There is perhaps no single word more dreaded in a repair shop than comeback. It frustrates everyone—from the technician who must perform a task twice, to the manager juggling schedules, to the customer whose trust is on the line. Getting TPMS servicing right the first time isn’t just a matter of efficiency; it’s fundamental to a shop’s profitability, reputation, and customer satisfaction.
Jason Hendrix, Autel TPMS training manager, emphasizes that mastering TPMS fundamentals isn’t just about avoiding comebacks—it’s about turning the service into a business advantage.
The Anatomy of a Failed TPMS Service: Why Comebacks Happen
Most TPMS-related comebacks are predictable results of a few common, preventable mistakes in the service process. Hendrix identified these errors in a recent webinar and outlined how understanding these pitfalls is the first step toward eliminating them.
The Rush to Judgment: Incomplete Diagnosis
The biggest mistake technicians make is failing to conduct a complete diagnosis, Hendrix said, adding that, much like a check-engine light, a TPMS warning requires a full diagnostic story—not a quick guess based on a single non-responding sensor.
Autel designed its TPMS tools to enable shops and technicians to build a diagnostic strategy into every TPMS service. All of Autel’s dedicated TPMS tools—from the rugged TS508WF to the professional TS900 tablet—provides the same guided workflow to ensure the technician performs a quick, yet comprehensive TPMS diagnosis:
- Trigger the sensors: Confirm sensor life, communication and pressure readings.
- Query the vehicle module: Retrieve sensor IDs and registered positions.
- Compare and analyze: Identify dead, misregistered (unlearned), or non-communicating sensors.
- Check TPMS-related DTCs: Identify underlying module or antenna faults.
The Autel’s at-a-glance, color-coded diagnostic display instantly identifies the system’s entire condition. With this information, the technician now understands what his next step in the system service.
The Shortcut to Failure: Improper Procedures
The second major cause of comebacks is a failure to follow the manufacturer’s Relearn procedure.
- Position relearns: Every vehicle manufacturer determines how its vehicles register or relearn sensor IDs and their positions. Each TPMS sensor has a unique ID. For the system to function correctly—monitor the air pressure of the tires and communicate to the vehicle’s tire monitoring system if one or more of the tires is 25% or more below the OE’s specified pressure—the ECU must know both the sensor’s ID and its tire position. Each manufacturer—and often each model and model year—uses a different method for “relearning” the sensor IDs and positions to the vehicle’s TPMS module.
Hendrix describes a typical technician misstep: Technicians, especially seasoned ones who feel they’ve “seen it all,” often skip steps during relearning procedures for new sensors or even during a basic tire rotation. They may assume the process for one Chevy Silverado is the same for all, but manufacturers frequently change procedures year-to-year. The guiding principle must be to “cross every T and dot every I,” reading and following the on-tool, manufacturer-specified steps without deviation. What seems like an irrelevant step is often critical.
There are three types of relearn procedures: Stationary, Automatic and OBD.
The vehicle manufacturer defines which relearn method is required for that specific vehicle, and skipping or misapplying the correct method can prevent the system from recognizing the new sensors.
Again, Autel designed its tools to ensure technicians have all the information needed to perform the correct repair for the specific vehicle in their bay. Every relearn method—whether stationary, automatic, or OBD—is clearly defined on the tool, with step-by-step guidance tailored to the exact make, model, and year. By embedding the proper procedure directly into the workflow, Autel ensures technicians follow the right process every time.
Turning TPMS Fundamentals into a Business Advantage
Hendrix emphasizes that a defined TPMS process isn’t just about avoiding comebacks—it’s “huge for your business in the long run.” When implemented as part of a shop’s courtesy check or Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI), it becomes a sales and customer engagement opportunity.
- Efficiency: A skilled technician can perform a full TPMS diagnosis in just three minutes.
- Proactive sales: Even if a sensor works but responds slowly, the technician can educate the customer, creating an immediate sales opportunity for replacement sensors.
- Customer trust: Regular checks demonstrate thoroughness and care, building loyalty.
The Autel TPMS Product Line: Tools That Ensure First-Time-Right Results
Autel delivers a complete TPMS service set designed to enforce best practices, eliminate common mistakes, and give shops everything they need to perform accurate, efficient, and profitable TPMS service.
Process-Driven Tools for Guaranteed Accuracy
Autel’s tools guide technicians through every step of a correct TPMS service:
- Guided diagnostics: The tool prompts the technician to trigger all sensors in sequence, query the ECU, compare IDs, and analyze all DTCs before recommending any repair.
- On-tool relearn procedures: Manufacturer-specific relearn steps—tailored down to the exact year, make, and model—are displayed on the tool to remove guesswork and prevent skipped steps.
- OBD relearn & verification: The tool ensures each sensor is correctly registered, clears outdated codes, and confirms a fully operational system before the vehicle leaves the bay.
Pairing Tools with Reliable Hardware: The Autel 1-Sensor Advantage
A flawless process requires reliable components—and this is where Autel’s programmable 1-Sensor, the best-selling TPMS sensor in the aftermarket, becomes essential. It has earned that title repeatedly because it delivers for our users:
- Industry-leading 99.7% vehicle coverage;
- High-quality, SAE-tested construction;
- Fast, easy sensor programming with all Autel TPMS tools;
- One SKU to stock for nearly every vehicle.
And because Autel designs the tools, the sensors, and the 1-Sensor programming software, shops benefit from first-to-market, highly accurate sensor programming. Updates roll out quickly and seamlessly, ensuring new vehicles and sensor protocols are supported as soon as they hit the road.
With the 1-Sensor, shops no longer wait for suppliers to deliver pre-programmed sensors or carry dozens of SKUs.
Own Your TPMS Service
TPMS comebacks are not an unavoidable cost—they are the result of broken processes and incomplete procedures. By adopting a systematic approach, pairing process-driven tools with high-quality components, and integrating TPMS into everyday inspections, shops can eliminate comebacks, boost efficiency, and transform TPMS service from a puzzle into a profit center.
Sponsored by Autel.
The post Stop TPMS Comebacks Before They Happen: Master the Fundamentals, Follow the Process, and Build Customer Trust and Sales appeared first on Tire Review Magazine.
