Answer: TPMS light

[OKVersa]

Thanks for the information. I'll do that. Like I told the rep at Nissan, how can I ever depend on it? It's supposed to work. So it should work.

[Tacuvito]

So? how long does it take for the service department at Nissan to reset or "reprogram" the computer?? I had a blow out and now my light is on.

[Ever Victorious]

Less than an hour. All they have to do is reset the BCM.

[kc5f]

Do they even need to do that? Mine came on when one of my tires was low, and I filled all to 40lbs, drove about ten miles and then lowered them to the proper pressure and the light went back off, as mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

[lakebrenda]

I'm really wondering how much of a problem this is I know people naturally complain when things are not right. My TPMS has only gone on once - checked ties - 2 were low. Corrected them and light went right out.Can we hear from people where it has worked correctly. Just curious.

[Tacuvito]

Here is one for you. Last night when I came to work from the tire store the light was on, but when I got out from work and started for home the light went out. I guess for the meantime my system works just fine I guess.

[Ever Victorious]

If you read the early part of this post, we are talking about TPMS system FAILURE, which looks completely different than a TPMS system that is reporting a low tire.

When a TPMS system FAILS, the TPMS light flashes for one minute when you start the car then turns on solid. It will not do anything else, this is a failure state and has to be checked by your Nissan dealer.

Those of you whose TPMS system works correctly (and I have now counted 4 cases where it has come on and been an actual low tire), the light comes on in the middle of driving. I haven't personally experienced a low tire so I don't know if it flashes or is solid or what the behavior is there.

And to answer your question, kc5f, you CANNOT reset a system FAILURE by blowing your tires up, running around, and then deflating them back to normal.

lakebrenda - Check the manufacture date sticker on the lower part of your b-pillar. If it was on or after 11/06, Nissan had changed the BCM's (and I think the wheel sensors too) because they found serious flaws in the original ones. If your car was built after then, you're not very likely to experience a TPMS system failure.

[kc5f]

EV - Once again you're right, of course, but the post you and I replied to said nothing about a failure: "So? how long does it take for the service department at Nissan to reset or "reprogram" the computer?? I had a blow out and now my light is on." If the light came on because of a blowout, it's not a failure, and it should reset by itself.

[RetiredTexans]

I have had my V since Labor Day, 2006 and the TPMS has only come on one time over the winter. We had a real cold spell, rare here, and it came on. One tire was low, so added air so all read 32 pounds and the light went out after a short drive. Hasn't happened since.

[busdrivingdeacon]

I have 20,000 miles on my Versa. The TPMS has been re-set by the dealer 5 times. On my last visit, the dealer ordered "a new chip" that Nissan says will solve the problem. After two weeks of waiting for the new part, I had the dealer disconnect the TPMS light. I won't be getting it re-connected. Good riddance to that ill conceived gimmick. Buy a good tire gauge and use it every two weeks. It beats making trips to the dealer all the time.

[Ever Victorious]

I have 20,000 miles on my Versa. The TPMS has been re-set by the dealer 5 times. On my last visit, the dealer ordered "a new chip" that Nissan says will solve the problem. After two weeks of waiting for the new part, I had the dealer disconnect the TPMS light. I won't be getting it re-connected. Good riddance to that ill conceived gimmick. Buy a good tire gauge and use it every two weeks. It beats making trips to the dealer all the time.

You have an early production Versa. the new "chip" is actually a replacement BCM (Body Control Module), which is a computer that controls many, many, many things on the car. Basically if it's electric, and not part of the engine or transmission, it's controlled by the BCM.

And the TPMS system isn't an "ill-conceived gimmick". It is required by federal law on all 2008 vehicles. Nissan implemented it a year early on the Versa, and the early ones had problems.

Even high-end manufacturers like BMW have had problems with their TPMS system. This amuses me as my Hyundai, which is 2 years old, has a TPMS system and has never had a problem with it.

[Tacuvito]

Well my light went out after 6 minutes of highway driving so I am cool with the system so far.

[busdrivingdeacon]

The TPMS transmitter is actually incorporated into the valve stem in each wheel. It is an expensive item to replace and must be handled with care whenever tire work requiring dismounting of a tire is performed. The tire must be fully deflated & the exterior retaining nut on the valve stem removed. This will allow the service tech to carefully lower the sending unit into the interior of the wheel before dismounting the tire. In my state, if a licensed repair shop damages a wheel, hubcap or TPMS part, they are required to provide a replacement for that part. This may or may not be true in your state. Whenever I have tire/wheel work done, I always write a note on the work order indicating that there is a TPMS involved. It will save you a lot of hassles later if you need to file damage claims.

[busdrivingdeacon]

While I feel badly for all the victims of the Ford/Firestone fiasco, the federally mandated TPMS is not going to do anything to help a driver involved with a sudden tread seperation/blowout situation as was the case with the Firestone tires. TPMS will only detect a gradual loss of tire pressure due to a puncture or neglect of air pressure maintainence. It will not react quickly enough to warn the driver of a catastrophic tire failure.

[Jerr]

It's not just the Firestone thing. Having tires at correct pressure gives you better gas mileage (among other things), and it's a good thing to have. My TPMS light came on today, so I stopped to see if there was any visibly deflated tire (it was nighttime), but there wasn't so I continued driving home. Tomorrow morning I'll check the tire pressure and inflate the ones that need inflating. I've been trying to get better gas mileage (with my CVT), so regulating the tire pressure will give it a boost.Also, kinda off topic, but what's happening with the passenger airbag indicator recall?

[Ever Victorious]

Also, kinda off topic, but what's happening with the passenger airbag indicator recall?

Notices are being sent out to owners of affected vehicles. I think the cutoff date for build was sometime in October of last year, so if your car was built after then, you won't get a notice because the problem had already been fixed.

[siggie]

If you read the early part of this post, we are talking about TPMS system FAILURE, which looks completely different than a TPMS system that is reporting a low tire.

When a TPMS system FAILS, the TPMS light flashes for one minute when you start the car then turns on solid. It will not do anything else, this is a failure state and has to be checked by your Nissan dealer.

Those of you whose TPMS system works correctly (and I have now counted 4 cases where it has come on and been an actual low tire), the light comes on in the middle of driving. I haven't personally experienced a low tire so I don't know if it flashes or is solid or what the behavior is there.

And to answer your question, kc5f, you CANNOT reset a system FAILURE by blowing your tires up, running around, and then deflating them back to normal.

lakebrenda - Check the manufacture date sticker on the lower part of your b-pillar. If it was on or after 11/06, Nissan had changed the BCM's (and I think the wheel sensors too) because they found serious flaws in the original ones. If your car was built after then, you're not very likely to experience a TPMS system failure.

I have experienced three types of TPMS indications:

1. I have had the problem where a cold night causes the TPMS light to come on and stay on until all the tires are over-inflated and then set back to their correct pressure.2. I have had a tire puncture where the TPMS warned me almost immediately. The extra time the TPMS gave me before the tire totally deflated allowed me to pull off the road to a safe place.3. Two weeks after the tire puncture I had the TPMS light come on while driving on the freeway. It turned out to be a TPMS malfunction as described by the manual (and Ever Victorious). My TPMS light now flashes for one minute when I start the car, then stays on. I have not had a chance to get it into the shop.

I don't consider the TPMS a gimmick. It saved my butt when it correctly indicated a tire puncture. I was in a not-so-great neighborhood when it occurred and the extra time it gave me until the tire went flat allowed me to get the car (and me) to a safe place. Of course, when the TPMS malfunctioned while I was on the freeway, and it caused me to cross four lanes of traffic doing 80 MPH in order to unnecessarily get to an exit, I was not too pleased.

I bought my Versa on August 30, 2006, so I guess it has an original BCM. Do I have to convince the dealer to change the BCM, or is that the way they will repair the TPMS malfunction?

[busdrivingdeacon]

On 10/26/2006, you stated about the Versa TPMS, and I quote, " (I COULD PERSONALLY CARE IF IT WAS THROWN IN THE DEEPEST OCEAN)." On 7/21/2007, I called it an "ILL CONCEIVED GIMMICK" and you took offense. Just exactly what is your stand on this issue?

[Ever Victorious]

On 10/26/2006, you stated about the Versa TPMS, and I quote, " (I COULD PERSONALLY CARE IF IT WAS THROWN IN THE DEEPEST OCEAN)." On 7/21/2007, I called it an "ILL CONCEIVED GIMMICK" and you took offense. Just exactly what is your stand on this issue?

That I could personally care if it was thrown in the deepest ocean.

What I meant by "not an ill conceived gimmick" is that you were implying that Nissan threw it on the car just because they could, just because they could claim a new safety feature. That may be partly true for the 2007 year since they were not required. But the V was new in 2007, and would have needed a refit in 2008 for the FEDERALLY REQUIRED system, so they just introduced it a year earlier rather than having to eat the cost of changing the way they made the car a year later.

So... in a nutshell, I intensely dislike the system, but would never use the word "gimmick" because Nissan was going to be required to use the system, so it wasn't really a matter of choice.

And to me "taking offense" to that statement. You read that WAY wrong. S'okay, it's the net, without the use of smileys every 3 words, emotion doesn;t come through.

[indus49]

I had the same problem recently... first cold night of the season... and my light comes on while I'm headed to work. I pumped all the tires up to 40psi the next morning and the light went off. Actually, it went off after I pumped the front left tire to 40. I took it for a ride, then dropped them all to 36.

Here were my original readings (approx.):Front Left: 26Front Right: 28Rear Left: 27Rear Right: 28

[TheClevelandSound]

Ok so I left for school today and the light came on. Now, my front left tire has been a little shallow recently, but nothing to alarm me. I am going to fill it up just in case, but im still very worried about my car.

[srellim234]

Only time my light came on the left rear tire was down to 28 psi. Inflated it to match the others and the light went out after about 1/10th of a mile. I can't complain about the system (yet!).

[xtwoonamatchx]

i didn't feel like reading ALL 3 pages of posts... but when you fill your tires to 33 (As the fill label says) make sure you havent drivn them for awhile, cause theres when the tires are cold and when they are hot.... when they are cold... the pressure is lower... when you drive them, the pressure increases due to the heat... so if youve been driving down the highway for 2 hrs, and you fill them to 33, your really underinflating them. i had the same thing happen to me, drove a cuple miles before i checked pressure, and filled it to 33PSI and the light stayed on, but then i realized i needed to put MORE pressure in them, filled to 40PSI and the light went off. sorry to repeat if someone already mentioned this.

[Juelze]

Stupid TPMS light came on my car. Flashes for a minute then goes steady. So, from what I understand, a system malfunction (what I have going on here) cannot be reset by the "over-inflate, then deflate to 33 psi" trick? Man, this means a 2nd trip to the dealer which requires me to ask off from work. Thanks Nissan, you bastards.

[Clipsed]

Stupid TPMS light came on my car. Flashes for a minute then goes steady. So, from what I understand, a system malfunction (what I have going on here) cannot be reset by the "over-inflate, then deflate to 33 psi" trick? Man, this means a 2nd trip to the dealer which requires me to ask off from work. Thanks Nissan, you (EDIT).

hey bro, comon, watch the language.

[starlight0229]

My light has come on twice, but both times I actually had a low tire... filled it up and all was well. I'm glad mine works, though the first time it came on it freaked me out, I didn't want there to be anything wrong with my V...

[tama48]

I bought my 2007 Nissan Versa in July of 2006. I believe that was when they were first on the market to the public. My dealer had mine and one other. I have had NOtHING but trouble with the TPMS from day #1!

The dealer I bought it from just kept resetting the light and telling me I am not keeping the tires inflated properly. Wrong! I have inflated them up and down and all around. The light blinks for about a minute then stays on steady. I have NEVER had a case of it indicatiing low pressure so I don't have any idea what that warning looks like.

I finally today 08/5/08 took it to another Nissan dealer. Remember now, this is a day off from my job everytime I do this. I went through the whole story with them. They reset it again and told me it was an error code. I asked them what could have caused the error, They told me any disruption of the signal from the transmitter in the wheel to the receiver in the car. Thay said "it's a wireless system". I knew that.

They didn't charge me $50.00 this time but I expect they will eventually try to. I have one more year of warrranty then what?

I think this system is a JOKE and if you weren't checking your tire pressure before now then this light isn't going to make you do it. If this system is always blinking and faulty then how is it helping me to know when I really have a air loss or low pressure? A failed system is as bad as none at all.

How could this system be so flawed? I have had not one other problem with this car but for this repeated time waster. It has made me decide never to buy another Nissan product. I know all cars have it after 2007 but some other cars got to work better than this.

If I could figure out how to disable this pain in my neck tmps I would as of yesterday.
Modified by tama48 at 1:11 PM 8/5/2008

[tama48]

I second that emotion!

[BlueMango]

To add on that note, it's not just a Nissan issue. If you look through other forums all makes are having this issue. It's a brand new technology so it's just going to take some time to correct it.