[czhang93]

I picked up my new 2021 X5 yesterday afternoon after 7 seeks wait after placing the order.

On the way driving home about a few miles later, I got TPM Malfunction message. I know every car will have this or that problem now and then. But on a brand new luxury and expensive one and on the way home? That is pretty disappointing no matter how minor it turns out be eventually. I waited anxiously for the car for 7 weeks with excitement but only felt disappointment a few hours after got the car. Come on! Can I just have some joy for a few days at the least?

After got home, I checked the pressure of all the tires and they are all correct. I also set the tire currently in iDrive and manually. It ask to drive off to get the measurement. So I did but the process stuck at 49% and after a few miles later. Error message pops again.

I kind notice this error message doesn't stay after completely turning off the engine. But once I drive, it will check the tire pressure in the background.

To me, it seems quite simple. The system just can't get the measurement for some reasons. Will go to the dealership tomorrow. Again, what an hassle!

[mitch57]

Originally Posted by czhang93

I picked up my new 2021 X5 yesterday afternoon after 7 seeks wait after placing the order.

On the way driving home about a few miles later, I got TPM Malfunction message. I know every car will have this or that problem now and then. But on a brand new luxury and expensive one and on the way home? That is pretty disappointing no matter how minor it turns out be eventually. I waited anxiously for the car for 7 weeks with excitement but only felt disappointment a few hours after got the car. Come on! Can I just have some joy for a few days at the least?

After got home, I checked the pressure of all the tires and they are all correct. I also set the tire currently in iDrive and manually. It ask to drive off to get the measurement. So I did but the process stuck at 49% and after a few miles later. Error message pops again.

I kind notice this error message doesn't stay after completely turning off the engine. But once I drive, it will check the tire pressure in the background.

To me, it seems quite simple. The system just can't get the measurement for some reasons. Will go to the dealership tomorrow. Again, what an hassle!

Did you try rebooting iDrive by holding in the volume button for about 30 seconds until the screen goes dark? That might just solve the problem for you.

[czhang93]

Originally Posted by mitch57

Did you try rebooting iDrive by holding in the volume button for about 30 seconds until the screen goes dark? That might just solve the problem for you.

Thanks I will try it right now.

[doctorttt]

You don't need to take it back to the dealer. It happened to me when I took delivery. Just reset TPM again and drive for like 15 mins or do. Your screen will show the percent indicator going up from 0% to 100% and issue will be resolved.

[RJJJ]

It happened to me several when I had the car for 3 months, I change the tire valve stem caps, reset TPMS, rebooted I drive and drive a few miles, problem solved

[czhang93]

Originally Posted by mitch57

Did you try rebooting iDrive by holding in the volume button for about 30 seconds until the screen goes dark? That might just solve the problem for you.

Thanks Again. But just tried. It didn't work. It stuck at 49%. A few miles after that, got the TPM Malfunction again.

[czhang93]

Originally Posted by doctorttt

You don't need to take it back to the dealer. It happened to me when I took delivery. Just reset TPM again and drive for like 15 mins or do. Your screen will show the percent indicator going up from 0% to 100% and issue will be resolved.

Thanks. I wish I don't need to.

I tried a few times what you described. The indicator went up normally until 49%. Then stuck there not moving. After a couple of miles or more, the TPM Malfunction message appears.

I made an appointment for tomorrow morning. Will report back what I know.

[czhang93]

Originally Posted by RJJJ

It happened to me several when I had the car for 3 months, I change the tire valve stem caps, reset TPMS, rebooted I drive and drive a few miles, problem solved

Based on what you said, it is possible there there is a problem with one of the stem caps? Hopefully that is the problem so dealer can fix it quickly.

[RJJJ]

Originally Posted by czhang93

Based on what you said, it is possible there there is a problem with one of the stem caps? Hopefully that is the problem so dealer can fix it quickly.

Forgot to mention, one cap was missing... but after I put the new cap on, TPMS failed again. After two days I reset again, it just fixed and never happen again

[jad03060]

FWIW, a good cap is the first line of sealing a tire...while the Schrader valve should seal things, a good cap, properly tightened is the better bet.

BMW declares a TPMS failure when it cannot see all of the sensors. I would much prefer that it show those it can see and show an error for the one(s) it can't...it would be much easier to diagnose. I think that it does set that info into the computer, but not everyone has the ability to read that out.

The batteries in the things should last a number of years, but it's possible to fail prematurely. I picked up a TPMS test tool cheap on a one-day sale. At the time, I had two vehicles, each with two sets of wheels, and it was easier to check them than take them in.

BMW tends to use one receiver for all four wheels, but over the years, I've had a couple of those receivers go bad. Some brands use a receiver at each wheel, but that tends to cost more, but it also lets the vehicle 'find' the TPMS faster.

Without reading the memory and checking the TPMS sensors, it's hard to say what's going on. Infant mortality happens.

[czhang93]

Originally Posted by jad03060

FWIW, a good cap is the first line of sealing a tire...while the Schrader valve should seal things, a good cap, properly tightened is the better bet.

BMW declares a TPMS failure when it cannot see all of the sensors. I would much prefer that it show those it can see and show an error for the one(s) it can't...it would be much easier to diagnose. I think that it does set that info into the computer, but not everyone has the ability to read that out.

The batteries in the things should last a number of years, but it's possible to fail prematurely. I picked up a TPMS test tool cheap on a one-day sale. At the time, I had two vehicles, each with two sets of wheels, and it was easier to check them than take them in.

BMW tends to use one receiver for all four wheels, but over the years, I've had a couple of those receivers go bad. Some brands use a receiver at each wheel, but that tends to cost more, but it also lets the vehicle 'find' the TPMS faster.

Without reading the memory and checking the TPMS sensors, it's hard to say what's going on. Infant mortality happens.

Thanks for the insight. I totally agree that the error message should show more info. I work in medical device industry and do device software. It is a coding standard to report the exact location of a failure if there is one. As you said, BMW software likely does know. But it doesn't want to give out all the information to the end users. Hopefully the faulty components/parts can be easily identified by the technician. Otherwise, I know they will start to replace this and that and do the guessing game instead of a good troubleshooting.

[jad03060]

The software is somewhat sophisticated, but the hardware is pretty simple:
- a sensor in each tire
- a receiving module

The software is unlikely to be the issue. I haven't researched the X5, but the other BMWs I've dealt with did not use four receivers...only one for the whole system.

But, that module does still need power and a solid CANBUS connection, so it could be as simple as a connector that wasn't seated properly.

[czhang93]

Originally Posted by jad03060

The software is somewhat sophisticated, but the hardware is pretty simple:
- a sensor in each tire
- a receiving module

The software is unlikely to be the issue. I haven't researched the X5, but the other BMWs I've dealt with did not use four receivers...only one for the whole system.

But, that module does still need power and a solid CANBUS connection, so it could be as simple as a connector that wasn't seated properly.

Thanks for the info. Some connection got loose is a boring and stereotype problem. Of course I would rather this is a simple problem so I can move on quickly.

I dropped the car at the dealership and the CA said I did the right thing by checking everything so it is up to the technician to find out what is the problem. He said it could be software or hardware problem. (?? what else between hardware and software?)

Using one receiver is actually more reliable overall otherwise there is 4x failure probability assuming the failure probability of each receiver is the same. But the location information of the signal from the tires need to be available. I am not familiar with how it works always thinking it is a quite simple system. My 18-year old Lexus never gave me problem with TPM.

[jad03060]

The reason why it takes awhile when you have new TPMS installed for the vehicle to determine which one is which is that while each unit has a unique ID, sort of like what happens with Ethernet cards, there's nothing in that signal that says where the tire is located. The TPMS only broadcasts periodically based on its orientation, and the vehicle uses the intervals to decide where it is as each one is independent of the others. As you vary from a straight line, the distance traveled will slightly change for each wheel, and the time between the TPMS reporting out will change, and after awhile, the computer can figure out which signal is coming from where based on the rotation of each wheel along your course. A slightly curvy road tends to give you a reset faster than a ruler straight one. Once the vehicle learns which sensor is in a wheel location, it stores the ID code of that sensor, so only needs enough rotations to get an unambiguous signal (they could at times try to broadcast at the same time, confusing things until the rotations get enough out of sync to allow them to not interfere with each other).

It's easier if there's a receiver by each wheel, but as you noted, the hardware costs are higher and reliability goes down. The downside of one receiver is that at least initially, it can take awhile to figure out which wheel is the one transmitting. Combining the ABS sensor that gives information about the wheel travel and the TPMS's periodic transmission is enough to locate each wheel's sensor.

[czhang93]

Update on dealer visit due to TMP Malfunction:

I dropped the car early morning 7:20am and I was told that I would get an update at lunch time. I checked the car status via BMWConnected app around 10:00am and noticed under "Check Control Messages" there is "OK Tire Pressure". The latest update was 9:00am. All door were locked. I figured it got fixed by that time. Around lunch time, the CA called me the car is OK to pick up and one of the sensors are bad. I picked up my car afternoon and everything is OK now.

This is the exact text on the invoice:

VERIFIED WARNING ON,HOOKED UP BATTERY CHARGER,PERFORMED VEHICLE TEST FOUND FAULT FOR FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ELECTRONIC NO RECEPTION AS PER TEST PLAN USED RDC TOOL AND TESTED ALL SENSORS. FRONT RIGHT SENSOR INTERMITTENTLY NOT READING CORRECTLY. DETERMINE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ELECTRONIC TO BE FAULTY.
Correction: REPLACED FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ELECTRONICS, SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED TIRE PRESSURE RESET.

So not too bad that it turned out to be at least a straight-forward problem even I still think new car should have very low rate of failure. Everyone just think he is not the unlucky one but when most of time we are Ok with a lot of things, occasionally we might be unlucky. It makes statistic sense.

[taybo20]

I have this exact issue as the OP describes. I guess I’ll schedule a service call. Thanks OP!

[DCC]

Originally Posted by czhang93

Update on dealer visit due to TMP Malfunction:

I dropped the car early morning 7:20am and I was told that I would get an update at lunch time. I checked the car status via BMWConnected app around 10:00am and noticed under "Check Control Messages" there is "OK Tire Pressure". The latest update was 9:00am. All door were locked. I figured it got fixed by that time. Around lunch time, the CA called me the car is OK to pick up and one of the sensors are bad. I picked up my car afternoon and everything is OK now.

This is the exact text on the invoice:

VERIFIED WARNING ON,HOOKED UP BATTERY CHARGER,PERFORMED VEHICLE TEST FOUND FAULT FOR FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ELECTRONIC NO RECEPTION AS PER TEST PLAN USED RDC TOOL AND TESTED ALL SENSORS. FRONT RIGHT SENSOR INTERMITTENTLY NOT READING CORRECTLY. DETERMINE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ELECTRONIC TO BE FAULTY.
Correction: REPLACED FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ELECTRONICS, SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED TIRE PRESSURE RESET.

So not too bad that it turned out to be at least a straight-forward problem even I still think new car should have very low rate of failure. Everyone just think he is not the unlucky one but when most of time we are Ok with a lot of things, occasionally we might be unlucky. It makes statistic sense.

I am glad to read your issue has been resolved.
I assume they had to dismount, remount, and rebalance that tire to replace the TPMS sensor... did you notice different wheel balancing weights on that wheel?