[Teddylongtooth]

hey guys I went to dinner last night and when I was leaving Fogo de chao I put my car in sport mode to properly deal the las vegas strip area traffic and within 5 minutes of driving my car switched to normal mode by itself. I tried to put it back but the car wouldn't let me, about 10 mins later I could put it comfort mode then 2 mins later back to normal mode. I'm not getting any malfunctioning warnings or faults, but my tpms sensors havnt worked for over a year now but that never stopped me from being able to drive in any other modes than normal. Has this happened to anyone? I think the car finally is telling me to get new tpms sensors, but I cant be for sure. Any ideas??

[Boulder Bill]

When ever I trip a TPM sensor, I can't put the car in Sport until I address or reset.

I suspect the sensors are the culprit.

Try resetting them - even if they aren't functional.

[AP]

just reiterating , I have only seen the car go back to comfort in the case of an "issue" which in my case was 2 separate punctures.

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by Teddylongtooth

....my tpms sensors havnt worked for over a year now but that never stopped me from being able to drive in any other modes than normal. Has this happened to anyone? I think the car finally is telling me to get new tpms sensors, but I cant be for sure. Any ideas??

Same as other two posters, the only time I was being denied "sport/sport+" mode was when I had "low pressure warning" on. No flat, just tire pressures were mismatched at the time. I'm assuming that given your sensors aren't working you're experiencing something similar.

[M5Beast_NYC]

Yes, if my TPM has a malfunction message, I cant go into sport. seems normal process.

btw: i have a practically new set of TPMS sensor coming off my wheel/tire combo. let me know if you want it. The dealer installed it january/febuary 2015 on my winter set and it has been sitting at my shed since march. I have a 2012 535i xdrive so should be compatible with yours.

[lsturbointeg]

Learned something new with this post I don't have sport modes but future references at least I know

[Teddylongtooth]

Ok cool, thanks guys I was thinking it could be the tpms malfunction I've been having since I put the 20" forgestars on a year ago. Although I never have been kicked out of sport or comfort to normal till last night. I do have what was supposed to be the correct tpm sensors in my wheels and I even confirmed with the dealer they are correct but for some reason my car wont see them. The funny thing is it was around this time last year I ditched the stocks so my car prolly has a time limit on how long you can drive with a tpm malfunction before the car wont let me in sport or comfort mode anymore. I'm going to put my stock wheels on and see if the car sees them and lets me stay in sport or comfort mode. I'll report back this weekend what I found and I'll post a pic of my car on the stock wheels vs the 20" forgestars. . Thanks again for the help

[snj1013]

IIRC, the TPMS sensors did change parts numbers/frequencies in October of 2010. Some 2011 use one model, some us a different. You might want to research this on realoem.com

[Teddylongtooth]

Originally Posted by snj1013

IIRC, the TPMS sensors did change parts numbers/frequencies in October of 2010. Some 2011 use one model, some us a different. You might want to research this on realoem.com

I believe you are correct, Im going to have the stock wheels broke down and swap the O.E sensors to my forgestars. While they are out I will get the part number for the O.E sensors and compare to what I was sold as being correct for my car. Ill post pics of the 2 different sensors.

[EL Jeffe 5]

This is good I like to see what is the outcome on this

[Teddylongtooth]

Ok, so Last night I tried to reset the tpms even thou I knew it wouldn't, it just gave me the tmps malfunction after about 12 mins. So far its not kicking me out of comfort or sport modes anymore, but im still going to switch wheels and sensors like I said I would. Pics coming this weekend.

[dadysev]

Originally Posted by Teddylongtooth

Ok, so Last night I tried to reset the tpms even thou I knew it wouldn't, it just gave me the tmps malfunction after about 12 mins. So far its not kicking me out of comfort or sport modes anymore, but im still going to switch wheels and sensors like I said I would. Pics coming this weekend.

The real check is with the dealer unless you can can get a Rheingold scanner to check it. You would be surprised the amount of messages your car pumps out that regular ODB scanners don't detect.
The car will always drop you out of sport mode with any error with tires. Im guessing it does it even with the small warning messages you don't see.

[Teddylongtooth]

Sorry no updates, it rained most of the day Saturday and in las vegas it turns from 0 to retarded in 5 minutes after it rains here with shitty drivers and flooding. I never drive my car when it rains here, people don't slow down and im afraid of getting rear ended by some idiot in a P.O.S so I just stay home. The tire shop I trust is closed on Sunday, I'll try again this Saturday.

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by Teddylongtooth

I never drive my car when it rains here

And even if you did, you don't need Sport, especially Sport+ mode for those days.

[Teddylongtooth]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

And even if you did, you don't need Sport, especially Sport+ mode for those days.

True dat

[Teddylongtooth]

Update!! After over a year I finally know why my car kicked me out of sport mode to normal. Low tire pressure, thats it. Ill try my best to explain, I originally thought my Tpms sensors were not working because of the malfunction I get every time I drive my car but they are, they tell me when I have a low tire and also kick me into normal when I have a tire below 20psi and wont let me out of normal untill I air up my tires and reset the tpms. The malfunction is they don't properly communicate the air pressure and temp info to the reciever or module that reads the sensors. It does however tell me the before mentioned low tire or below 20psi, it just doesn't say which tire or the pressure. My car did tell me when and where before I switched to the 20's with new sensors. I know why the sensors don't work too, the model of sensor I was sold is universal and works with bmw, audi and vw but need to be programmed with a special programming tool to work with my car correctly and since they weren't I only get "low tire". I'm only responding so you can use this as a reference if you replaced your sensors and your car stopped reading the temp and psi data and giving a malfunction.

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by Teddylongtooth

Update!! After over a year I finally know why my car kicked me out of sport mode to normal. Low tire pressure, thats it. Ill try my best to explain, I originally thought my Tpms sensors were not working because of the malfunction I get every time I drive my car but they are, they tell me when I have a low tire and also kick me into normal when I have a tire below 20psi and wont let me out of normal untill I air up my tires and reset the tpms. The malfunction is they don't properly communicate the air pressure and temp info to the reciever or module that reads the sensors. It does however tell me the before mentioned low tire or below 20psi, it just doesn't say which tire or the pressure. My car did tell me when and where before I switched to the 20's with new sensors. I know why the sensors don't work too, the model of sensor I was sold is universal and works with bmw, audi and vw but need to be programmed with a special programming tool to work with my car correctly and since they weren't I only get "low tire". I'm only responding so you can use this as a reference if you replaced your sensors and your car stopped reading the temp and psi data and giving a malfunction.

wow! i'm surprised that nobody here new that. i mean it sounds funny at first but now if anyone else has this issue we at least know what the problem is. too bad it took you a year to figure that out

[snj1013]

So it took a year to actually get out a tire pressure gauge and check the pressure? I understand the problem you had with having the wrong sensors, but you should check your tire pressure at least once per month. Once you have the correct sensors installed, you can code your car to show pressures and temperatures, and they are fairly accurate (mine are within a pound of the digital gauge I use).

Not trying to be an ass here, but tire pressure is so important. It impacts handling, tire wear, comfort, fuel economy, braking/safety. People really need to keep better tabs on this item!!

[Teddylongtooth]

Originally Posted by snj1013

So it took a year to actually get out a tire pressure gauge and check the pressure? I understand the problem you had with having the wrong sensors, but you should check your tire pressure at least once per month. Once you have the correct sensors installed, you can code your car to show pressures and temperatures, and they are fairly accurate (mine are within a pound of the digital gauge I use).

Not trying to be an ass here, but tire pressure is so important. It impacts handling, tire wear, comfort, fuel economy, braking/safety. People really need to keep better tabs on this item!!

I should have mentioned that I DO check my tires once a month, which is why I haven't had a low tire since I made this original thread. I had a nail in my left rear tire 2 weeks ago and I got the low tire alarms and it kicked me out of sport mode. Thats when I figured it out and purposly let air out of my front tire to see if I was correct. I probably know more about tires and the importance of proper tire inflation than most of the members in these forums having been a manager of discount tire here in town for 5 years and a service manager of 2 different auto shops. But my experience with this car at the time was new and I turned to the forum members for assistance and didn't get any relevant help, so I responded with my findings to possibly help someone else. I also had it coded before switching to the 20's to get the temp and pressure readings of each tire. Thanks for the suggestions.