2008 Mini Cooper S TPMS

[jeffclement61]

My TPMS will not relearn/reset. I have the push button on the console and the I have tried following the 1) Turn the key to position turn, 2) Push the reset/relearn key 3) Drive the car. This is not working. The light flashes and stays lit.

I have had a tire dealer validate that each tire is inflated correctly and each tire is sending a code. Seems like the problem is deeper in the receiving/TPMS side.

I can't find any information on a hard reset of the TPMS or how to diagnose if the TPMS module is bad. Based on the parts look-up on Pelican Parts, the implication is that there is sensor (not in the tire) and the car has 4 of them: MINI TPMS Sensor Transmitter - 3623677104.

Anyone know how I can diagnose which one of the 4 is bad? Where are there located? Anyone with a schematic/diagram or can point me to source of more information.

It is also been suggested that a purchase a TPMS diagnostic tool: Autel TS501. Based on a quick look online - this tool costs about $200.00.

Would love some guidance, insight and direction before I spend the money on a tool that may or may not help.

Any and all insight is appreciated.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

There are two different kinds of TPMS used on MINIs.

One type uses the ABS sensor rings on the wheels to compare wheel speeds. The idea is that if one wheel is consistently spinning faster than the others, then it must have a smaller diameter and therefore must be underinflated. Presumably the software will ignore differences that are small enough, and will compare data over some period of time, but I don't know what those specifics are.

The other type uses four sensors to directly measure pressure. These are attached to the valve stems, on end of the stem that is inside the tire. These have small pressure sensors and a little low-powered radio transmitter (probably something like Bluetooth but even lower-powered and one-way) that tell the computers in the car when the pressures change. I don't think they send an absolute pressure reading, but I'm not sure about that. These sensors have batteries built into them to power them, and the batteries do eventually die. As far as I know, the valve stem and sensor has to be replaced when the battery dies.

I do not know which yours would have; I know that for my 2012 all of the US-market MINIs had the direct-sensor type. On my car, I get notified which tire has low pressure detected; the readout in the tach shows a pointer on each corner that has a low tire.

I think your best course of action at this point is to find a dealer or an independent shop that has the equipment to check what the car is seeing. Remember that generic code readers will only find some of the information you need; the shop needs the actual BMW- or MINI-specific reader.

--DD