Driver Information Center - accurate?

Boardmember · July 3, 2016

I've checked the MPG calculation -once - and it was reasonably close.

I'm really struggling with the PSI readings though. They're consistently 2-3psi off, not necessarily high or low.

I use a Craftsman digital gauge that measures .5 psi increments and thought it was getting old, maybe it had lost calibration. So I spent $30 and bought another just like it. Shouldn't have. They both are absolutely consistent, leading me to conclude its the truck.

Can that feature be re-calibrated? Not a huge deal, I understand.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · July 3, 2016

The TPMS also shows a low reading than my Slime dial gauge. But, I'm fine with it since they all seem accurate in the way of if all of the say the same psi then you know all of them are actually the same, just the reading might be lower by a few psi. I just use the tire pressure page on mine to make sure there's not 1 or more that are lower than the rest. It has saved me once not to long ago. Earlier in the year I ran over something and I happen to check the tire pressure page after filling up with gas and saw 1 tire was way low and losing air so I was able to plug it up. Without the TPMS the tire would have went flat after parking it. If I want the tires at a certain psi I use my gauge and don't go by the truck's reading.

jhplak325 · July 3, 2016

I use the same Craftsman digital gauge and I feel it is more accurate than the DIC.

My wifes 07 Trailblazer, readings are within 1lb at most.

The 09 Silverado I had, DIC would read 1lb to 5lb high depending on tire compared to the digital gauge.

Current truck, 15 DenaliHD, readings are within 1lb.

smrr1 · July 3, 2016

Mine are all within 1 pound. Might also want to make sure the correct reading is going with the correct tire. A lot of places rotate tires but do not recalibrate the sensor location. So if you run the fronts high and the rears a little lower your dic might show the opposite.

fbachman · July 3, 2016

yeah, this ^^^^^^

Unless a TPMS sensor is on its way out, it should read pretty close. That's been my experience anyhow.

oburgtiger · July 4, 2016

I've checked the MPG calculation -once - and it was reasonably close.

I'm really struggling with the PSI readings though. They're consistently 2-3psi off, not necessarily high or low.

I use a Craftsman digital gauge that measures .5 psi increments and thought it was getting old, maybe it had lost calibration. So I spent $30 and bought another just like it. Shouldn't have. They both are absolutely consistent, leading me to conclude its the truck.

Can that feature be re-calibrated? Not a huge deal, I understand.

My truck is consistently measuring mpg exactly 1 mpg more than my manual calculations. Tire pressure has been 2-3 pounds higher than my digital gauge.

Boardmember · July 4, 2016

Hell, my Onstar mobile ap doesn't even agree with the DIC, which in turn doesn't agree with my digital gauge. Of course the first two typically show a different number for each tire. Not the gauge though.

Maybe when I want to know, I'll record all three and average them for each tire.

This is why I need to start calculating my mpg manually too.

Silverado Steve · July 4, 2016

I had my tires rotated at Pep Boys last time and the guy recalibrated my TPMS....it's pretty accurate.

OldBlue61 · July 5, 2016

All right, stupid question time - I was planning on rotating my tires today. How do I recalibrate the sensors?

--Edit--

Well, after reading more about it, since I don't have the reset tool, looks like it's off to the dealer.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · July 5, 2016

All right, stupid question time - I was planning on rotating my tires today. How do I recalibrate the sensors?

--Edit--

Well, after reading more about it, since I don't have the reset tool, looks like it's off to the dealer.

Don't really have to take it to the dealer. Might can go to a tire place or a shop that does "custom" work and they might do it for free.

dciarnie · July 5, 2016

You may not need to bring it in to a shop at all but can do it without a relearn tool.

Basic instructions from the PDF manual for my old 2011 Sierra:

Place the vehicle into tire learning mode (see the TPMS Sensor Matching Process Section)
Go to the driver side front tire and release air from the tire until the horn chirps (should take no more than 30 seconds)
Go to the passenger side front tire and repeat step 2.
Go to the passenger side rear tire and repeat step 2.
Go to the driver side rear tire and repeat step 2. The horn should chirp twice to indicate that the sensors have been successfully matched.
Inflate the tires to the desired pressure.

That's it.

Curiously, these instructions were not in the printed manual that came with my old truck but they are in the one that came with my father's 2008 Pontiac Montana.

This worked with my Sierra but I have not, as of yet, tried it with my 2016 Silverado but I don't see why it wouldn't work the same way.

tnchevy · July 6, 2016

That will not work on the 2014+ trucks, topic has been discussed numerous times. I also don't rely on the DIC for accurate information. I check the tire pressure in all of my vehicles every 2 weeks and hand calculate my mpgs. After 12k miles my DIC is 0.8 mpg on the high side and the pressure is off by 1 to 2 psi as compared to my air gauges.

dciarnie · July 6, 2016

Sorry, didn't think to check before posting but I have to wonder what's changed to make the process not work any more. Does it have anything to do with the TPMS sensors? Are the ones in the newer model vehicles different from those in the older model vehicles? I ask because I still have a set of rims for snow tires from the 2011 Sierra and am now wondering if the TPMS sensors on those rims will work with my 2016 Silverado.

As far as trusting the DIC info, I really don't know because I haven't bothered to check for myself but I'm certain that has been extensively discussed here as well with people coming down on both sides. I would want to know what the margins of error were on all devices (gauge, vehicle instrumentation, gas pump, etc.) before deciding which is more accurate.

Andy Seibel · July 6, 2016

I just calculated a full tank mileage this weekend, the DIC reported 0.2 mpg better than real math indicated. After reading similar comments on this forum, i was surprised it was that close.

Now I want to go out and check my tire pressure too.

redwngr · July 6, 2016

If you want to compare dic and hand calc, then check every fill up 10 or more times in a row. This will help to average out any differences in fuel level when the tank was filled.

dic doesn't know (or care) how much fuel was added, it just measures the flow through the injectors.

(the fuel gauge is NOT what the dic uses to calculate fuel mileage)