Has anyone with a 2011-2012 had problems getting the truck to recognize the new TPMS after switching rims?

Bought a new 2011 SCREW Lariat with stock 18" wheels. They could not find the exact truck we wanted with 20" wheels without ordering it.

A week later the same Ford dealer had a set of 20" takeoffs from a 2012 Expedition Limited (same wheels as the F150 Platinum). The takeoffs had 8 miles on them. I bought them and put them on the truck myself, since the procedure to get the truck to 'learn' the new sensors seemed pretty straightforward and the dealer wanted $100 to swap the wheels, change the tire size in the computer, and do the TPMS learn procedure.

I have done the TPMS Learn procedure according to the Owner's Manual ten times and haven't been able to get the truck to recognize the new sensors at all. I made sure the old rims where 100' away so they wouldn't interfere. The Low Pressure Sensor fault finally triggered after driving for 60+ miles, and now randomly goes off. I rolled the old rims back near their old position on the truck and it recognized them immediately. (Yes, there are sensors in the new set of wheels. At first I suspected they took them out but the valve stems are the sensor type)

When I asked the Service Dept about it by phone, the service writer thought it had banded sensors and required a tool to trigger them, and the service tech/mechanic said he thought the 18" and 20" wheels used sensors with different frequencies (the 18" Lariat sensors and 20" Expedition Limited sensors are the same part number, so I don't think so). I don't have any confidence in their competency plus they are a two hour drive away.

Is there anyone who has run into this before and has successfully resolved it? Thanks in advance.

 

Just because it has the valve stems for sensors, doesn't mean that senors are attached. The are screwed on and can be detached.

 

This is VERY true. I just purchased a set of takeoffs and the seller told me the sensors were in there. I believed him and went ahead, turns out EITHER the shop that put his tires on this new wheels took them out and DID NOT TELL him or he was TRYING to pull a fast one.

He claims to be paying me for them - trouble if he does not.

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NOW, on my '11 when I put some new wheels on with sensors, the '11 autolearned them. Take this for what info you can get from it (and the above) about your situation.

 

The Expedition and Lariat use the same freq sensors regardless of the wheel size. Both vehicles use direct TPMS - not banded. The Expedition requires the use of the Ford Trigger tool to initialize the sensors while the Lariat SC's can be initialized using the owner's manual. Not sure if that is the reason for the issue, though it should not matter...

 

<sigh>
I was hoping that I wouldn't have to crack open 8 tires to switch sensors around but that's what it looks like it's going to come down to.

 

The Tire Rack has a device to initialize the sensors on the Ford vehicles. Open the link and it will show the device plus provide instructions to initialize them.
http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/...toring+Systems

 

The Ford trigger tool will not work on his 2011 F-150. Here are the instructions to register your new sensors:
Your vehicle was equipped from the factory with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that turns on every time you start the engine.
When new sensors are installed, they must be registered by deflating the tires.
1.) Drive the vehicle for at least 2 minutes above 20mph.
2.) Park near an air station and keep the ignition key in the OFF position.
3.) Turn the ignition to the ON position, but with the engine OFF.
4.) Turn the hazard flashers on and off three times within ten seconds, and the horn should sound. The TPMS light should be flashing letting you know that the vehicle is now in TPMS Relearn Mode.
5.) Starting with the driver’s side front tire, activate the TPM sensor by deflating the tire for 10 seconds. Wait for the horn honk to confirm that the sensor has been registered to the vehicle. It may take up to 20 seconds for the horn to honk.
6.) Continue on to the passenger’s side front tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5.
7.) Next, move to the passenger’s side rear tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5.
8.) Finishing with the left rear tire, repeat the procedure in Step 5. Once the horn honks, turn the ignition switch to OFF to complete the TPMS relearn procedure.
9.) Make sure all tires, including the spare (if equipped), are inflated to the vehicle’s recommended inflation pressures.

 

Bottom line: the Ford dealership represented the wheels as being complete, new takeoffs when in fact they had STOLEN the TMPS out of them.

When confronted with that fact, the parts manager's reply was that I could pay them "cost plus 10%" for the sensors (and they were going to charge way over retail for them), or I could return the wheels for a refund.

I won't say who the dealer is, but if you're looking to buy Ford parts in Montgomery, AL I would NOT do it from the Ford dealer in town.

 

God bless you for sharing this!

 

On this same subject. I am looking at a set of 2010 Raptor wheels to replace the 20s on my 2010 Expedition. My Expedition uses banded sensors wheil the Raptor uses valve stem mounted sensors. Are both frequencies the same or do I need to switch sensors?

 

They are both 315 MHz, but I don't know if there's a compatibility issue.