Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis and 2009 Ford Crown Victoria. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) includes:

the Driver Door Module (DDM), TPMS functionality is integrated within the DDM.
DDM antenna.
four tire pressure sensors.
four tire pressure sensor cradles.
four tire pressure sensor straps.
an instrument cluster indicator.
a message center (if equipped).

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Module

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Pressure Sensor

The DDM monitors the air pressure in the 4 road tires with tire pressure sensors. The sensors transmit radio frequency signals to the DDM approximately every 60 seconds when the vehicle speed exceeds 32 km/h (20 mph).

The tire pressure sensors are battery-operated and are mounted to metal brackets (called cradles) on the wheels inside the tires. The sensors are mounted 180 degrees from the valve stem.

The tire pressure sensor can be serviced separately from the cradle and the strap.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Pressure Sensor Cradle

The tire pressure sensor cradles are mounted to the wheels with metal straps and have an adhesive strip to aid in their retention to the wheel.

To service the sensor cradle, the strap must also be removed.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Pressure Sensor Strap

The sensor strap is what keeps the sensor and the cradle retained to the wheel. A factory-installed strap is joined together with a one-time use buckle and a dealer-installed strap is joined together with a worm gear (similar to a radiator hose clamp). Both straps should be discarded after removal and should not be reused.

The strap can be serviced separately from the sensor and the cradle. The sensor is available separately from the cradle and the strap. The cradle and strap are available as a strap kit. There are several different strap kits available based on wheel diameter, all strap kits share the same base part number.

Instrument Cluster and Message Center

The instrument cluster illuminates the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) indicator when it receives a message from the DDM to do so and displays the appropriate message(s) in the message center (if equipped).

The instrument cluster and message center are diagnosed and serviced in their own respective articles.