just hold tool near valve stem.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

David1 said:


> Owners manual says nothing about letting air out of the tires. Just hold tool near valve stem.


Tools?.............Tools?.............We don't need no stink'n Tools!!!!!


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## Al3e925 (Jul 27, 2016)

I tried several times, two beeps, dic says learning...go to the front left tire n decrease pressure from 35 to 17.....nothing?!! Why will my car not red the difference until after I turn car off and back on? I never heard of a tool...looks like I may have to get one...??

Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk


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## winks79 (Dec 20, 2013)

Al3e925 said:


> I tried several times, two beeps, dic says learning...go to the front left tire n decrease pressure from 35 to 17.....nothing?!! Why will my car not red the difference until after I turn car off and back on? I never heard of a tool...looks like I may have to get one...??
> 
> Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk


What year is your car? I think 2012 or 2013 and up the tool is required. I've got one and love it. Worth the money to me, as I rotate all of my vehicles tires and need it. I use it on all my GM vehicles and works like a top. Much better than bleeding the air and then having to add it back.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Al3e925 said:


> I tried several times, two beeps, dic says learning...go to the front left tire n decrease pressure from 35 to 17.....nothing?!! Why will my car not red the difference until after I turn car off and back on? I never heard of a tool...looks like I may have to get one...??


What year? (Notice this thread is from 2011) The tool-less method only works for the first few years of the Gen1. I suspect it was causing too many problems with dealers and shops might have multiple tire operations going at once. A bad learn would cause a unhappy customer return.


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## Al3e925 (Jul 27, 2016)

Lol yeah I saw that as I was closing my browser and thought...meehhh maybe they did some new technology in my 2014.... well thanks guys! Hahaha 

Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk


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## its a syn (Feb 24, 2016)

Last I checked the relearn tool was $50. I would rather do it with air release.


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## winks79 (Dec 20, 2013)

its a syn said:


> Last I checked the relearn tool was $50. I would rather do it with air release.


As I stated, can't be done with his model without tool.


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## Al3e925 (Jul 27, 2016)

Wish i had more than one vehicle to use the tool on, i dont see myself buying one juat for this car. Stupid f*&^n engineers

Sent from my SM-G530P using Tapatalk


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

It surprises me that the tool is that expensive. As far as I know, it's just a magnetic field of a specific frequency. It seems like it shouldn't be hard to build one.


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## Scott205 (Aug 11, 2016)

You can buy a tool on ebay for about $7, I guess there is now an easier way.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

I ordered from amazon. $16 and some change. I'm surprised how fast it came over the weekend. I ordered it satrurday night and was in my po box monday morning.


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## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

snowwy66 said:


> I ordered from amazon. $16 and some change. I'm surprised how fast it came over the weekend. I ordered it satrurday night and was in my po box monday morning.


So from what I gather from the thread, this tool is required for the 2014? Have you tried it yet? Works well? Mind linking the one you bought? I'd like to have my TPMS correctly oriented when I get my summers back on after the snow is gone.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

LiveTrash said:


> So from what I gather from the thread, this tool is required for the 2014? Have you tried it yet? Works well? Mind linking the one you bought? I'd like to have my TPMS correctly oriented when I get my summers back on after the snow is gone.


I'll break in to this thread.
All GM vehicles from about mid 2012 and newer require a formal reset tool. The drop the pressure method no longer works.

The original tool supplier was Kent-Moore under the Orange Technologies brand, part# EL-50448.....back then they were retailing for around $100.00 and they had a pricing arrangement to GM dealers of $50.00 if memory serves. That is what I paid for mine since there were no other sources.
Since then, I guess the aftermarket 'Chinese?' have stepped in they can be found in the $15.00 to $20.00 range on the web.

This is all USD.... I am aware you are in Canada so I don't know how hard you get hammered up there.
Start by entering this part# only....EL-50448 and see what pops up.

Rob........and have a great Christmas!


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

Robby said:


> LiveTrash said:
> 
> 
> > So from what I gather from the thread, this tool is required for the 2014? Have you tried it yet? Works well? Mind linking the one you bought? I'd like to have my TPMS correctly oriented when I get my summers back on after the snow is gone.
> ...


The original RF tool was the J46709 if memory serves, it was many hundreds of dollars and had an LCD screen and additional features.

The EL50448 is the second gen tool from Orange, which itself is a Chinese company that had zero qualms about letting other Chinese firms make the same tool and sell it. The "real" one is still $75-100, and the better of the clones are actually clones and typically run $20-30, the sub $15 ones are typically just external copies with only single frequency capability, and inferior construction . But don't be fooled, even the real OEC T5 is just a cheapy Chinese tool


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

LiveTrash said:


> So from what I gather from the thread, this tool is required for the 2014? Have you tried it yet? Works well? Mind linking the one you bought? I'd like to have my TPMS correctly oriented when I get my summers back on after the snow is gone.


As mentioned below your post. 

EL-50448

Different manufactures on amazon for the same tool. I used it today. Seemed to work. Pretty painless procedure. 

The 2012 can use the drop pressure. Looks like 2013 and above require the tool. 

I"m thinking of buying one of the more expensive tools that can do other features as well as tpms. Haven't looked too hard at them yet. Hopefully find one that provides software updates for newer cars as time goes on.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

*TPMS reset procedure*



snowwy66 said:


> EL-50448
> 
> Different manufactures on amazon for the same tool. I used it today. Seemed to work. Pretty painless procedure.


I recently bought a JDiag Super EL50448 TPMS tool off Amazon for about 25 bucks with shipping. For the first time, I used it today to re-sync the tires on my 2013 Cruze. Alas, the TPMS light is still on, indicating low pressure. No doubt, I was otherwise successful with the procedure, getting all the correct horn honks as I worked my way around the car. But I never added any air, nor let any out during the process.

I thought, with re-learning, that the computer would not only sync up the tire positions, but also adjust its pressure thresholds to the current readings.

It's cold out today. The car has not been driven. My sensors have been observed to read ~3 pounds low (versus my gauges). And I like to run 32 pounds rather than the recommended 34 on the sticker. So I have several things working against me today  

But I thought, as part of the re-learn, that the computer would adapt to the current readings as being good. Is that not correct? Or is there some other tool feature required for that? 

Maybe I need new sensors? But I'm used to seeing the sensors be off a few pounds without that being a problem.

I welcome your inputs.

Doug

.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

I don't know how it works. 

Mine read differently when i first rotated the tires. I also aired them all up to 36. By the time I got my tool. The readings were higher. It looked like it may have relearned itself. I did the tool and didn't see any difference in readings either. 

I don't think they're ever accurate though. I've pumped my tires up twice now. To 36. Have yet to see 36 on the dash.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

As far as I know, the TPMS pressure calibration is set at the factory and that's it. I'm not sure if the tool will trigger a the pressure reading to update. I'd suggest going on a drive for a couple of miles to see what happens.


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## Al3e925 (Jul 27, 2016)

ChevyGuy said:


> What year? (Notice this thread is from 2011) The tool-less method only works for the first few years of the Gen1. I suspect it was causing too many problems with dealers and shops might have multiple tire operations going at once. A bad learn would cause a unhappy customer return.


Well that makes sence. Mines a 2014.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## TopazRS87 (Dec 29, 2013)

Just put new wheels and tires on my 2012 with new TPMS sensors. Letting air out of the tires for 7-8 seconds in learning mode didn't work for me. Bought a tool on Amazon for $17 and it worked.


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