[AllBlackBimmer]

2008 328i
I have the yellow light, but I do not have individual tire pressures, or any pressures shown at all.
I do not have idrive. My cluster does NOT indicate which tire is low, or psi, the yellow light just comes on.

On my stock 17 wheels I use for winter, when I swap them on, the yellow light goes out which makes me think I have some type of sensor in the tire?

When I put my aftermarket 19s on, the yellow light comes on and stays on... I can honestly say I have never even tried resetting it with he new wheels to even see if it works

So which system do I have?
Is there something physically inside my stock wheels/tires? Or, do I have the FTM with nothing inside and only uses ABS?

[nsjames]

put vin in newtis
look for RDC module.

but you probably have an RDC based TPMS system, I'm not sure if FTM was even available in NA for the pre lci models.

it's easy to code to FTM so it just works with whatever is mounted.
I did it when my RDC unit failed.

[Efthreeoh]

If your stock wheels have metal valve stems and plastic valve stem caps, the car has TPMS. All TMPS sensors have metal valve stems. FTM BMWs have regular rubber valve stems.

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by nsjames

put vin in newtis
look for RDC module.

but you probably have an RDC based TPMS system, I'm not sure if FTM was even available in NA for the pre lci models.

it's easy to code to FTM so it just works with whatever is mounted.
I did it when my RDC unit failed.

What is an “RDC” ?

Not looking to code, just trying to figure out what is in my car

[nsjames]

the rdc is the box that receives the tpms signals.

[RayLivingston]

I would assume a 2008 would be the same as a 2007 - NO TPMS. Instead, it looks at the speed of the four wheels. If one is consistently faster than the others, that indicates low tire pressure, and it turns on the light. Of course, if gives NO warning if ALL tires are equally low.

After correcting the tire pressures, you can reset the light using the Reset menu of the instrument panel display.

Regards,
Ray L.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by RayLivingston

I would assume a 2008 would be the same as a 2007 - NO TPMS. Instead, it looks at the speed of the four wheels. If one is consistently faster than the others, that indicates low tire pressure, and it turns on the light. Of course, if gives NO warning if ALL tires are equally low.

After correcting the tire pressures, you can reset the light using the Reset menu of the instrument panel display.

Regards,
Ray L.

All vehicles sold in the US after 9/1/07 were required to have TPMS.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by RayLivingston

I would assume a 2008 would be the same as a 2007 - NO TPMS...

Major premise "needs adjustment".

My 2007 328xi, built 3/14/2007 has TPMS, "Tyre Pressure Control", Option # S2VB, and YES, it has METAL Valve Stems. Mine is NOT "loaded" and has only 20 Modules (NO iDrive or CIC, etc.).

George

[AllBlackBimmer]

Ok so I put my winter wheels on today...
My stock wheels have metal valve stem, and do indeed have TPMS inside my stock wheels.
I have sensors, but on my gauge cluster I only have low indicator yellow light. I do not have individual tire notification, nor do I have PSI read outs.
... talk about a “cheap” TPMS system! But understand it was new at the time.
Too bad can’t change to individual PSI of each tire.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

Ok so I put my winter wheels on today...
My stock wheels have metal valve stem, and do indeed have TPMS inside my stock wheels.
I have sensors, but on my gauge cluster I only have low indicator yellow light. I do not have individual tire notification, nor do I have PSI read outs.
... talk about a “cheap” TPMS system! But understand it was new at the time.
Too bad can’t change to individual PSI of each tire.

you got those things when you bought idrive.

you have a base model car, what do you want?

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

...do indeed have TPMS inside my stock wheels. [Actually, you have Battery-powered pressure sensors inside your tires, mounted on the inner-end of the metal valve stem. There are 6 components outside the tires that comprise the "TPMS System": Transmitter in each wheel well, which receives the signal from the pressure sensor; Antenna behind RR wheel, and RDC Module in Trunk (Components were changed in 2010). TIS Circuit Diagram with components identified is linked below]
I have sensors, but on my gauge cluster I only have low indicator yellow light. I do not have individual tire notification, nor do I have PSI read outs... talk about a “cheap” TPMS system! But understand it was new at the time.
[Actually it was NOT new on your 2008 model ] Too bad can’t change to individual PSI of each tire.

Here is TIS circuit diagram, identifying TPMS components:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ontrol/vEMv9gS

If your Instrument Cluster has a yellow tire icon lit after engine start (which indicates a fault of some type in the TPMS system), you should also have a "!" in a yellow triangle to the right of the Gear display. Use "Check Control" and you will see a CC-ID Code from "139" to "147". CC-ID #139 indicates Left Front tire pressure is ~ 5 PSIG or more LOWER than the pressure at which it was "Set." There is a different code for EACH tire.

For those who want to understand how their car actually works and what it CAN do, I would suggest downloading Bentley Manual in FREE searchable pdf format from the LINK provided in the attached "E9x References." A Table of (nearly all) "Check Control" Codes is found beginning at Section 020-55, or pages 125 - 137 of pdf. The Instrument Cluster ONLY displays the CC-ID code numbers, and NOT the definition (CC-ID 139 would be all you would see using Check Control if your left front tire is low). So unless you have memorized 139 = Left Front tire Low, you need to carry those 13 pages with you: printout in glovebox, pdf on phone, etc. A less-comprehensive CC-ID list is found in the second attached pdf: "Warning Lamps & CC-ID."

INPA will indicate Pressure & Temperature in EACH tire, as well as the "Setpoint" Pressure. It will provide fault codes to identify faults OTHER than simply low pressure, and it allows testing of components in F6 Activation (Steuern) Mode.

For $45 you can get the BimmerGeeks K+DCAN cable and connect your laptop to the OBD II Socket, free Download of BMW Standard Tools (including INPA & NCS (Dummy/Expert), and you can learn how to do anything a good shop SHOULD know how to do. Using NCS Dummy, you can even "De-activate" (Nicht Aktiv) the TPMS system and use FTM when running tires that have NO metal valve stems with Pressure Sensors inside.

WITHOUT INPA, or any separate tool of any kind, you can at least identify which tire has low pressure, or get the CC-ID for whatever fault is reported by "Check Control." If ONE tire is low, should probably check all 4 with gauge. You DO carry a tire gauge in the car don't you? Might want to consider adding a 12V Compressor & Tire Plug Kit if you haven't already

Most people driving cars these days, if they know anything at all about their cars, ONLY know enough to be dangerous. So BMW just provides "On Board" information for that level of knowledge/ignorance. Just look at the tool kit provided, and you will see what BMW bean counters thought of the "mechanical/electrical-aptitude" of BMW owners (or perhaps they were "projecting" ;-). Only useful tool is sunroof crank, & most drivers probably don't know: where tool kit is, what's in it, how to use it, or where the Owner's Manual is (that tells you all of the above).

George

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by nsjames

you got those things when you bought idrive.

you have a base model car, what do you want?

I understand that, that’s not what I’m saying.

I’m saying, it’s generally a pointless system that I have.
I have driven LCI non-idrive models, and they have individual psi readouts on the gauge cluster, as typical in most vehicles.
You would think a system, with sensors in each tire that the system would be able to output individual tire PSI, but the pre-LCI systems are a simple low tire indicator light, without knowing which tire, or by how much psi.

I am 100% happy I bought my car optioned as it is, without I-drive.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

I understand that, that’s not what I’m saying.

I’m saying, it’s generally a pointless system that I have.
I have driven LCI non-idrive models, and they have individual psi readouts on the gauge cluster, as typical in most vehicles.
You would think a system, with sensors in each tire that the system would be able to output individual tire PSI, but the pre-LCI systems are a simple low tire indicator light, without knowing which tire, or by how much psi.

I am 100% happy I bought my car optioned as it is, without I-drive.

I deleted the TPMS and went FTM so I didn't have to maintain wheels with working TPMS sensors.
It's there to alert you to a low tire, and that it does.
Is it so difficult to get out and check your four tire's pressure when the light comes on?
To say it's useless means you don't understand why it's there.
It's there solely to alert you to a tire pressure issue that you wouldn't feel because of the run flat tires originally fitted. That's it.

[ewicky]

Originally Posted by dpaul

All vehicles sold in the US after 9/1/07 were required to have TPMS.

But this is allowed to be indirect TPMS, also known as FTM.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by ewicky

But this is allowed to be indirect TPMS, also known as FTM.

Not at the time that the regulations were first enacted. At that time, most systems did not meet the "4-tire, 25%" rule. Did you think that BMW decided to spend the money on all the additional hardware required for direct TPMS because they thought it was the best solution? Indirect systems improved over time and some manufactures re-instituted them, at least for a while. I don't think BMW did although I'm not sure of that.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.do...Sfinalrule.pdf

[ewicky]

Originally Posted by dpaul

Not at the time that the regulations were first enacted. At that time, most systems did not meet the "4-tire, 25%" rule. Did you think that BMW decided to spend the money on all the additional hardware required for direct TPMS because they thought it was the best solution? Indirect systems improved over time and some manufactures re-instituted them, at least for a while. I don't think BMW did although I'm not sure of that.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.do...Sfinalrule.pdf

Mhmm. Although I think BMW went TPMS because run flat tires need it.

[dpaul]

Originally Posted by ewicky

Mhmm. Although I think BMW went TPMS because run flat tires need it.

Sounds like complete nonsense to me but if you have a link to a reference I'd enjoy reading it.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by dpaul

Not at the time that the regulations were first enacted. At that time, most systems did not meet the "4-tire, 25%" rule. Did you think that BMW decided to spend the money on all the additional hardware required for direct TPMS because they thought it was the best solution? Indirect systems improved over time and some manufactures re-instituted them, at least for a while. I don't think BMW did although I'm not sure of that.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.do...Sfinalrule.pdf

Many manufacturers have gone back to indirect systems, neither my '17 GTI nor my '18 Fiata have sensors. Thankfully.