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Tire Pressure System Fault


dougs
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Have a 2013 Cmax Energi , 4 months old,  just under 5K miles.  About a month ago, at highway speed we got a tire pressure system fault message (NOT the tire pressure warning - an actual fault in the monitoring system).  This shows up as a message on the left-sided screen, the tire pressure symbol flashes continuously, and then goes solid.  Did not recur for a while and then started getting the warning a couple times a week after driving for about 20 minutes at >45 miles an hour - but unpredictable.  Same thing - warning message comes on, and then usually goes off by itself after about 10 mins.  Always goes away after you shut off car and turn back on. Took to dealership who said everything checked out.  Then we started getting the warning every day.  Took it back to the dealership - who gave us the car back and said it was fine.  When asking further we were told:  "There were no faults in the computer, " and that the issue was a problem with one of the 4 sensors or the main sensor box, but since they couldn't pull a code - they wouldn't fix it.  We're supposed to bring it back when the light is on - - problem is that it is intermittent and turns itself off in 10-15 mins - less than the time it would take us to get to the dealership.  Asked if they couldn't replace one sensor and let us drive it, and keep swapping out sensors until we found the bad one - they said no - it would cost too much in labor and "Ford won't pay us for it".  Seems crazy to have a brand new car under warrantee with a documented problem - and to be told - "yeah you got an issue, but we can't figure it out without spending a lot of time - so tough luck."  Thoughts?

 

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Have a 2013 Cmax Energi , 4 months old,  just under 5K miles.  About a month ago, at highway speed we got a tire pressure system fault message (NOT the tire pressure warning - an actual fault in the monitoring system).  This shows up as a message on the left-sided screen, the tire pressure symbol flashes continuously, and then goes solid.  Did not recur for a while and then started getting the warning a couple times a week after driving for about 20 minutes at >45 miles an hour - but unpredictable.  Same thing - warning message comes on, and then usually goes off by itself after about 10 mins.  Always goes away after you shut off car and turn back on. Took to dealership who said everything checked out.  Then we started getting the warning every day.  Took it back to the dealership - who gave us the car back and said it was fine.  When asking further we were told:  "There were no faults in the computer, " and that the issue was a problem with one of the 4 sensors or the main sensor box, but since they couldn't pull a code - they wouldn't fix it.  ...

 dougs,

 

Let me see what I can do. Send me a PM with your name, phone number, current mileage, VIN, and dealer info. 

 

Welcome aboard.

 

Next time it happens take a picture of the screen for documentation since apparently no codes are stored.  There's a Ford rep (Ashley) that monitors this site and will likely ask you to contact her.  Perhaps she (or you can call Ford CS) can help resolve the issue. 

 

Make sure you get in touch with Ashley or Rebecca.  Sometimes an open case with Ford is the only way to get anything done at the dealership. 

 

Plus 3 Golfer and Edsel,

 

Thanks for sending people my way!

 

Ashley

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  • 1 month later...

A quick update:

Been back to the dealership about 6 times. They have now replaced all 4 sensors. Of all of the trips to the dealer, they have only been able to "pull a code" once, which said the driver side sensor was at fault.  This was the first sensor they replaced.  While the number of faults I'm getting has decreased, I continue to get them, so I am returning to the dealer again today for "more tests."  They seem to be at a loss, but at least are trying at this point.  In case you are still interested Ashley, how do I send you a personal email with the VIN/etc.?  Thanks folks.

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A quick update:

Been back to the dealership about 6 times. They have now replaced all 4 sensors. Of all of the trips to the dealer, they have only been able to "pull a code" once, which said the driver side sensor was at fault.  This was the first sensor they replaced.  While the number of faults I'm getting has decreased, I continue to get them, so I am returning to the dealer again today for "more tests."  They seem to be at a loss, but at least are trying at this point.  In case you are still interested Ashley, how do I send you a personal email with the VIN/etc.?  Thanks folks.

 

dougs,

 

Once you've got a few more posts, you can click on my name to the left of the post and send me a message that way.

 

Ashley

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  • 9 months later...

I just purchased a used 2013 C-Max Hybrid, 10,000 KM on it. Never been on the highway, to my knowledge. Anyhow, just took it on the highway on the way home, and within 5 minutes, the same warning came on the dash. The warning remained throughout the rest of my drive (mostly highway), and beeped again as I pulled onto my road. 

 

I have 7 months left in the warranty, and literally drove it home tonight and found this. How was yours resolved, dougs?

 

Ashley, are you able to help customers in Canada? Do you know who can, or should I go straight to the dealer?

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Not necessarily fixing the problem, but for about $25 you can get a transmitter that plugs into the OBD port, and then get a phone app that will read the individual tire pressures. That would tell you if one of the tire sensors is bad - and you would know the tire pressure at any time you like.

.... especially if using FORScan. The $25 spent to enable running FORScan IMO will be the best OBDII scanner for the C-Max but for a Ford IDS VCM 2 (at several $100 on Ebay but probably Chinese knock-off).  My guess is if there was a DTC set that triggered the tire pressure warning message, FORScan will report it.  

 

FORScan for Windows (Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8/8.1) and FORScan LIte for the Iphones (iOS v 6,0 and higher) is available now while FORScan Lite for Androids is in Beta testing.  

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The ELM327 wifi and bluetooth adapters that I have are plug-n-play. I bought mine on Amazon.  The only change I've made to the adapter is in a delay setting from 100 msec to 10 msec as FORScan indicated that my delay of IIRC 123 msec was "bad".

 

All the OBDII scan software that I have (FORScan, DashCommand, Torque Pro, EngineLink) automatically find the adapters.  You will likely have to pair the bluetooth adapter to the smartphone. So, all you do is download the OBDII software to a smartphone, tablet, of computer and run the App / program.

 

The benefit of FORScan over other Apps is that it is specifically for Ford products and thus scans virtually every module in the car for fault codes (DTCs).  Also, virtually all specific PIDs for Ford products have been implemented so there's no need to enter manufacturer specific PID data (if you can find it ;)) as one generally has to do in other Apps.

Edited by Plus 3 Golfer
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The ELM327 wifi and bluetooth adapters that I have are plug-n-play. I bought mine on Amazon.  The only change I've made to the adapter is in a delay setting from 100 msec to 10 msec as FORScan indicated that my delay of IIRC 123 msec was "bad".

 

All the OBDII scan software that I have (FORScan, DashCommand, Torque Pro, EngineLink) automatically find the adapters.  You will likely have to pair the bluetooth adapter to the smartphone. So, all you do is download the OBDII software to a smartphone, tablet, of computer and run the App / program.

 

The benefit of FORScan over other Apps is that it is specifically for Ford products and thus scans virtually every module in the car for fault codes (DTCs).  Also, virtually all specific PIDs for Ford products have been implemented so there's no need to enter manufacturer specific PID data (if you can find it ;)) as one generally has to do in other Apps.

Thank you kindly. This is a great help.

 

I ended up at Amazon and found one, and also noted the RioRand 310 looks interesting as an additional tool for its ability to actually clear Check Engine lights, when needed. 

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Thank you kindly. This is a great help.

 

I ended up at Amazon and found one, and also noted the RioRand 310 looks interesting as an additional tool for its ability to actually clear Check Engine lights, when needed.

 

Don't buy it. All the Apps I mentioned above read and clear fault codes that set the CEL - Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) and monitor the "readiness" bits for emissions inspections. If the fault causing the CEL has been fixed or otherwise goes away the CEL will be turned off. Clearing a fault code that is still active may cause the CEL to be turned off but during the next OBDIi check cycle, the CEL will again illuminate until the condition triggering the CEL clears. Edited by Plus 3 Golfer
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just be mindful that some of the blue tooth adapters  do not work with apple products.  or at least the 5c

 

I have the mini eml327  non wifi and I have to use an old  android phone.  I have been using the elm with torque(app)  to be able to run checks and such..

Edited by Marc Smith
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The ELM327 wifi and bluetooth adapters that I have are plug-n-play. I bought mine on Amazon.  The only change I've made to the adapter is in a delay setting from 100 msec to 10 msec as FORScan indicated that my delay of IIRC 123 msec was "bad".

 

All the OBDII scan software that I have (FORScan, DashCommand, Torque Pro, EngineLink) automatically find the adapters.  You will likely have to pair the bluetooth adapter to the smartphone. So, all you do is download the OBDII software to a smartphone, tablet, of computer and run the App / program.

 

The benefit of FORScan over other Apps is that it is specifically for Ford products and thus scans virtually every module in the car for fault codes (DTCs).  Also, virtually all specific PIDs for Ford products have been implemented so there's no need to enter manufacturer specific PID data (if you can find it ;)) as one generally has to do in other Apps.

Did I understand you correctly that the FORScan is not available for Android yet?

 

Also, I would think that WiFi would be preferrable, because I am already using a BT connection to the car.

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Did I understand you correctly that the FORScan is not available for Android yet?

 

Also, I would think that WiFi would be preferrable, because I am already using a BT connection to the car.

 

FORScan is only in beta apparently, I haven't seen it generally available for Android yet.

 

I use a Bluetooth ELM327 device with my Note 4 and Torque Pro.  It works fine and also connects to the car's bluetooth simultaneously.  

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