M3This

Hey guys I have a issue with my car but wanted to run it by you guys first to see if you had any ideas.

I recently did some updates with my car and since I messed with it Im now getting a TPMS Malfunction light that pops up about 5 min after starting the car.

Here is what I did:

1) Changed Tires
2) Pulled the fender liners back to put in fog light blubs back in (as when I swapped to the M5 bumper I took the bulbs out and as a result got fog light errors every time I started the car)
3) Swapped to a 20mm spacer from a 15mm one

Now I read a lot of things on the net already on this. Most people get this because of the following reasons

1) Bad or incorrect sensors.
2) Adjustment in tire pressure due to heavy temp change
3) TPMS box on the car goes bad

Now I took the car back to discount tire when the malfunction light was on and they said that all the sensors where reading but for some reason the passenger side front and rear where reading the same (meaning the car though both the front and rear wheel where the same wheel). They told me on the BMWs that the car programs the sensors and when you do a reset it should fix it. They however used their tool to reprogram all 4 wheels but 5 mins after I left the malfunction light came back on.

I pulled the wheels off but cant seem to find the TPMS boxes on the car to check and see if I knocked something loose, so Im not thinking its that. Also I dont think larger spacers will have anything to do with it either.

Anyone have any ideas????

luigi524td

What "tool" did they use to reprogram the TPMS?
YIKES!!!!!!!
Those are reset via iDrive. I suspect, IF they plugged into your BMW's computers, they messed something up that caused this error message. It's really dangerous to have tire jockeys at some places do anything on a BMW. Have you carefully inflated the tires to the recommended psi and then using iDrive, RESET the TPMS. Drive a mile or two and if all is normal the iDrive warning goes away.

Nothing else you said you did could cause the problem UNLESS you disrupted some wiring under the wheel wells wherever the TPMS antennae are located.

Persian_535i

+1, no programming or reprogramming is required even for new TPMS. All TPMS resetting and configuration is done via IDrive system.
I had my new TPMS installed on my new wheels at discount tire also, luckily the guy that did it knew what he was doing and told me to reset them in my IDrive.

M3This

Sorry for long delay in posting back on here ... have had zero time.

Anyway here is the deal. Discount Tire has a handheld device that they hold up near the sensor on the tire and it tells them if the 1) the sensors are reading and 2) the sensor IDs. When they scanned my wheels two of the wheels had duplicate IDs (passenger front and rear had the same IDs). They said the car was thinking it only had three wheels on it and that was most likely the cause of the TPMS Malfunction error. Their tool then reset the IDs on all 4 wheels and I did a reset on the iDrive as well. Drove the car and 5min later same malfunction. Two days go by as I didnt have any time to deal with it and I come out to a low tire on front passenger side. So I thought to my self, "this must be the issue, its leaking air slowly" (about 10psi every 2-3 days). So I took the wheel back to discount, and had them remount it as well as replace the sensor just in case it wasnt holding its programming. Get the wheel back now with new sensor (BMW OEM part) and put it back on the car, drive the car, boom, same TPMS Malfunction. Check the air pressure after a full day and its holding air fine, no leaks this time. So tonight I jack the car up and check all the wires in front two wheel wells everything looks connected and fine, check under the fender liners where I was messing with the fog light wiring and everything is connected fine nothing loose.

Now Im totally stumped.

questions:

1) Can anyone tell me where the TPMS antennas are located on the E60/61 in each wheel well? If I know this I can trace the wiring back.

2) Anyone else had a duplicate ID on sensors, if so did you figure out what was causing this?

Thanks for any help any one can provide.

sahiljain22

Any potential liquid leak in your trunk? There is a RDC unit in the spare tire well that can get soaked with even a little bit of water (I once had a bag of ice accidentally melt and got the TPMS error the next day)

inktoxicated

everytime i swap my wheels from summer to winter i always get a idrive warning. i simple go thru the idrive and reset it and drive a few miles while it intializes. then its better. i dunno if u have the same setup or not. idrives pop alot of warnings from time to time. to much bullshit on the car imo

M3This

I dont think so, but Ill check. Its in the spare tire well?

M3This

It ended up being the part the reads the TPMS that mounted on the car in the passenger side rear. The part simply went bad and BMW replaced it under warranty.

Just thought I would update this post in case anyone else had a issue.

aTX427

Sorry to hijack your thread, but I have the same problem and suspect that it was from my cooler spilling over in the trunk driving home last night.


Did your problem go away after everything dried out or did you need to replace the RDC?


Was it the EDC module that they replaced over the spare tire? If not, what exactlydid they replace and exactly where was it located please?

aTX427

Just in case someone else has this problem. I replaced the RDC $290 from the dealerand it was plug n play - no dealer Programming needed. Just reset the TPM using the iDrive. I also relocated the module behind the driver's side trunk panel and everything works great.