The ranger (Hi, Leo!) was out to work on my car over the past couple of days, to resolve the issues that I had. Part of this was a generic TPMS error that appeared from the moment the car was delivered.
The procedure goes something like this:
1. Using a hand-held programmer, called the "Tesla multi-tool", the ranger walks around to each of the tires and holds the tool against the valve stem on each wheel, presses a button, and the tool scans for the TPMS sensor ID. This procedure, if I recall correctly, starts with left front, proceeds to right front and right rear, then to left rear.
2. Once all of the wheels are scanned into the tool and displayed on the screen, the device is plugged into a connector in the car below the touch screen, and the multi-tool pushes the ID's to the car's computer.
There is also a service bulletin that has been published for the service centers to reduce the low tire pressure alert from ~38 psi to ~36 PSI to deal with pressure reduction due to cold weather. The same tool is used to program the TPMS system's parameters.
For those wondering whether the Model S knows the individual tire sensor locations, the answer is yes -- they must be scanned in order.
This gives us hope that some day, the tool may not be needed, if the touchscreen computer could interact with the TPMS to learn the sensors in the same way that my Chevy does -- flash the front left turn signal, then watch TPMS sensors until they report a reduction or increase in PSI of 1-2 PSI (while you add or let out air in the specified tire), then move to other wheels in order. That way, the special tool wouldn't be needed.
The procedure goes something like this:
1. Using a hand-held programmer, called the "Tesla multi-tool", the ranger walks around to each of the tires and holds the tool against the valve stem on each wheel, presses a button, and the tool scans for the TPMS sensor ID. This procedure, if I recall correctly, starts with left front, proceeds to right front and right rear, then to left rear.
2. Once all of the wheels are scanned into the tool and displayed on the screen, the device is plugged into a connector in the car below the touch screen, and the multi-tool pushes the ID's to the car's computer.
There is also a service bulletin that has been published for the service centers to reduce the low tire pressure alert from ~38 psi to ~36 PSI to deal with pressure reduction due to cold weather. The same tool is used to program the TPMS system's parameters.
For those wondering whether the Model S knows the individual tire sensor locations, the answer is yes -- they must be scanned in order.
This gives us hope that some day, the tool may not be needed, if the touchscreen computer could interact with the TPMS to learn the sensors in the same way that my Chevy does -- flash the front left turn signal, then watch TPMS sensors until they report a reduction or increase in PSI of 1-2 PSI (while you add or let out air in the specified tire), then move to other wheels in order. That way, the special tool wouldn't be needed.