TPMS relearn tool or air out on a 2011
 

I have a 2011 HHR and the manual doesn't mention the "let air out of tire" routine for programming the TPMS, but instead it says use the relearn tool. I was wondering if anyone can confirm that I can reprogram new TPMSs in a 2011 with letting the air out? I am getting a set of winter tires/rims with the sensors and I don't want to have to go to the dealer each time to reset the sensors.

Thanks!

If you are having the tires mounted at a tire store, they should do it for you..

The relearn procedure for owners that don't have a tool was removed from the HHR in 2011.

SO 2011s NEED the tool?

Man. The fact that I got stuck with a 2010 HHR keeps looking better and better.

These are winter tires/rims and I will be installing them on the vehicle myself. I can have the shop reset it, but I would rather not go back to them in the fall and spring. It seems strange the relearn procedure was removed from the manual, but I doubt GM changed the parts. The shop said they have to program it, but, of course, they will say this. So... anyone program their own on a 2011?

It looks like vehicles built in 2011 use the tool, but previous years don't. Now... is it related to build year or model year. Hmmm. I think mine might have been built in 2010, but I have to check when I get home.

More info on the tool: https://gmspecialservicetools.spx.co...0448_rev_1.pdf

I had an issue with my 2008. It could NOT be reset by the owner in the driveway, I tried numerous times. I took it in for warranty service, they used their reset tool and charged me $50. I argued that I wanted the owner reset feature fixed, it fell upon deaf ears. They argued it was the same result, except I stioll cannot reset on my own. I'd rather take the freakin things off and throw them away.

You can purchase a reset tool for around $50.

What tool do you recommend as I would be interested to have my own reset tool. I have 3 cars in my family that have TPMS. I never looked into the tool because I thought they were more expensive than that.

The tool (Kent-Moore EL-50448) has gone up in price over the last year. Gm service tools wants $68.57
I just ordered one today (12-2-12) from Handsontools.com and was $66.03 then I applied a coupon code they sent me (TOOL10M) that is good until the end of the month and got 10% off. I have 2 gm vehicles and I am tired of letting air out of the tires when I rotate them and then have to pump them back up again.

do you still have to re-learn the sensors if they are in summer tires? i dont have a set for the winters

TPMS What a Pain.

My 2011 just had new tires put on and they set them for free BUT, the recomemended air pressure is 30lbs front and rear when car has not been run for an hour or so.
I asked them to set @ 30lbs. and reset the TMPS.

Problem here is the temp outside was 65 degrees when they were installed. Now 2 months later it is 35 degrees when I start up in the morning. That puts the tires pressures at 28lbs. which sets off the Warning .. low tire.
They were filled with Nitrogen so that means a trip back to the dealer to pump them up 2 lbs. and recheck the TPMS.
Just a 2 pound drop sets off the system.
I dislike this YO YO system. Too many issues to deal with.

SF

SF- Just add the 2lbs. & don't sweat the small stuff.

I never reset the TPMS, if I get a warning, I'm checking all 4 tires anyhow..

I have seen 27 psi on a very cool morning. No warning, bells or whistles. So what psi sets off the warning?

@Silverfox, thank you for sharing what you go through with the TPMS. I have this on my 04 Tahoe and go through the same thing. It’s a very touchy system. I asked my mechanic to put a little more PSI in the tires which he did, but he told me that they have to be careful doing that as having too much PSI in the tires will also set it off.

Happy Holidays,
Michelle, Chevrolet Customer Service

Michelle,

I really wonder about the high side as I had 40psi in the tires when I got the car with no alarms going off. I think some delivering dealers don't bother to check the door plate. They just look on the tire and see the Max pressure warning thinking that is what you should have in them.

Evidently it varies by valve sensor as I have owned 5 HHR's and this 2011 is the only one that is this sensitive.

Sleeper: .. I getcha but I hate someone or something constantly telling me what to do when I already did it.

I also monitor my tire pressures with a quality gauge just to make sure things are where they should be.

SF

The problem with the 2011 system, if you rotate your tires without re-setting the positions the TPMS light on the dash will come on! The ONLY solution is to have a $70 tool available.

I have a 2011 1lt and just put my new wheel and tire package on. There is a relearn procedure still listed in the owners manual. As follows
Put key in ignition
Turn key to on position without starting car
pull handbrake
Push both unlock and lock buttons simultaneously on key fob
Horn should sound twice to signal system ready to relearn
Must follow the following pattern drivers front, passengers front, drivers rear, passengers rear
Release or add air for 8 seconds continuously in above pattern, once a corner is learned the turn signal for that corner will flash
Move on to next tire
You only have 2 minutes to complete the procedure once started or system will not learn all new sensors
Once all four are set adjust pressure to recommended settings

This is straight from the owners manual from my 2011 hhr 1lt

Also my sensors did not register an error when I rotated my tires, nor did it need the tool to reprogram. Hope this helps :-)

Yours must be a different 2011 than mine. Mine says basically the same except you have to use the signal generator tool instead of the air release. I tried the old way just for kicks, didn't work. I guess maybe they changed mid stream.

Mine was a previous program car, wonder if that makes a difference? I even looked back at my book again to make sure they hadn't stuck a 2010 owners manual in mine. Nope it was 2011 owners manual and the above procedure worked for me. Maybe rentals or fleet cars were different to enable in house fixing without many trips for those with multiple hhrs in service.

The TPM system as of Jan 1 2011 requires the relearn tool on all GM cars. GM changed the system and release the cheaper relearn tool and the letting air pressure out no longer works.

The system GM has in place now will remain there from here on out and the tool will remain relivent and will work on all GM cars with TPM past, present and future.

I picked one up because of my 2012 GMC and it works great.

While it is a pain I am glad GM did offer the cheaper tool as while $69 is not cheap the other auto makers use tools that generally cost $350 to $650. Also to go to the dealer or pay someone to set them will cost you around 1/3 of the cost of the tool.

But please note Jan 1 2011 is the cut off date do a early 2011 car will still work with the letting out the air but the post Jan 1 cars will not work with it. This is why some 2011 need the tool and some don't.

All you have to remember is that if it says your LF tire is low, it's really the LR tire. That is until you do your next tire rotation.

Now if you rotate the LF to the LR then remember that the time befor the LF was the LR and then get out and look at them all and try to figure out which one looks the lowest.

Or you can just buy the tool and never have to worry about it again.

Note you can loan it to others for $5 untill you pay it off and then it is free. Most people would think that would be fair. Keep in mind once it is paid off still let them borrow it for free.

I bought the tool from Kent Moore and I paid $62. It works great. I thought when you put nitrogen in the tire it did not change in relation to the temperature. If I remember correctly the earths atmosphere is approximately 79% nitrogen already.

My manual says the TPMS light will come on, or the check tires or whatever, don't recall the verbiage. but talk on other GM forums abound with question about "my TPMS light is on after I rotated the tires". I have not tried it yet personally.


Here is what the manual says about the TPMS Malfunction light being illuminated for my 2011 HHR.:

The TPMS sensor matching process was not
done or not completed successfully after rotating
the tires. The malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off after successfully
completing the sensor matching process.

See mine doesn't as stated. Must be an early build 2011. It did make me happy not having to fork over more money :-). I've had this issue before, but that was with first year model vehicles or refreshed models.

Nitrogen if pure changes less but it stil change some.

Nitrogen is great for race cars where little change is needed or will effect the cars handing. Or it is great if you have high flying space craft or air planes like a Space Shuttle or SR71. But in a road car it is more a profit center. It will not hurt anything but your wallet.

i have a 2010 hhr. i followed the directions in my owners manual on how to reset the tpms sensors by letting air out of tire and it worked great! thought it would be a pain but it did work! took less than 5 mins. :) not sure about the 2011 though, good luck:thumb:

2011 2LT relearn was in my manual but I almost went ahead and ordered the gm tool. Gave it a try today and the pre-2011 procedure worked just fine. Did find in my rpo codes this one was built for fleet use.

Was your 2011 built prior to 01/01/2011? If it was then the air release will work! I'm pretty sure fleet would have in the early build prior to that date and that's why the air release method works

tpms
 

I have a 2011 what the hell is a tpms?

Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Lots of info on it via a search on Google.

One more variation...
 

Both key fobs on my '08 LS went south. Cost to replace (in 2015): $100- ea., plus $75- ea. to program. A local audio/ alarm shop was offering an entire Carbine system (installation included) for about the same price. Replacement fobs: $39- ea. including programming. Went for it. Found out later that the Carbine fobs wouldn't activate the TPMS re-learn mode. Bought a "replacement" GM fob (no P/N stamped on back), different dealer (Tracy, CA) programmed it for free -- bottom line: it gets the system into learn mode. Only problem: the air down / up procedure doesn't work -- still have to use a re-learn tool (next purchase). Being an '08, the procedure should work per the manual, but no. Hope this helps someone -- Beanie

Being an 08 there is a TSB on how to fix it. Yours was probably a rental that had it turned off.


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