Hello,
I just wanted to field this to the group and get a sanity check.

I was just at WalMart today to get 2 new tires installed on my '04 G35 Sedan. I wanted the shop to rotate the front tires to the rear, and install my new tires on the front. Simple I thought. After an hour wait, the tech paged me back and said that there would be an extra $20 charge for "resetting the car's system." Now, what she was talking about in less-than-layperson speak, is to connect their machines to the ODBC port, and reset the tire-pressure system since the wheels which had tire pressure monitors built in would be in different locations.

The G doesn't have a facility (that I know of) to tell me Front Right is low. Not my model at least (no nav) It just says a tire is low, and it's up to me to figure it out. Why the hell would the tech say they were "directed" to reset the car's tire pressure system when this car doesn't have a concept of which tire is what pressure. I could understand this on a 7-series Bimmer, which has detailed displays of tires and pressures, or even the latest M, but not my G. Even more, so what if the car thinks the front right is low, and that tire is actually on the rear left. BFD? They shoud still rotate my tires because I pay them to w/o this crazy $20 fee.

What gets me more, is that they said they HAD to do the system reset and would not do a tire rotation w/o the extra $20 system reset. Discount tire and any other shop has never done this and I've never had a problem with the tire pressure sensors. Hell, discount tire might even remove the tire from the rims and rotate the tires, I don't know, but they do it all for one charge.

What's the real deal? On the latest model Infiniti's, (or my model) is a "system reset" needed? Is there justification to what they were saying, or is this just pure misinformation being propogated blindly?

Thanks!

 

They are full of it. You are right and the G does not care which sensor is where like many other cars do. The G only cares that the sensors are set to your car so you would need something like this if you got a new one. I would talk to the manager and have them explain what this does for your car (since it does nothing!). Oh and never go there again!

 

Yeah, they scammed you. There's no such thing required as a TPS system reset, nor does such a thing exist.

 

See page WT13 of the 2004 G35 service manual:

TROUBLE DIAGNOSES

WT-13

ID Registration Procedure AES000QZ

ID REGISTRATION WITH TRANSMITTER ACTIVATION TOOL

This procedure must be done after replacement of a transmitter, BCM, or tire rotation.

CAUTION:
If CONSULT-II is used with no connection of CONSULT-II CONVERTER, malfunction might be detected during self-diagnosis depending on control unit which carry out CAN communication.

1. With the ignition switch OFF, connect CONSULT-II and CONSULT-II CONVERTER to the data link connector, then turn the ignition switch ON.

2. Select “START (NISSAN BASED VHCL)”.

3. Select “BCM” on “SELECT SYSTEM” screen.
NOTE:
If “BCM” is not indicated, go to GI-38, "CONSULT-II Data Link Connector (DLC) Circuit" .

4. Select “AIR PRESSURE MONITOR” on “SELECT WORK ITEM” screen.

5. Select “WORK SUPPORT” on “SELECT DIAG MODE” screen, and select “ID REGIST”.

6. With the transmitter activation tool (J-45295) pushed against the front-left transmitter position of the tire air valve, press the button then keep 5 seconds.

 

well, I guess that's why they said it's required. I still don't get it though. I thought for sure they were full of sh*t. I guess maybe the decompression to 0lbs might require the sensor's to be recalibrated once the tire is back to operating pressure.

 

you went to walmart what do you expect?

 

+1. You're brave going to Wal-mart to get anything done. I barely trust the techs at the dealership....much less the ones at a Wal-mart.

But, the sensors only need to be reset if they're actually moved or relocated - meaning, if you take them off the wheel and then put them back on. If the techs are told beforehand that the valve stems are TPS sensors and will be reused, they can be careful and remove the tires without moving/touching the sensors. I always tell them not to move the sensors before they touch my car. Never had a problem.

 

As far as I know only the dealer-level diagnostic equipment identifies which tire is low. I've only had my G35 for a month or so, but I don't think it would make any difference to the private owner if the wheels were moved around the car.

Owners with more experience might want to give us more details. I posted the procedure only to show that one exists, I doubt that the private owner needs to worry about it.

 

That procedure above is to activate a new sensor, not reset the ones that are on the car.

The G's sensor does not tell you which tire is low. Some other cars like my friend's CTS-V do.

 

My 2006 G never told me which tire was low. However my FX is smart enough to know which tire is low. I can get the PSIs for each of the 4 tires by using the navi / maintenance information.

 

Why would you go to a big box store like Wal-Mart?

Sometimes they have better prices on products,but not service.

I'd rather go to a small local guy anyday,they aren't a chain and they work for you,not the stock exchange.

 

I remember going to Walmart with my now ex wife because she wanted an oil change. It was like $5 less than other places and took 3 hours! I will never go back there again!

 

I thought you also had to have them reset if they go shuffled around? I know when I had my wheels installed, it looked like the tech mixed mine around. So far no light, but I wonder if they're working...

 

From my expeince Infinti dealer " techs" and i'd double those quotations.Are novice compared to what I learn here.

The very friggin' night I picked up my car(they put new bridgestone turanzas on it).It was awseome.I felt great to be in it and it was mine .

Upon ignition,the tire warning light comes on !I tell the salesman who is sitting beside me,what gives mon frere(my brother).He states,"ignore it",the "infiniti certified tech" probably forgot to "re-set the system'(i now see the techs higher education)!So we chat it up and I leave.The dealearship is right on the highway.(www.417nissan.com).Folks not 20 minutes from the dealeship cruising with a big smile......BAM!!!! My right rear blows!!!

To make a long story short(yes they replaced my tire,bad valve they claim,but have NEVER checked the wheel balance at my re-peated request) these Infiniti Certified Techs don't get my vote.