I have a 2014 Honda CR-V with two possibly related problems.
The tire inflation light comes on often even though the pressure is just fine.
The ABS brakes don’t seem to be working correctly. Last winter, they seemed to engage much too easily. As soon as I touched the brake pedal, it begins to chatter. I’ve had ABS brakes before, of course. The ABS brake light has not come on.
The kicker is that I think the two problems might be related. As I understand it, the tire pressure light comes on if one wheel spins faster than its partner - say if one of the ABS sensors on one of the wheels was defective.
I’ve had it to the dealer, but they won’t even look since the ABS light doesn’t come on. They claim that if there was a problem, the light would come on.
Frankly, the vehicle feels unsafe on slightly slippery roads.
Has anyone had a similar issue? Any advice?
These situations may or may not be related.
My question is whether you have checked the pressure in the spare tire, because if the CRV has a full-size spare (I don’t know whether it does or not), then there is a good chance that the spare has a TPMS sensor on it, and that the pressure in the spare is low.
Edited to add: Any time that you feel you are getting less than stellar service from a dealership, it is time to contact the mfr via the toll-free phone number that can be found in the Owner’s Manual.
Is there another dealer you can bring it to? Because your dealership’s service department is apparently full of morons.
If not, I might send a certified letter to American Honda explaining what the problem is, that their dealership refuses to even look at it, and that you feel this is a safety issue toward which you feel the dealership is displaying willful negligence.
Assuming Honda uses the same TPMS system for the CRV as for the Accord (which is a reasonable assumption) then they’re absolutely related, because it uses the ABS sensors to guess what the tire pressure is based on how fast the wheel is turning. In your case, I would guess a sensor is bad, sending wrong readings, and causing the computer to think the tire is low, and also causing the ABS computer to think the wheel is about to lock up (since it’s apparently rolling slower than all the other tires), which results in the ABS system kicking in.
I personally dislike this system in general, as there are failure modes for it that can’t be engineered away (if all the tires are 20 pounds low, you’ll never know it, because they’re all turning at the same rate so the system thinks everything is normal). I prefer the systems that put an actual pressure sensor on the valve stem - you get real pressure readings from each individual wheel for that, but unfortunately if you want that system with a Honda, you have to step up to Acura.
Starting with the tire pressure issue, have you tried to get them to fix that? If the light is coming on when the tire pressure is normal, then something is obviously wrong and they cannot claim otherwise. Be sure to check the pressure on the spare tire too.
As for the ABS kicking in too soon, since you say it happens only in winter, it’s possible that the problem is poor winter traction on the OEM tires, which are often mediocre. It’s possible that more driving this summer will roughen up the tires and improve winter traction somewhat. So you might see less of a problem with the ABS this coming winter.
If Honda has no answers for you this winter, you might try buying a new set of all-season tires with better wet/snow traction than the OEM tires. That’s an expensive solution, and maybe not the root of the problem, but OEM tires are often so bad that I will put new tires on a new vehicle and sell the old OEM set on Craigslist. For me the improved traction and handling of a better quality tire is worth the money. And for you it might solve your ABS problem.
Thank you for the messages so far. This forum is great!!
I’m pretty sure that the pressure sensor is as described by Shadowfax. If so, then I don’t see how the spare fits into the equation. Nonetheless, I’ll check it.
I’ll also call the mfr phone number. The dealership has been very unhelpful. When we complained about the tire pressure light, they told us how to turn the light off. Within a few weeks it’s back on - daily in the winter.
Any suggestions on what to say to the next dealer we take it to when they came that there can’t be a problem with the ABS sensor if the ABS light is not on?
Any suggestions on what to say to the next dealer we take it to when they came that there can't be a problem with the ABS sensor if the ABS light is not on?
Honda owners, rejoice! There is a widely reported solution: tell your Honda-certified mechanic about your problem and ask them to perform the software upgrade outlined in TSB #14–006. We are looking for a copy of this document, but from all accounts it a simple software upgrade that fixes many TPMS problems."
Service bulletin 14-006 was issued in march 2014 to address the tire pressure warning light coming on without faults;
SYMPTOM
The low tire pressure/TPMS indicator is on with no DTC, or with VSA DTC 151-11 (low tire pressure threshold refinement), and the tire pressures were properly set to the drivers doorjamb label.
POSSIBLE CAUSES
A software update is needed for different driving conditions.
CORRECTIVE ACTION
Update the VSA modulator-control unit.
Have you been to the dealer since march? It seems that they have a fix for it now.
Within a few weeks it’s back on - daily in the winter.