Focus mk4 tyre rotation & TPMS

[dave1987]

Hi everyone,

 

So my 68 Focus mk4 titanium x went in for a warranty fix on the front windows sticking (FYI, there’s a Technical service Bulletin out on that) and I asked the dealer to do a tyre rotation front to rear, which they agreed to do. When I went to collect my car, the service guy said they didn’t do it because if you rotate the tyres it “...can cause havoc with the tyre pressure monitoring system” because the pressure sensors are programmed in per wheel. This just doesn’t sound right to me but I didn’t want to argue. Surely if I rotate the wheels front to back (obviously without removing the tyres), adjust the pressures so they’re correct and then reset the TPMS via the dash all should be fine? Grateful if anyone could advise! Thanks.

 

 

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[Tizer]

Here is an extract from my 2019 owners manual. It is not entirely clear about rotating tyres but does suggest that the car will relearn the new positions.

Thanks for the heads up about the windows. I haven't had that problem myself but it is useful to know. 

 

Changing Road Wheels and Tires

If you change the road wheels and tires on your vehicle, for example fitting alternative wheels and winter tires, and the wheels have tire pressure monitoring system sensors, do the following:

1. Inflate the tires to the correct tire pressure.   See  Tire Pressures. 

1. Park your vehicle for a minimum of 20 minutes.

1. Reset the tire pressure monitoring system.   See  Resetting the Tire Pressure Monitoring System. 

The system recognizes the new sensors the next time you drive your vehicle for approximately 15 minutes at a vehicle speed of 25 mph (40 km/h) or higher.

Repositioning the Road Wheels

To maintain vehicle load carrying capability, your vehicle may require different tire pressures in the front tires compared to the rear tires. The system illuminates the warning lamp at different pressures for the front and rear tires.If you reposition the road wheels from the front to the rear of your vehicle, you must check the tires and inflate them to the correct tire pressure and reset the tire pressure monitoring system.   See  Tire Pressures.  

[dave1987]

Thanks for the post. I saw that in the manual too which made me believe I was being fobbed off by the dealership but thought I’d check amongst you all to see if anyone else has rotated their wheels in the past on a mk4 focus and had any issues?


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[StephenFord]

My uncle use to be fastidious about tire rotation, though, that was in the 70s LOL Never done it in my life, who could be bothered!

[Guy Heaton]

I often do it.  Did it with the missus last Fiesta, front to rear, to equalise the wear so we wouldn't have to change tyres before we traded it in.  Need to do the same on the Focus soon.

[Comares2001]

Only problem is that with modern tyre compounds ,wear patterns in tread and carcase shape can become permanent after relatively low mileages so that when wheels are moved around changes to roadholding/stability and tyre noise can be noticed . This is probably why some manufacturers don't recommend moving wheels around anymore.

[dave1987]

I often do it.  Did it with the missus last Fiesta, front to rear, to equalise the wear so we wouldn't have to change tyres before we traded it in.  Need to do the same on the Focus soon.

Oh ok - what year is your fiesta / focus? Did they have the newer TPMS fitted?


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[Wino]

I've always been a rotator when it comes to tyres. 

Will be intresting to find out if it upsets the sensors or not.

[Guy Heaton]

32 minutes ago, dave1987 said:

Oh ok - what year is your fiesta / focus? Did they have the newer TPMS fitted?


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Fiesta was a mk8 18 plate.

[Dark Andy]

Do you know what the window fix entailed? Mine used to get stuck but I found a quick squirt of silicone lubricant in the window guides sorted it - however if there's a "proper" fix I'd probably want to get that done when my car goes in for its 2 year service later in the year.

[rowdyruff]

Hi,  Sorry I can't help but I have a 2015 focus 2.0 ltr diesel

I had problems with the TPMS last time I got new tyres but the fitter agreed to replace the sensors. This time I had 2 new tyres but changed one from the back to the front.  Now having the same problem again. After 10 miles warning lights up - tyre pressure sensor not present*.  Do I have to get new sensors every time I get new tyres?

[dave1987]

Thanks all. Think I’ll just give it a go and see what happens, pretty sure I was just being fobbed off by the garage to be honest.

Re: the window. I don’t know what they did exactly but I’m told they had the door cards off both front doors, cleaned and lubricated the mechanism and runners, then reset. Don’t just let them say they’ll reset because it doesn’t actually clear the fault! Very annoying because it’ll entail another dealer visit or your car staying there longer!


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[Dark Andy]

3 hours ago, dave1987 said:

Thanks all. Think I’ll just give it a go and see what happens, pretty sure I was just being fobbed off by the garage to be honest.

Re: the window. I don’t know what they did exactly but I’m told they had the door cards off both front doors, cleaned and lubricated the mechanism and runners, then reset. Don’t just let them say they’ll reset because it doesn’t actually clear the fault! Very annoying because it’ll entail another dealer visit or your car staying there longer!


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Thanks for getting back about the window fix. Since I lubed the guides they seem fine but I'll keep an eye on them and if they slow down or get stuck again I'll ask for them to be done with my next service.

[dave1987]

I don’t think so? I eventually had mine rotated front to back anyway and had absolutely no issues at all. I just think my local dealer probably couldn’t be arsed to do it personally.


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[dave1987]

Just to follow up - got my wheels rotated front to back with no issues at all. I think my local dealer just couldn’t be arsed to do it or didn’t have the ramp space available at that time so just fobbed me off.


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[Botus]

On ‎8‎/‎9‎/‎2020 at 10:25 PM, dave1987 said:

Thanks for the post. I saw that in the manual too which made me believe I was being fobbed off by the dealership but thought I’d check amongst you all to see if anyone else has rotated their wheels in the past on a mk4 focus and had any issues?

the dealer probably doesn't know that it has that feature..... no one bothers training anyone on anything.  (check the exam results, u get them now without even going to school) .

Sounds like some thought of wheel changes and it fits the experience I just had on my Merc.  I was fitting a whole new set of wheels and tyres to the car, multiple experts assured me the car would just cope.  The guy fitting the tyres (that does this all day long said it would just cope).  And I expected it to go well as I'm sure the tyre guys over the years have mixed and matched wheels when refitting to the car.  So I just created an duplicate set of autel programmable TPMS sensors for the car  (and then I couldn't refit to the specific matching location, as it had directional tyres on the new rims and he'd put them on different wheels.   

However on driving off with the new set, the car didn't do what I expected.  No errors, but no pressure display for individual wheels like its supposed to do.  Going in the display all I got was the message the tyre pressures will be shown after a few minutes.   Two days of this and still nothing.   Put the diagnostics on the car and found each wheel sensor was on, working correctly and giving data to the car - but it was refusing to display to the user.  

A day checking the manual it mentions the bit above about resetting the system.  I did that and noticed a different message to normal and the whole cluster menu rebooted (but still had the same "after a few minutes" message.  Went off to think about the logic, decided something must be wrong with what I did.... luckily I was still able to check / change the TPMS sensors programming whilst all fitted to the car....  reviewing this info I saw the individual BT codes where not at the original locations (which I knew - due to the way the tyres went on the rims) and thought well I guess I'll programme to the original locations and go from there...  

Whilst checking what the car has now and what it had on the old set..... I realised somehow I had coded 2 sensors the same.  So whilst in diagnostic 4 show are working and sending data on battery strength and pressure to the car and the car is seeing and understanding this data for four locations.  It refused to display because one set of data was a duplicate, it knew this but didn't flag this in any faults or diagnostic live data....

So I guess the car went well there are 4 and they are pumped up, but I can't tell which tyre is which so I'll do nothing.  Upon programme the 4 original codes everything went to normal.

Also of note the full size spare gets no sensor (although the USA region guys say they do) but I don't believe them

[Abbas.123]

On 8/9/2020 at 10:25 PM, dave1987 said:

Thanks for the post. I saw that in the manual too which made me believe I was being fobbed off by the dealership but thought I’d check amongst you all to see if anyone else has rotated their wheels in the past on a mk4 focus and had any issues?


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I’ve currently got an issue with my mk4 Ford Focus changed the tire on the car and it’s showing up tpms malfunction the alloy is original to the car but it’s showing malfunction

[unofix]

 

[alexp999]

2 hours ago, Abbas.123 said:

I’ve currently got an issue with my mk4 Ford Focus changed the tire on the car and it’s showing up tpms malfunction the alloy is original to the car but it’s showing malfunction

The fitters might have damaged one of the sensors.

I've had the tyres on mine changed and rotated and after driving for about a minute the car figures out where the sensors are and detects the correct pressure. I didn't have any errors, just 0 pressure showing until I drove it.

[RMurphy195]

I recently equipped my MK4 ecoblue with a full-sized spare. Since one of the wheels on the car had a cheapo tyre fitted to it, I put that one in the boot and the wheel I got s/h went onto the car. I had expected problems sicne the TPMS on the "new" wheel came from a different car but, basically, nothing happened - all as normal and tyres pressures showing on all 4 wheels no problem. Didn't do a TPMS reset. Did check all 4 tyres pressures after putting the wheel on (with a normal pressure gauge) then looked at the TPMS dashboard display and all showing OK.

In other words, popped a wheel onto the car and it all just worked.

[Abbas.123]

On 12/8/2021 at 7:12 PM, alexp999 said:

The fitters might have damaged one of the sensors.

I've had the tyres on mine changed and rotated and after driving for about a minute the car figures out where the sensors are and detects the correct pressure. I didn't have any errors, just 0 pressure showing until I drove it.

The sensors are all fine they are all working it just won’t show any readings on the cars on board system and shows tyre pressure system malfunction