System warning light in 575SA

Contender- See the TPMS thread in technical Q&A. You may need new TPMS sensors, which originally had a battery life of 4-5 years. Alternatively, you can take the car to a Ferrari shop with an SD2/3 and have them disable the system. The light will then come on at start, but disappear after a few seconds.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

That is the error we have had when transmitter batteries are dead. By 4 new ones, install them and reprogram the system.

Boy are you going to love that bill.

 

Brian- The good news is the latest sensors are now only $146 each from Ricambi with the new orange (7 year batteries, I think) sensors. Much better than Ferrari's earlier $319, 4 year battery versions.

That $146 per sensor is a great deal, by the way, since the same orange Beru RDE 001 sensor from a "wholesaler to the public" for the Porsche Boxster was $159.99 each on the internet.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Still going to take a trip to the shop with an SD 2 or 3 so they can install them and make them work.

 

Brian- Now you are scaring me. I was going to put in new sensors, push the tire pressure calibration button and hope for the best. What do you know that I do not know? On second thought, let me rephrase that, since a good comeback might end up with infinite humorous and possibly embarrassing (to me) answers.

Is there something else I will need to do after replacing the sensors besides recalibrate? My ECU is already set for Pirellis. You and Dr. Dave taught me to reprogram my Alarm ECU for new remotes. I am hoping this is not any more complicated. If it involves an SD2, I am screwed.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Spend your money on two things:

1. Best tire guage money can buy.
2. Have the system shut off.

Check your TP every time you go out. I own a 575M. I did that. I no longer grind my teeth.

 

Ken- Nearest SD2/3 is 400 miles away. I have a Longacre Racing digital gauge. Plus I like everything working on my cars. With no spare, I like the TPMS system because of the long distances between towns here. We are the fifth largest state with only 1.5 milion residents. You can probably draw a 25 mile radius circle around where you live and find more people. Does make for some wide open roads, though, so some advantages plus being able to drive 12 months of the year with no salt on the roads.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Contender- I think we are ok. Our systems have already been set up for the current tires with the SD2 at the factory. Should just take replacing the sensors and doing a tire calibration using the tire calibration setting button. You need four RDE 001 sensors, common to some Mercedes, Audi and Porsche models. Ricambi sells the latest ones for $146 each, part number 224549, orange, with new, longer life batteries.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Brian- Is the TPMS battery life readout from the SD2 a direct reading of signal strength through the antennas, or some algorithm to represent probable battery life? Here is hoping the former.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

That's fine. No problem. I like everything working also. This is a terrible system. I prefer to let it go. All Important systems sans fragrant roses are go. Many thanks for previous advice.

 

Contender- The 224549 part number shows it is for 599s and 430s on Ricambi's site and Ricambi's on-line catalog does not show a 224548. I actually went to Beru's web site and looked up what I needed (Beru RDE 001) and searched until I found a reasonable price on them. If you look at the thread in the technical forum, it will explain about the gen 1 dark gray RDE 001 and gen 1.5 orange RDE 001 sensors, which have a longer battery life.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225126

I need to find out from Brian or Dave exactly what needs to be done with an SD2/3, if anything, to make the system work. The Beru technical data says the sensors hibernate until they see 25 psi, at which time they activate. I thought the Calibrate button and ECU would then figure where each was and calibrate the tire pressures. There are four separate antennas, one for each corner, so position should be easy for the ECU to calculate.

My research indicates the 575s used 43 mm stems and DubZDirect (877-438-3827, Rich Ext 11) sold me four RDE 001s and four 43 mm valves for $400. Mine were shipped yesterday after me telling them what length valves were needed. You can actually reuse your old valves and only need to change out the valve guts and kits for the the valve guts are about $10-12, but the new valves were part of the package.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Transmitters are available from Beru that transmit in different frequencies. You need the correct ones. Then the specific transmitter serial # for each wheel needs to be entered into the system via computer and a few other steps. If you do part, the tire shop does part and your friendly Ferrari shop does part and it does not work count on finger pointing instead of solutions.

Take the car to your friendly Ferrari shop so equipped and tell him it doesn't work....Please fix it.

 

There is no way to tell. It all just stops working.




Smart Eh!

 

Brian- Thanks. It sounds like another of those systems where there is not enough documentation to know exactly what is happening. Having never seen an SD2 or SD3, or played with one, the results are more than arcane to me. I know the correct sensors (Beru RDE 001) and the correct frequency (433 Mhz), but have no idea how the sensors, four antennas, Tire Pressure Calibration Button, and TPMS ECU interact. If you can give me hint of what you do to fix a TPMS service light, I would be grateful.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Truthfully I tell people to turn them off.

It takes a computer hookup to make educated guesses. Even the diagnostic program leaves much to be desired. That is what we get with German equipment in the car.

 

The computer hook up is required to turn the system off.

Don't get me wrong, I think the car as a whole is great but the TPMS is a particularly poorly thought out, poorly implemented piece of equipment that was rushed into production before it is ready. At least the BERU system is.

I have no doubt they were the low bidder and Ferrari got what they paid for.

 

Brian, contender- I received my new RDE 001s yesterday and will have them fitted next week. We will see if that solves the problem after calibrating. Seems like everything I try costs $500, whether it works or not. $400 for sensors and probably at least $100 more to dismount, change sensors, remount, and balance the tires.

Thanks for the help, Brian. As you know, if you have to change out the TPMS ECU, the bloody thing is underneath the transmission tunnel covering. Another painful job and one that will not get done any time soon.

Funny thing is, the exact same system is used on some Mercedes, Audi, Porsche and BMW models, and they all have to be calibrated, too. I have the PDF file on how they calibrate, but too big to post. Naturally nothing on Ferraris, but the way the other systems calibrate is very similar to the Ferrari except most are menu driven. This leads me to believe changing the sensors and calibrating should work.

Here are the highlights of the document.

Taz
Terry Phillips
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Contender- Now have the sensors and the Hill Engineering socket for removing the wheel bolts without damaging the chrome.

I tried the trick recommended by JamesS in the Technical Q&A TPMS thread and increased the tire pressures 3 psi all around to 35 psi. Presto, light goes away and good calibration. That tells me it is just the tire sensors. The lower the tire pressure, the less sensitive the sensors become as the batteries weaken. You might try that and see if it works. If it does, you know it is just the batteries in your sensors and you can replace your sensors with confidence. We may both do that, however, and still need an SD2, like Brian says, to tell the ECU something about the sensors. If that is the case, your trip to Atlanta/Stone Mountain will provide you with a working system after you replace the sensors.

How much were the sensors from Ricambi? I could not find the part number you referenced.

Guess I will be the Guinea Pig for just replacing them and calibrating. If they do not work, I will be looking at that system light for at least a couple of years until I have access to an SD2.

In Florida, there is a traveling technician who goes from shop to shop with an SD2/3 to take care of those items requiring the computer for shops without their own. The shop owners have their clients requiring SD2/3 work bring in their cars while the computers are available. Too bad there is nothing like that for us.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Contender, Brian- I think I have the TPMS SD2 vs tire pressure calibration button answer. I was reviewing a set of maintenance records for a 575M HGTC for a fellow Fchatter to see what services he needed to complete when he receives his new car. One of the items in the records was calibrating the TPMS with an SD2. This was done without having to drive the car. What I think the TPMS system allows you to do is calibrate the tire pressures two ways, one while the car is stationary as part of an SD2 analysis, and the other using the calibrate button and driving the car while the ECU performs the same steps the SD2 shortcuts in time. This is consistent with all the technical data I have seen from Beru and in the 575M WSM and owner's manual. It is also the logical way to do things, because a technician would not want to drive a car 20 minutes to calibrate tire pressures and would not want to send the car out with a TPMS warning light if he added air to a customer's tires.

There are four separate antennas for the TPMS, so the ECU has all the information it requires to assign a sensor to a location and then calibrate to the individual tire pressures. The SD2 can perform the same functions, as well as test for battery strength of the individual sensors, and probably some other TPMS diagnostic funtions, of which I know nothing and Brian is the expert.

We are getting service TPMS lights now because at least one of the sensors is reaching Beru's stated five to seven year battery life limit. It only takes one low sensor battery to cause a service TPMS light. The five to seven year battery life undoubtedly varies between makes of cars because of differences in antenna placement and wheel/tire type. It appears Ferraris are on the low side for battery life.

I was waiting for a pair of 30 mm rear wheel spacers before mounting my new TPMS sensors so I only have to remove the rear wheels once, but may go ahead if they do not arrive soon. They will not be done before the week of 16 February, however.

Taz
Terry Phillips