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VEHICLE CARE 359


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Tire Pressure Monitor Operation

This vehicle may have a Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS). The TPMS is designed to warn the driver when a

low tire pressure condition exists.

TPMS sensors are mounted onto each

tire and wheel assembly, excluding the spare tire and wheel assembly. The

TPMS sensors monitor the air

pressure in the tires and transmit the tire pressure readings to a receiver

located in the vehicle.


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When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the TPMS illuminates the

low tire pressure warning light on the instrument cluster. If the warning

light comes on, stop as soon as

possible and inflate the tires to the

recommended pressure shown on the Tire and Loading Information label.

See Vehicle Load Limits 0 211.

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A message to check the pressure in a specific tire displays in the Driver

Information Center (DIC). The low tire pressure warning light and the DIC

warning message come on at each ignition cycle until the tires are

inflated to the correct inflation

pressure. Using the DIC, tire pressure levels can be viewed. For additional

information and details about the DIC operation and displays see Driver

Information Center (DIC) 0 160.

The low tire pressure warning light may come on in cool weather when the vehicle is first started, and then

turn off as the vehicle is driven. This

could be an early indicator that the air pressure is getting low and needs to

be inflated to the proper pressure.

A Tire and Loading Information label, attached to your vehicle, shows the

size of the original equipment tires

and the correct inflation pressure for the tires when they are cold. See

Vehicle Load Limits 0 211, for an

example of the Tire and Loading

Information label and its location. Also see Tire Pressure 0 356.

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The TPMS can warn about a low tire pressure condition but it does not

replace normal tire maintenance. See

Tire Inspection 0 361, Tire Rotation

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0 362 and Tires 0 348.


Caution

Tire sealant materials are not all the same. A non-approved tire

sealant could damage the TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor damage

caused by using an incorrect tire sealant is not covered by the

vehicle warranty. Always use only the GM approved tire sealant

available through your dealer or included in the vehicle.


Factory-installed Tire Inflator Kits use a GM approved liquid tire sealant.

Using non-approved tire sealants

could damage the TPMS sensors. See Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit 0 370 for information regarding the inflator kit materials and instructions.

360 VEHICLE CARE


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TPMS Malfunction Light and Message

The TPMS will not function properly if one or more of the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable. When the

system detects a malfunction, the low tire pressure warning light flashes for about one minute and then stays on

for the remainder of the ignition cycle. A DIC warning message also displays.

The malfunction light and DIC

warning message come on at each ignition cycle until the problem is

corrected. Some of the conditions that can cause these to come on are:

. One of the road tires has been

replaced with the spare tire. The spare tire does not have a TPMS

sensor. The malfunction light and DIC message should go off after

the road tire is replaced and the sensor matching process is

performed successfully. See TPMS Sensor Matching Processlater in

this section.

. The TPMS sensor matching process was not done or not completed successfully after

rotating the tires. The malfunction

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light and the DIC message should go off after successfully

completing the sensor matching process. See "TPMS Sensor

Matching Process" later in this section.

. One or more TPMS sensors are missing or damaged. The

malfunction light and the DIC

message should go off when the TPMS sensors are installed and

the sensor matching process is

performed successfully. See your dealer for service.

. Replacement tires or wheels do

not match the original equipment tires or wheels. Tires and wheels

other than those recommended could prevent the TPMS from

functioning properly. See Buying New Tires 0 364.

. Operating electronic devices or being near facilities using radio wave frequencies similar to the TPMS could cause the TPMS

sensors to malfunction.

If the TPMS is not functioning

properly it cannot detect or signal a

low tire pressure condition. See your

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dealer for service if the TPMS

malfunction light and DIC message comes on and stays on.

TPMS Sensor Matching Process

Each TPMS sensor has a unique

identification code. The identification code needs to be matched to a new

tire/wheel position after rotating the

vehicles tires or replacing one or more

of the TPMS sensors. The TPMS

sensor matching process should also be performed after replacing a spare tire with a road tire containing the

TPMS sensor. The malfunction light

and the DIC message should go off at the next ignition cycle. The sensors

are matched to the tire/wheel

positions, using a TPMS relearn tool, in the following order: driver side

front tire, passenger side front tire, passenger side rear tire, and driver

side rear. See your dealer for service or to purchase a relearn tool. A TPMS

relearn tool can also be purchased. See Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor

Activation Tool at

www.gmtoolsandequipment.com or call 1-800-GM TOOLS

(1-800-468-6657).