What Does It Mean To Relearn A TPMS Sensor? When Does It Need To Be Done? And How Do I Do It?

What does it mean to Relearn a TPMS Sensor? When Does it Need to be Done? And How Do I Do It?

Each wheel’s TPMS sensor has a unique ID. That sensor ID and associated wheel is registered in the vehicle’s TPMS module. When a sensor is replaced or when the tires are rotated, the new sensor ID or the new sensor ID for that wheel location on the vehicle, needs to be registered or relearned to the vehicle’s TPMS module.

There are three methods of Relearning tpms sensors:

1. Auto Relearn: Driving the vehicle for a specific time and speed.

2. OBD Relearn: Requires a TPMS tool be attached to the vehicle’s OBD port to write (Relearn) the sensor IDs to the vehicle’s ECU. This procedure is frequently used on most Japanese- and Korean-made vehicles, and Chrysler, Fiat, Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles.

3. Stationary Relearn: New sensor IDs are relearned to the vehicle without the need to drive the vehicle or write the IDs to the vehicle’s TPMS module. This relearn procedure should be done in the vehicle’s park mode. This procedure is more frequently used on GM, Ford, some Chinese- and Japanese-made vehicles such as Nissan.

To access the stationary relearn mode, you need to:

1. Use the Autel TPMS tool’s OBD function to enable the Training or Relearn mode; and/or

2. Operate onboard keys as instructed by your Autel tool. After that, you need to activate all tire pressure sensors to complete the Stationary relearn. Generally, the activation sequence is clockwise, starting from the front left wheel and ending with the rear left wheel.