TPMS and tire pressure question. 2500 crew cab SB 4x4

[Dan_69GTX]

Had the truck for 9 days. Just got the service manual. I see that the rear tire pressure is supposed to be 80 (according to door sticker and too high for me) and the TPMS light will come on at 64 (according to the service manual).

So,
- At what pressure will the TPMS light go back off?
- What are you running for rear tire pressures when unloaded.
- Is there a way to lower the TMPS light activation pressure?

I can still easily see the nubs on the edges of the rear tires with 500 miles on it. That means I'm running too much for commuting. I'll be using a tread depth gauge and keeping track of it like I do for all vehicles. With the 96 I'd run 60-65 and then bump it back up when towing.

Thanks!
Dan

 

[Ram4Sam]

If you go over to the Cummins forum, there are a couple of long threads on this, with answers ranging from "yes the dealer can" to "no, they can't"......lots to read. I've been running 55 to 58 lbs empty in the rear, which is still a little high, I think.

Sam

 

[Berrigan]

Had the truck for 9 days. Just got the service manual. I see that the rear tire pressure is supposed to be 80 (according to door sticker and too high for me) and the TPMS light will come on at 64 (according to the service manual).

So,
- At what pressure will the TPMS light go back off?
- What are you running for rear tire pressures when unloaded.
- Is there a way to lower the TMPS light activation pressure?

I can still easily see the nubs on the edges of the rear tires with 500 miles on it. That means I'm running too much for commuting. I'll be using a tread depth gauge and keeping track of it like I do for all vehicles. With the 96 I'd run 60-65 and then bump it back up when towing.

Thanks!
Dan

I have the same truck, with the same issues

You will have to get back to 80 to reset the light

I tried bleeding the rears to 65 when unloaded. This works until a cold morning and it trips the low pressure warning again.

Do a search, there is a way for the dealer to reset the set points. Some dealers will and some wont change it for you.

I agree with you 80 is too high unloaded. At 6000 miles my rears were worn in the center much more than the fronts.

I understand why they set them at 80 but it will eat up the rears if unloaded. It would be great if the computer would just look at the tow/haul switch position. If its off, trip the rears at 50. If its on trip the rears at 70.

 

[TFucili]

Had the truck for 9 days. Just got the service manual. I see that the rear tire pressure is supposed to be 80 (according to door sticker and too high for me) and the TPMS light will come on at 64 (according to the service manual).

So,
- At what pressure will the TPMS light go back off? To get it to reset you have to go back to 80.
- What are you running for rear tire pressures when unloaded. I am running @55 psi.
- Is there a way to lower the TMPS light activation pressure? There was, but it would appear that Ram took away the option that was being used to do it.

I can still easily see the nubs on the edges of the rear tires with 500 miles on it. That means I'm running too much for commuting. I'll be using a tread depth gauge and keeping track of it like I do for all vehicles. With the 96 I'd run 60-65 and then bump it back up when towing.

Thanks!
Dan

Answers above. I have resigned myself to having to back out of the alert screen every time I start the truck. It is really a shame that they took a very useful feature and turned it into a nuisance.

 

[Badunit]

It is really a shame that they took a very useful feature and turned it into a nuisance.

Just to be clear, "they" is the government. There was a comment period on the proposed law that gave industry a chance to speak up before it was finalized. All industry comments regarding low-load operation of pickup trucks were ignored. There are also no provisions for aftermarket tires that require different pressures than what is on the placard. The manufacturers have their hands tied. By law, dealers should not be lowering the pressures. Many RAM dealers were doing it for a while but, from what I have been reading, it appears their computer software got updated to remove that option. There may still be some out there running older software or a different computer or maybe the option will be put back, I don't know.

So, a law that requires a system to warn you if your tires are low results in you ignoring the warnings because it makes you run unsafely high pressures (too much pressure = less contact area & less traction + worn tires + bouncy ride). I was lucky enough to get mine lowered to 60 psi all around but, before I did it, I simply ignored the warnings.

 

[lakedaisy]

Badunit. You're saying a law requires this on a 2500, but not a 3500? Find that a little hard to believe.

 

[Badunit]

Badunit. You're saying a law requires this on a 2500, but not a 3500? Find that a little hard to believe.

Then prepare to be amazed.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/TirePresFinal/Index.html

"The standard applies to passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, except those vehicles with dual wheels on an axle." 2500's have a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less. 3500's have a GVWR above 10,000 and have dual wheels.

 

[lakedaisy]

Thanks Badunit. I haven't weighed my 3500 yet as I sold my 5th wheeler and haven't bought another at this time. So this must mean the 3500 SRW trucks weigh over 10,000 and 2500's don't. Was wondering why Ram has kept Tire Pressure Monitor System on the 2500 but has the Tire Pressure Information System on the 3500 SRW, which only displays the tire pressure if selected, and has no tire pressure limit.

 

[gsbrockman]

Thanks Badunit. I haven't weighed my 3500 yet as I sold my 5th wheeler and haven't bought another at this time. So this must mean the 3500 SRW trucks weigh over 10,000 and 2500's don't. Was wondering why Ram has kept Tire Pressure Monitor System on the 2500 but has the Tire Pressure Information System on the 3500 SRW, which only displays the tire pressure if selected, and has no tire pressure limit.

It's not based on vehicle weight....it's based on GVWR. 3500 Crew Cab SB SRW 4x4's are at 11,700 GVWR and 3500 Crew Cab LB SRW 4x4's are at 12,300 GVWR if memory serves me right. Your truck is about 7,775 lbs curb weight. It's longbed brother is about 7,972 lbs curb weight.

 

[lakedaisy]

Okay. Thanks gsbrockman

 

[CoastyAV8R]

I noticed on my TPMS it showed my front tires at 50 psi so when I checked them they were at 65 psi. Are the TPMS sensors notoriously erroneous? I have 10 miles on the truck and this the first CTD I've had with the system.

Thanks,
Pat

 

[lakedaisy]

Coasty your 3500 has TPIS not TPMS. The readings on my truck tires are dead on.

 

[Badunit]

Mine have always been spot on. I cannot think of a reason why both front tires would be reading low.

 

[CoastyAV8R]

Thanks guys, I learned something new reading this thread, another reason to buy the 3500 I guess. I've only driven the truck 10 miles home from the dealer so now that I know what's in the tires air pressure wise, I'm sure it will sort itself out.

 

[Cummins2014]

If you go over to the Cummins forum, there are a couple of long threads on this, with answers ranging from "yes the dealer can" to "no, they can't"......lots to read. I've been running 55 to 58 lbs empty in the rear, which is still a little high, I think.

Sam

I too run 55 in the back ,and 65 in the front when running empty, and have yet to have any warnings about tire pressure . Have read several of these threads about this tire pressure . Mines the 2014 3500 Megacab . I guess I got lucky having no issues ?

 

[lakedaisy]

I guess I got lucky having no issues ?

As I mentioned above, 3500's don't have TMPS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System.) They have TPIS (Tire Pressure Information System.) The 3500's only provide the tire pressures for your convenience. We don't get any warnings. You can run any pressure you want.

 

[Cummins2014]

As I mentioned above, 3500's don't have TMPS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System.) They have TPIS (Tire Pressure Information System.) The 3500's only provide the tire pressures for your convenience. We don't get any warnings. You can run any pressure you want.

And now I know. Thanks.

 

[bboxall]

I just had a tire pressure episode with my 2016 2500. I've been running the fronts at 60-62 and the rears around 65. We had a cool morning this week and I got a low pressure warning on the right rear, it was indicating 63 psi. I had just pulled out of the driveway so I turned around and went back to my shop. Not knowing how the TPMS system worked I just aired the rears up to 66 thinking I'd get off the minimum pressure limit and things would be fine. NO! After reading the User's Guide you must inflate to placard pressure so for a rear tire that is 80 psi. Then, you can air down to whatever you want to run as long as you don't go under 64 psi.
It appears that your dealer can adjust the 80-64 range down by connecting to the truck and making the change. I'd like to drop mine at least 10 psi so that my target pressure would be 70 psi and I'd get the warning below 54 psi.

 

[4x4x4door]

This is no longer available from the dealer. Check out How to set TPMS to ANY pressure for updated info and a Q & A section.