Buick Enclave: Tire Pressure. Tire Pressure Monitor System. Tire Pressure Monitor Operation

Tire Pressure

Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to operate effectively.

Notice: Neither tire underinflation nor overinflation is good.

Underinflated tires, or tires that do not have enough air, can result in:

Overinflated tires, or tires that have too much air, can result in:

The Tire and Loading Information label on the vehicle indicates the original equipment tires and the correct cold tire inflation pressures.

The recommended pressure is the minimum air pressure needed to support the vehicle's maximum load carrying capacity.

For additional information regarding how much weight the vehicle can carry, and an example of the Tire and Loading Information label, see Vehicle Load Limits .

How the vehicle is loaded affects vehicle handling and ride comfort. Never load the vehicle with more weight than it was designed to carry.

When to Check

Check the tires once a month or more. Do not forget the compact spare tire, if the vehicle has one. The compact spare should be at 420 kPa (60 psi).

For additional information regarding the compact spare tire, see Compact Spare Tire .

How to Check

Use a good quality pocket-type gauge to check tire pressure.

Proper tire inflation cannot be determined by looking at the tire.

Check the tire inflation pressure when the tires are cold, meaning the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours or no more than 1.6 km (1 mi).

Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press the tire gauge firmly onto the valve to get a pressure measurement.

If the cold tire inflation pressure matches the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading Information label, no further adjustment is necessary.

If the inflation pressure is low, add air until the recommended pressure is reached. If the inflation pressure is high, press on the metal stem in the center of the tire valve to release air.

Re-check the tire pressure with the tire gauge.

Return the valve caps on the valve stems to prevent leaks and keep out dirt and moisture.

Tire Pressure Monitor System

The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses radio and sensor technology to check tire pressure levels. The TPMS sensors monitor the air pressure in your tires and transmit tire pressure readings to a receiver located in the vehicle.

Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)

As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.

Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.

Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.

Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly.

The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated.

This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.

When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly.

Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function properly.

See Tire Pressure Monitor Operation  for additional information.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada Standards

See Radio Frequency Statement  for information regarding Part 15 of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.

Tire Pressure Monitor Operation

This vehicle may have a Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).

The TPMS is designed to warn the driver when a low tire pressure condition exists. TPMS sensors are mounted onto each tire and wheel assembly, excluding the spare tire and wheel assembly, if the vehicle has one. The TPMS sensors monitor the air pressure in the tires and transmits the tire pressure readings to a receiver located in the vehicle.

When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the TPMS illuminates the low tire pressure warning light located on the instrument cluster.

If the warning light comes on, stop as soon as possible and inflate the tires to the recommended pressure shown on the tire loading information label. See Vehicle Load Limits .

For additional information and details about the DIC operation and displays see Driver Information Center (DIC)  and Tire Messages

The low tire pressure warning light may come on in cool weather when the vehicle is first started, and then turn off as the vehicle is driven.

This could be an early indicator that the air pressure is getting low and needs to be inflated to the proper pressure.

The TPMS can warn about a low tire pressure condition but it does not replace normal tire maintenance. See Tire Inspection , Tire Rotation  and Tires .

Notice: Tire sealant materials are not all the same. A non-approved tire sealant could damage the TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor damage caused by using an incorrect tire sealant is not covered by the vehicle warranty. Always use only the GM-approved tire sealant available through your dealer or included in the vehicle.

Factory-installed Tire Inflator Kits use a GM approved liquid tire sealant. Using non-approved tire sealants could damage the TPMS sensors. See Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit  for information regarding the inflator kit materials and instructions.

TPMS Malfunction Light and Message

The TPMS will not function properly if one or more of the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable. When the system detects a malfunction, the low tire warning light flashes for about one minute and then stays on for the remainder of the ignition cycle. A DIC warning message also displays. The malfunction light and DIC warning message come on at each ignition cycle until the problem is corrected. Some of the conditions that can cause these to come on are:

The spare tire does not have a TPMS sensor. The malfunction light and DIC message should go off after the road tire is replaced and the sensor matching process is performed successfully. See "TPMS Sensor Matching Process" later in this section.

The TPMS sensor matching process was not done or not completed successfully after rotating the tires.

The malfunction light and the DIC message should go off after successfully completing the sensor matching process.

See "TPMS Sensor Matching Process" later in this section . One or more TPMS sensors are missing or damaged.

The malfunction light and the DIC message should go off when the TPMS sensors are installed and the sensor matching process is performed successfully. See your dealer for service.

If the TPMS is not functioning properly, it cannot detect or signal a low tire condition. See your dealer for service if the TPMS malfunction light and DIC message comes on and stays on.

TPMS Sensor Matching Process

Each TPMS sensor has a unique identification code. The identification code needs to be matched to a new tire/wheel position after rotating the tires or replacing one or more of the TPMS sensors. The TPMS sensor matching process should also be performed after replacing a spare tire with a road tire containing the TPMS sensor. The malfunction light and the DIC message should go off at the next ignition cycle.

The sensors are matched to the tire/wheel positions, using a TPMS relearn tool, in the following order:

driver side front tire, passenger side front tire, passenger side rear tire, and driver side rear. See your dealer for service or to purchase a relearn tool.

There are two minutes to match the first tire/wheel position, and five minutes overall to match all four tire/wheel positions. If it takes longer, the matching process stops and must be restarted.

The TPMS sensor matching process is:

1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter's LOCK and UNLOCK buttons at the same time for approximately five seconds. The horn sounds twice to signal the receiver is in relearn mode and TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message displays on the DIC screen.
4. Start with the driver side front tire.
5. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall, near the valve stem. Then press the button to activate the TPMS sensor.

6. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver side rear tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5. The horn sounds two times to indicate the sensor identification code has been matched to the driver side rear tire, and the TPMS sensor matching process is no longer active. The TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message on the DIC display screen goes off.
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure level as indicated on the Tire and Loading Information label