Want to retrofit TPMS but don't want to spend a dime?

[nitroscope8]

For any MKV jetta/golf/rabbit without tire pressure monitoring. Also, can disable your regular TPMS and go with this style so you don't need to replace wheel sensors and allows you to swap wheels with ease.

Here's how! There are two types of Tire pressure monitoring systems used in MKV vehicles. There is a direct system where each wheel has a sensor in it and it transmits data to the tire pressure module (located within the comfort module) via the same frequency the door lock remote uses. Then there is the indirect method. This is the method we will be using for your retrofit.

Indirect tire monitoring uses the ABS wheel speed sensors and the ABS module to determine a flat tire. It uses rpm, rotational frequency, and other frequencies picked up through the wheel speed sensors to determine which tire is low on air.

Tools: VCDS (vagcom)

Go into 03 brake electronics. Click coding. Subtract 16384 from your stock coding. Mine was 0021122, so after I was done I entered 0004738 and clicked DO IT.

Set your tires to spec and drive. Now any tire or tires losing air will be detected. It may take 10 or more miles for the car to learn your current tires before it would trigger a warning light. OEMPL.US sells a tpms switch and kufatec harness to give you a reset button, but this is not needed. You can decode, then recode the module again if you need to reset the light. I have not found an easier way yet, so ill post up when i'm done experimenting. Turn the key off and on to see your TPMS light flash on then off to show you it's working.

This will work on a MKVI also, but that has a different abs module and is long coded. It's simple to do but Ill have another writeup for that.

[drive]

So this method is not turned on by default because the cars come with TPMS 'valves' in the wheels?

[nitroscope8]

Correct. NO NA spec car has the ABS tpms feature (unless you have a late model MKVI golf/ MKVI jetta) If your car has TPMS otherwise, it's the version with sensors in the wheels.

[DUSlider]

Just to clarify. If our vehicles came with TPMS sensors in the wheels we can turn the ABS module method on with this simple Vag-com edit if we ever remove the sensors or change wheels that don't have sensors? I'm assuming this would have to be reset whenever you changed wheels/tires?

If this is the case I need to add this to my book of Vag-Com changes. haha.

[nitroscope8]

Correct. You can disable TPMS by unchecking 65 TPMS in 19 gateway. This will deactivate the tpms you have now. Then, activate the ABS version as described in my first post. You should only use one or the other at any one time, however.

[BIGGREEK]

and why couldnt have you notified me of this earlier.......lol

EDIT: wait this was posted last month.... -_- (got so pissed, I spontaneously combusted)

[nitroscope8]

Lol.

[dombleu]

No intention trial here but: What could be the reason for VW not enabling a feature available like this? And why Are they going with the ABS system in Europe?

[DUSlider]

No intention trial here but: What could be the reason for VW not enabling a feature available like this? And why Are they going with the ABS system in Europe?

Not sure to be honest, but all of VW NA vehicles use the ABS method now AFAIK.

[dombleu]

I'm happy this method is now "de facto" on new NA VWs. Why have another system in place when the ABS can do the job...

Ok. I Enabled that ABS tpms. I do get a flat tire light in the dash when I put the key on. Wich disapear after 2 or 3 seconds. I drove I little, like 25 kms, and tried to trigger that system, so I let some air goind out one of the rear tires. I'm usually at 38PSI. I left the air remaining after I got out of the range of the pressure meter, wich is about 15-20 PSI. No warning. I could feel that the tire was low. Weird cornering and just staring at the tire is enough to say something is not right. But no warning.

What's wrong?

Does that system have anything to do with ESP? I only have ASR....