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rolandheld1
VW Amarok TPMS Sensors Malfunction, Common Fix Guide
4 comment(s)
rolandheld1 (Author)
Thanks for the reply. My Amarok currently shows 137584km and the last sensors were never replaced since the car was new. The warning light stays on constantly, doesnt flash. The issue started happening more frequently during the last cold season, which makes me think the tire pressure fluctuations due to temperature might have stressed the aging sensors. After your response, I checked the manufacturing date on the TPMS air valve stems and they are indeed original from 2012. The constant tire pressure warnings despite proper tire inflation levels now make more sense, likely depleted sensor batteries after 11 years of service. Will book an appointment to get all sensors replaced since its probably more cost effective than replacing them one by one as they fail.
adrianblade5
Thanks for providing those details about your Amarok. The symptoms match exactly what I experienced, my Tiguan sensors were also original and failed around the 10 year mark with similar mileage. The correlation with cold weather and constant warning light is typical for failing TPMS sensors. Temperature changes affect tire pressure more noticeably when sensors start deteriorating. Getting all four replaced at once is definitely the smart move. The labor cost for programming is usually the same whether doing one or all sensors. A quick tip from my experience: after the new sensors are installed, you might need to drive about 10-15 minutes at various speeds to complete the system initialization. This helps the new sensors properly calibrate and communicate with the cars computer system. Also worth noting that the new generation TPMS sensors typically have improved battery life compared to the original 2012 units. When the workshop does the replacement, make sure they clear any stored tire pressure sensor fault codes from the system memory. Since youre having the work done, its a good opportunity to request a thorough tire check and inflation service. This ensures optimal performance of the new sensors from the start.
rolandheld1 (Author)
Thanks for all the helpful information. Youre right about the sensor battery life, I checked and my 2012 sensors are definitely showing their age. The constant warnings during cold weather were the main clue that got me concerned. Based on what youve shared, Im going ahead with replacing all four TPMS sensors at once. Makes sense to do them as a set since the labor and programming costs would be the same. The flat tire warnings despite correct pressure readings from my pressure gauge are clearly pointing to failing sensors. Ill make sure to ask the workshop to clear the stored air valve fault codes and do a complete tire pressure check while theyre at it. Good to know about the 10-15 minute drive needed for initialization, will plan for that when picking up the car. Really appreciate the insight about newer TPMS sensors having better battery life. At least I wont have to worry about this issue again for a long while. Will book the appointment this week to get it sorted.
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adrianblade5
As someone with some experience working on VWs, I dealt with a similar TPMS issue on my 2014 VW Tiguan. The symptoms were nearly identical, with constant low tire warnings despite correct pressure readings on my pressure gauge. After checking all the basics like the air valve condition and proper tire inflation, I took it to a workshop. The diagnostic revealed that the TPMS sensor batteries were depleted. These sensors are integrated into the air valve assemblies and cant be serviced separately. The repair involved replacing all four TPMS sensors, which cost 280€ total including programming. The warning lights disappeared immediately after the fix and havent returned since. Before you proceed with repairs, could you share: Have you noticed if the warnings appear more frequently when the temperature changes? Does the warning light stay on constantly or does it flash? When was the last time your TPMS sensors were replaced? This information would help determine if youre dealing with the same sensor battery issue or potentially something else. The Amarok uses a similar TPMS system to the Tiguan, so the repair process should be comparable. Also, while the pressure gauge readings are correct now, its worth monitoring them regularly as failing sensors can sometimes give false readings before completely dying.