Solved - Switched Wheels - No Relearn Required?

Krusty · March 30, 2017

Yes.

Good Deal. Easiest solution there.

If a dealer or tire company always does most peoples tire rotations, no need to buy a scan tool. I do my own and did not want to have to go down and rely on someone else to do this, only reason I bought one.

Just pull into any Discount Tire etc and they will relearn it in short order. The manual method always was hit and miss. I put snow wheels on and off every year for 10 years on the 2007.5 - Love the ability to see all pressures from the DIC. But obviously the truck needs to be taught every time which wheel is which.........

JDuncan · April 6, 2017

Stopped by the GMC dealer this afternoon to have them relearn/program TPMS sensors on my '15 Sierra RCSB. Bottom line: they said it is impossible to do so.

Here's the back story:

I swapped my OEM 17" wheel/tire combo for OEM 18" wheels/tires taken off another 14-15 Sierra. I bought them locally off CL. Figuring the new set has OEM TPMS sensors from the same generation truck, and having read no overt warnings here or elsewhere, I thought it would be a no-brainer to have the local dealer relearn/reprogram the TPMS for the new OEM wheel/tire combo. I listed my original wheels on CL, and due to travel scheduling, lined up a deal and sold them before I had a chance to go see the dealer.

After an hour in the waiting room this afternoon, here's what the delaer told me:

1) TPMS sensors come with a "Registration Code" printed on the OE packaging. That code is required to program the truck to read the sensors, and it is impossible to use any sensor not already programmed to the truck without that code.

2) TPMS sensors are model-year specific; a sensor from a '14 wont work on a '15, etc.

3) IF I still had my original wheels, the dealer would dismount everything, swap the sensors, and remount/balance; at a cost of ~$250

4) The only option remaining at the dealer service counter would be NEW TPMS sensors and install; at a cost of ~$500

How much of the above is fact vs. fiction? Have any of you guys been in this situation before? What would you recommend?

I've been going to this dealer for a few years now; they've always seemed knowledgeable and have never done wrong by me, but this "registration code" stuff caught me by surprise. Any info or insight you guys can provide would be appreciated. Right now, it sounds like I'm just going to have to live with the idiot light on the dash until the budget allows for the K02s I've had my eye on; now that much further away with the addition of TPMS sensors.

DLW66 · April 7, 2017

I can only comment on my 2017 GMC here. I bought new SOTA wheels when when bought the 6 " BDS kit. I bought new TPMS sensors off the internet for my year truck at slightly under $50 a pop, as I did not want to remove the stock sensors by unmounting/remounting the the tires then selling them with no sensors.

I did not need a registration code off the box. I bought a scanner, and it shows every sensor has it's own unique code on them, the scanner pulls all this info from the TPMS, including frequency it uses, air pressure, temperature, etc.

Once I started the relearn from the DIC, all I needed was the scanner to activate the sensors, the truck learned them, and that is it.

In your case, looks like you need proper sensors for you year to be installed, then program them. $500 from a dealer is not that surprising because their parts and labor generally run a bit more. A tire shop could probably do it cheaper, like Americas tire company.

Justin101714 · April 7, 2017

I work for the dealership as a technician and we swap accessory wheels all day to different models and years and all you have to do is do a quick TPMS relearn, they lied.... The BCM is only worried about picking up the sensor frequency and making sure it goes into drive mode. That's all...

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JDuncan · April 11, 2017

Thank you

I work for the dealership as a technician and we swap accessory wheels all day to different models and years and all you have to do is do a quick TPMS relearn, they lied.... The BCM is only worried about picking up the sensor frequency and making sure it goes into drive mode. That's all...

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Thank you!!! That's what I was hoping to hear!

Since my local GMC dealer clearly isn't the right place to help me, would any normal tire shop be able to activate the OEM GM sensors in my wheels?

BTW, here they are on my truck; dark grey dip coming soon:

Justin101714 · April 11, 2017

As long as they have a relearn tool then yes

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Justin101714 · April 11, 2017

Now if you go any bigger a different calibration is needed for ECM and the EBCM for wheel speed to be right to the speedometer and also the PSCM (power steering control module)

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Rolling Thunder · April 11, 2017

2) TPMS sensors are model-year specific; a sensor from a '14 wont work on a '15, etc.

JD,

I can only comment on this: Pure bullshit. I pulled my LTZ OEM 20" 2016 chrome wheels and installed OEM 18" LTZ from a 2017 LTZ that was being lifted. A simple relearn by the dealer during my oil change.

dorkweed · April 11, 2017

Will any of the custom tunes or canned tunes get rid of the TPMS.......................or at least go back to the old style and let us re-learn the damn things rather than taking it to the Stealership or buying the tool?????

mukitae17 · April 28, 2017

After having discount tire relearn my sensors every time i rotated my tires, i got to know the service manager and he showed me how to relearn them myself. Go to tire pressure screen and hold down the center check button until it's ready to relearn. Start at front driver side and let some air out til horn blows. Move to front passenger side, then rear passenger side, then rear driver side which will beep horn twice if done right. Has worked for me twice on '14 Silverado LT

Goody15o · May 31, 2017

After having discount tire relearn my sensors every time i rotated my tires, i got to know the service manager and he showed me how to relearn them myself. Go to tire pressure screen and hold down the center check button until it's ready to relearn. Start at front driver side and let some air out til horn blows. Move to front passenger side, then rear passenger side, then rear driver side which will beep horn twice if done right. Has worked for me twice on '14 Silverado LT

I tried this on my 2016 Silverado and it didnt seem to work. I got to the Tire relearn screen, I let out about 7 lbs of air and nothing ever happened. Not sure what to do.

NorCalSLT · May 31, 2017

Because he had the old wheels/tires in the bed of his truck as he drove home...

haha jk ;)

mukitae17 · June 14, 2017

Not sure what to tell you goody15o. Might be a difference between 14 and 16

Domano 68 · May 4, 2020

On 4/28/2017 at 4:55 PM, mukitae17 said:

After having discount tire relearn my sensors every time i rotated my tires, i got to know the service manager and he showed me how to relearn them myself. Go to tire pressure screen and hold down the center check button until it's ready to relearn. Start at front driver side and let some air out til horn blows. Move to front passenger side, then rear passenger side, then rear driver side which will beep horn twice if done right. Has worked for me twice on '14 Silverado LT

Does this letting some air out method work on 2018 models?