So last night my tire pressure monitor sensor came on on the freeway. I drove home and let it sit over night to see if how the tires were in the morning. After checking the pressure, they are definetly not underinflated.

Some things I have done recently (but all of them a few days before the TPMS light came on) are changed the rear brakes, removed spare tire, and inflated tires to ~39psi.

Are there things I should look for or anything I have done caused this?

 

Did you reset the system after inflating your tires? Whenever you alter tire pressures, the system needs to be reinitialized.

 

Reset the light you should be fine after that. I don't think its anything you did wrong. Now if it does not reset could be a sensor on the rear wheel.

 

I'll give that a try but it would seem strange to me that the light wouldn't come on until after ~1 week after inflating the tire. It's been about that long since I pumped the tires up.

 

The system on the '05s measures tire rotation using the ABS sensors. So... you've either got a tire rotation difference (one tire significantly more worn than another, or genuine differences in pressure between tires) OR a sensor/system problem.

Check to see if there are differences between pressure on any of the tires. As little as 2-3 psi can trip the system. Check tire wear - do you have one new tire and 3 very worn ones? Also, since you've done the rear brakes, check to be sure the sensors are functioning, lined up, plugged in (look for dangling wires, sensors that aren't where they should be, etc.)

 

BTW, 39psi is awfully high.

 

Not really. My runflats call for 38psi. My money is on what you did to the brakes, not the tire inflation. 2-3psi dirrerence shouldn't trigger it. Mine just lit up, but the tire had 27psi (others 38) and it had a big 'ole nail in it.

 

I'm also guessing it was something with the brakes. I'll check for some loose/dangling wires to see if that is the issue.

So the way the system works is that is senses if there is a difference in rotations among the wheels for a given distance? That is pretty neat.

Hopefully I didn't mess up any ABS wiring when messing with the brakes. The only wiring I thought I came accross was the sensor wire in the brake pad. Does the ABS wire attach to any of the calipers?

 

I don't THINK so, but I'm unsure (haven't done my brakes yet).

 

Wheel hop under acceleration can also trigger the system. Even wheel spin on loose gravel/wet conditions.

Check tire pressures, reset the system, then see what happens.

Mark

 

I did take a couple hard turns some bumpy roads a few minutes before it came on. So my plan is 1. check for loose wires, 2. reset system, and 3. hope it doesn't come back on.

I'll have to do a search to find how to reset the system.

 

Don't forget the tire pressure check, and good luck!

 

What do you mean by "call for?" Tires typically only list Max. pressure. Optimal pressure is determined by the vehicle OEM (not the tire manufacturer) and is on a sticker in the driver's side door frame.

And, yes, the MINI system was touted as sensitive enough to monitor a difference as little as 2 psi. It is, afterall, a warning system to help folks avoid failure not just alert them of failure.

 

It's in the manual, and it's really simple (so simple I forgot how!). A few simple left stalk button pushes.

 

On the R53/R50 there's a reset switch, located under the handbrake. Turn the car on, press the switch for a few seconds until the light goes out, then drive off (IIRC, the manual has good directions). If there are no malfunctions and tire pressure is good, you should be all set.

 

I've had my light go off several times with no issue found. I reset system and checked that the tire pressures were fine. After the reset no problem.

This also happened when it started to get cold too. Again I reset system and checked tire pressures. Haven't had it come on since October now.

 

When you say there is a switch under the handbrake do you mean it is visable without removing things am I going to have to remove some things to get to it?

 

It should be the only button under your handbrake.