I've been having an issue with my 2010 1LT 2.2L wagon. The tire icon lights up and the readout says "TIRE LOW ADD AIR". When I switch the readout to the tire pressures, one or more of them say either 0 psi or some ridiculous number like 89 psi on one side. The tires actually have the correct amount of air in them. What causes this, and how hard is it to fix? Hopefully it is just a cheap sensor that needs to be replaced.

 

The TPMS sensors are 8 years old and so their batteries are almost at the end of their life, next tire change install new sensors.
The poor things are dizzy from all that going round and round , going down the road!

 

Assuming you checked the pressure in all of the tires with a gauge it is probably the sensors. Don't go by eye!

It's a 2010, so the positions have most likely never been updated. You may have been adding air to the wrong tire etc.

 

Amazon has your replacement TPMS sensors. They are the OEM and are the correct ones, although Amazon's system says the "This does not fit your car" message. Best deal I have found anywhere. Right at $60 for all four. Your tire guys should install them for a deal.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

If it is the individual sensors in each wheel go bad at the same time? It's possibly a coincidence and they both went out at the exact same time but I suspect that it is something in the system itself. The light and warning aren't on all the time, sometimes they will go out when I am going down the road.

 

I've had the same thing happen with 2 different vehicles, one is 2006 the other a 2007. When it was cold I'd get a errors, drive the vehicle tires get warm, error went away. You can chase the rabbit down the hole if want but my guess is the sensor/batteries are the issue.

I suspect my 2008 HHR will be the next one to start this. My intention is to replace the sensors when I replace the tires before my next inspection.

 

If you're looking for confirmation that it's the sensor batteries, rotate the tires, re sync them and check the pressure readings. (rotate L to R, R to L)
If those odd readings "follow the tire" to it's new location, then it will pretty much confirm that it's a battery/sensor problem.

 

FMG, great suggestion... and simple.

 

Have the positions EVER been reset? It takes a special tool on a 2010.

Actually it is not a matter of warming up, The sensors have accelerometers in them, they go to sleep when inactive.

If you can find a code reader capable of reading Cxxxx codes, there would be a code for bad RCDLR.

 

The parts books all insist that all HHRs have metal valve stems, and those are a different physical design than the originals. It is the frequency that they transmit on that counts.

The EL-50448 tool is way down to under $20 now, I sold my old one for $60 a couple of years ago.