Often the warnings that pop up on our vehicles are fairly predictable, from the common low fuel warning to engine management lights and even oil pressure sensors. But has your Ford popped up with the message to “train” your tire and left you feeling puzzled?
In this article, we are going to cover what does “tires not trained” mean and how do your tires end up getting into this situation.
When the message to train your tire appears, you may be concerned that it has a more serious meaning behind it. If your tires are in need of reinflation then you may find an error message similar to “train left front tire” appearing on your vehicle.
When this message appears, this means it is in a mode of reinitializing the pressure sensors on your tires.
Sometimes a vehicle enters this mode when the hazard button has been pressed rapidly 5 times, or if your ignition has been turned off and run three times consecutively after applying pressure to the brake pedal.
It is fairly easy to exit this mode, by simply turning your vehicle and all the electrics off. The TPMS in your vehicle should not be affected by this if it was a simple mistake, however, if you haven’t checked the pressure in your tires for a while then you should check them to make sure there is no cause for concern.
Many times car owners forget the importance of checking their tire pressure and aren’t aware of how frequently you should do so.
Your vehicle handbook will contain all the information you need for your Ford vehicle and let you know all the aspects you need to regularly maintain and check to ensure your vehicle can run as smoothly as possible.
Generally, it is recommended you check your tire pressures monthly, or before any long journeys. Your Ford handbook may also contain information for higher pressures if you plan on having extra weight in the vehicle than normal.
You may be surprised to realize that overinflation can be just as damaging to the wear of your tires as underinflation. It can lead to your tires being more rigid and a reduction in contact with the road surface which can lead to dangerous handling at high speeds.
The reduced traction from overinflation puts more pressure on the center of your tire, but underinflation will have the opposite effect with too much of the tire’s surface being in contact with the road which leads to overheating, excessive friction, and even premature wear and blowouts.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, incorrectly inflated tires leads to more than 33,000 injuries in the US alone.
Studies have shown that 28% of vehicles on the nation’s roads run with at least 1 of their tires are underinflated, which is scary when you know the effects it has on handling.
Tires have a set recommended pressure to ensure proper handling, grip, and steering control on your vehicle, and this can lead to a significant increase in stopping distances, not to mention when teamed with bad weather.
Did you also know that incorrect tire inflation can lead to a significant reduction in the fuel economy of your Ford? The U.S Department of Energy has estimated that 1 billion gallons of gasoline are wasted every year due to the increased use from under-inflated tires.
There is a big misconception around TPMS and sensor programming in all vehicles, not just Ford. The sensors have to be programmed with a proper application before being installed onto your tire and then need to be relearned to the vehicle.
Some sensors will not require extra programming as they will already be loaded with the proper programming needed to function with your specific Ford models TPMS and these sensors can help to reduce service time and eliminate unnecessary expenses.
The manufacturers behind the Ford TPMS systems are Schrader Electronics, VDO, and Lear. Schrader creates the valve stem TPMS and Lear & VDO create banded sensors.
If your Ford Focus still has a tire pressure light illuminated this may be a sign that your pressure has fallen under 25% of the threshold allowance in one (or more) tires.
Place a TPMS near one of the tire pressure sensors and press the button for a few seconds to wake the sensor. The TPMS module should then recognize the sensor and signal by either flashing the hazards or beeping the horn.
Common causes of your tire pressure light remaining illuminated are a puncture/ air leak. Sometimes after a new fitting, your vehicle may need a TPMS to reset in order to reset the system.
It can be hard to figure out what every signal in your Ford vehicle can mean and the “tires not trained” warning can seem very confusing at first.
Hopefully, this article has helped you to learn what this issue really means and some other helpful information to keep your Ford vehicle’s tires in good condition to give you an improved, safer driving experience.
