TPMS Transmitter - PIWIS Needed to Activate?

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

I have the rear mounted full sized spare on my car. The spare wheel/tire is identical to those on the ground, except that it did not come with s TPMS transmitter.

My selling dealer says that it's because there is only the capacity for four (4) data inputs into the TPMS receiver/computer. Another dealer tech says that there is room for a 5th (spare) input, but he wasn't sure if the PIWIS is needed to activate the function. I went into the multifunction menu and found what appears tio be the ability to input for the spare transmitter, if present.

Does anyone have experience or knowledge in this area, and know whether the PIWIS is needed to get the spare activated? I plan to purchase an additional transmitter and have it installed. I'd sure like for it to function.

Feedback anyone? TIA!

[Loren]

From the diagnostic section of the service manual:

"Warning -

Despite the advantages of the tyre pressure monitoring system, it is the responsibility of the driver to make the appropriate adjustments and to ensure that wheels are in the proper condition.

♦ The serial numbers of the wheel electronics must be read in when replacing wheel electronics, the control module or entire wheels with active wheel electronics. This can be done using the Porsche System Tester ll No. 9588 or by driving for approx. 20 minutes. The tyre type and the size of the new wheels must also be recorded. Otherwise the system is not active.

♦ New wheel electronics (spare parts) are only active (enabled) if they are subjected to pressure (>2 bar) for longer than 2 minutes.

♦ The standard spare wheel is not supplied with wheel electronics and is therefore not monitored.

♦ If one or more spare wheels with active wheel electronics are carried (including a spare wheel that is carried externally), this can lead to faults and error messages in the system.

♦ If a full-size spare wheel that is carried externally is coded, the customer will always receive a reminder (in the instrument cluster), after approx. 6 months, to check the pressure of the spare wheel.

♦ Additional tyre sizes can be entered for various tyre types using the Porsche System Tester ll No. 9588.

♦ Faults can occur in the system if temperatures rise above 120°C on the wheel electronics or if there is radio interference as a result of strong transmitters. The faults are indicated in the instrument cluster."

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

From the diagnostic section of the service manual:

"Warning -

Despite the advantages of the tyre pressure monitoring system, it is the responsibility of the driver to make the appropriate adjustments and to ensure that wheels are in the proper condition.

♦ The serial numbers of the wheel electronics must be read in when replacing wheel electronics, the control module or entire wheels with active wheel electronics. This can be done using the Porsche System Tester ll No. 9588 or by driving for approx. 20 minutes. The tyre type and the size of the new wheels must also be recorded. Otherwise the system is not active.

♦ New wheel electronics (spare parts) are only active (enabled) if they are subjected to pressure (>2 bar) for longer than 2 minutes.

♦ The standard spare wheel is not supplied with wheel electronics and is therefore not monitored.

♦ If one or more spare wheels with active wheel electronics are carried (including a spare wheel that is carried externally), this can lead to faults and error messages in the system.

♦ If a full-size spare wheel that is carried externally is coded, the customer will always receive a reminder (in the instrument cluster), after approx. 6 months, to check the pressure of the spare wheel.

♦ Additional tyre sizes can be entered for various tyre types using the Porsche System Tester ll No. 9588.

♦ Faults can occur in the system if temperatures rise above 120°C on the wheel electronics or if there is radio interference as a result of strong transmitters. The faults are indicated in the instrument cluster."

Thanks Loren. Looks like the spare can be set up with a transmitter - with possible faults and error messages (4th from the last statement above), but it needs to be coded (3rd to the last statement above). I assume that coding requires the PIWIS or the Porsche System Tester II No 9588. Is this a good assumption?

When I went into the multifunction menus, I'm pretty sure I found a place for this data. Here's my menu sequence: Main->Tire Pressure->Settings->Tyres All Season 18"->Spare Wheel->Spare Wheel (as opposed to the collapsible wheel). It then shows the following message momentarily: NO MONITORING SYSTEM LEARNING. It then reverts back to the Tire Pressure Menu with fixed, not measured, values of 34 in the front, 39 in the rear and 49 in the spare position.

Am I "whistling Dixie" by thinking I can put a transmitter in that full sized rear mounted spare; and get it to work? Since I have 5 full sized wheels/tires, I really would like to be able to do a 5 tire rotation.

Thanks for your kind assistance!

[Loren]

From the diagnostic section of the service manual:

"Warning -

Despite the advantages of the tyre pressure monitoring system, it is the responsibility of the driver to make the appropriate adjustments and to ensure that wheels are in the proper condition.

♦ The serial numbers of the wheel electronics must be read in when replacing wheel electronics, the control module or entire wheels with active wheel electronics. This can be done using the Porsche System Tester ll No. 9588 or by driving for approx. 20 minutes. The tyre type and the size of the new wheels must also be recorded. Otherwise the system is not active.

♦ New wheel electronics (spare parts) are only active (enabled) if they are subjected to pressure (>2 bar) for longer than 2 minutes.

♦ The standard spare wheel is not supplied with wheel electronics and is therefore not monitored.

♦ If one or more spare wheels with active wheel electronics are carried (including a spare wheel that is carried externally), this can lead to faults and error messages in the system.

♦ If a full-size spare wheel that is carried externally is coded, the customer will always receive a reminder (in the instrument cluster), after approx. 6 months, to check the pressure of the spare wheel.

♦ Additional tyre sizes can be entered for various tyre types using the Porsche System Tester ll No. 9588.

♦ Faults can occur in the system if temperatures rise above 120°C on the wheel electronics or if there is radio interference as a result of strong transmitters. The faults are indicated in the instrument cluster."

Thanks Loren. Looks like the spare can be set up with a transmitter - with possible faults and error messages (4th from the last statement above), but it needs to be coded (3rd to the last statement above). I assume that coding requires the PIWIS or the Porsche System Tester II No 9588. Is this a good assumption?

When I went into the multifunction menus, I'm pretty sure I found a place for this data. Here's my menu sequence: Main->Tire Pressure->Settings->Tyres All Season 18"->Spare Wheel->Spare Wheel (as opposed to the collapsible wheel). It then shows the following message momentarily: NO MONITORING SYSTEM LEARNING. It then reverts back to the Tire Pressure Menu with fixed, not measured, values of 34 in the front, 39 in the rear and 49 in the spare position.

Am I "whistling Dixie" by thinking I can put a transmitter in that full sized rear mounted spare; and get it to work? Since I have 5 full sized wheels/tires, I really would like to be able to do a 5 tire rotation.

Thanks for your kind assistance!

You will need a PIWIS to do the programming.

Where are you located? Perhaps a member here can help you out?

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

You will need a PIWIS to do the programming.

Where are you located? Perhaps a member here can help you out?

I'm located in Atlanta, GA. My selling dealer says that there's no input for a 5th transmitter for the full sized spare. Bull! After the condition my selling dealer delivered the new from the factory car, I have no confidence whatever in their service people. In fact, f I do decide to keep this thing, I may have to do some traveling to get warranty work done.

Do you know of any good local indy shops who might have a PIWIS? I wonder if the Durametric tool would do the job. The Pro model has some coding ability.

Edited November 3, 2009 by DUTCH VanAtlanta

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

I was strongly assured by the PCNA Regional Tech that I could NOT add a TPMS sender to my spare, as the 5 senders would cause all kinds of error messages in the receiver system since it can only handle 4 channels of input.

Last week I did a 5 tire cross rotation, which put my spare without sender in the RF position. It threw an error message in the cluster and showed only three tire pressures (LF, LR and RR) in the mulit-function display; and the message has continued until today. The fact the the tire with a TPMS sender rotated into the spare position did not register in the system told me that I might be able to add a sender to the former spare on the ground in the RF position.

I installed it today. I now have 5 senders on the car. After a half block drive down the street, the error message in the cluster went away and all four corners showed good and accurate tire pressures on the multi-function display. The sender in the current spare continued to not give any interference. There is a large metal backing on the spare tire mount; and my guess is that it's acting as an Radio Frequency shield, since it's directly behind the valve stem and TPMS sender.

My car is now happy, and so am I. :jump:

Edited March 3, 2010 by DUTCH VanAtlanta

[Loren]

There are only 4 transmitters in the car according to PET. So I don't think a 5th sensor will be seen.

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

There are only 4 transmitters in the car according to PET. So I don't think a 5th sensor will be seen.

Actually, I'm pretty sure that the units in the wheels (now 5) are the transmitters and the car has four receivers - one near each wheel well. The Porsche Regional Tech seemed to think that 5 transmitters would confuse the 4 receivers; but it doesn't look like the one in the rear mounted spare is close enough to either of the rear receivers to be picked up.

So far the system is working flawlessly with 5 senders. It was throwing an error signal when it could only see 3 senders in the wheels - none in the RF.

[Loren]