Tire pressure sensor light comes on and off

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I had to replace a tire, because it went flat while my daughter was driving it…and she continued to drive it on the bare wheel (tire was completely shredded…and we don’t know why!)
Anyway, after putting a new wheel and tire on, the pressure light would come on, intermittently. So, it was reset. Problem continues. Replaced another sensor, that they said was bad. Same problem.
Took it to my mechanic. So, long story short:
I have 4 new sensors on my car and the pressure light comes on usually by the end of the day. The next day it might go off, then back on…etc.
I took it back AGAIN and they assigned the sensors a new code (originally all were set to the original code).
I picked it up yesterday around 3PM, and at 8 PM the light came back on.
Tire pressure is fine. The TPMS light does not come on (although it did on two occasions during this month long situation.)
WHERE can I look for the issue, now?

2

When you say tire pressure is fine, what is it in comparison to the other tires?

Driving on a rim can damage the rim and cause air leaks.

3

Do you mean the TPMS system light doesn’t come on but the low tire pressure light does?

4

Is the replacement tire the same make and model as the original tire? From experience the same size tire from different manufacturers can differ in diameter enough to cause issues. If the replacement tire is the same, how much difference in the tread depth between it and the other tires?

As for shredding a tire, the rear tire on my daughter’s Cobalt was pierced by a sharp tube causing the tire to deflate in a few seconds at 65 mph. In the short time it took my daughter to bring the car to a stop the tire’s sidewall was destroyed.

Ed

5

Maybe I said that incorrectly. Here is what originally happened.
My daughter was driving my car. She forgot her cell phone. When she left her friends house (at dark and about 25 minutes away), she noticed the air pressure light came on. Then, she said something "sounded bad"
She stopped twice to put air in the tire and said she didn’t notice anything.
When she pulled into our driveway, there was no tire left…only remnants of a shredded tire (we found the rest of the tire up the road). She was driving on the wheel and the hub cap was damaged.

I bought a new wheel and had that installed along with a new tire and new sensor on that side.
Ever since then, the pressure light comes on and then off and then on…etc. (the TPMS light has also come one a couple of times, but it then goes off).
So, now have 4 new sensors, which were all programed to the original code. As a final effort, my mechanic assigned them all new codes, yesterday (the Hyundai mechanic suggested that). But, by the end of the day, the light has come back on.

Soooooo frustrating.

6

The replacement tire is the same make and model as the other three…which are now approximately 6 months old. I will have to take a look at the tread depth. I’m not really sure, but I would assume the other three are worn down, somewhat.

7

The TPMS light only came on a couple of times, in the past month. (not flashing), but turned off later in the day. The tire pressure light is what continues to come on and then go off. It comes on for a few days, then off for a few days…and continues that cycle.

8

The tire pressure remains the same on all four tires. None of the tires are losing any air.

9

Are you setting the tires to the pressures listed on the door jamb?

Are you doing it in the morning, when all of the tires are cold?

10

I guess it could be a bad TPMS module.

(Full disclosure…I’ve put black tape over both my TPMS warning lights…too annoying.)

11

Ideas

  • Maybe your tire pressures aren’t as high as you think, b/c the place you fill the tires with air has an inaccurate air gauge. Try filling the tires w/air at another location.

  • The wheel that was recently replaced, was a new tire pressure sensor installed in it at that time? If so, the new sensor might be faulty. Or if the old sensor was moved to the new wheel, it might have been damaged in the process. Or damaged when the car was driven on the rim. Ask your shop if they can determine which of the four tires is causing the problem. If it is always that one, install another sensor.

  • Make sure the spare tire’s inflated to spec. Some systems check the spare tire pressure too.

  • You might need to go to a Hyundai dealership shop to resolve this problem, as they might have a special Hyundai specific test gadget for this problem. Suggest you do that before allowing this problem to irritate you much more. They’ll almost certainly be able to diagnose and fix what’s broken.