The Nissan Altima has enjoyed a successful run with over five generations culminating in the L33, which was first introduced in 2013. The latest Nissan Altima is lighter and much more refined making it almost comparable to a Maxima in size and features. Powered by the 3.5 liter VQ35DE and stocked to the brim with the latest in electronic sensors and engine control, the Altima is a great sporty sedan.
One of many issues with the new Nissan Altima have to do with the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and the corresponding light that illuminates on the dashboard. This trouble can often confuse new drivers who can mistake the TPMS as a Check Engine Light (CEL) or the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL).
Whether from low tire pressure or getting new tires installed, the TPMS light can be tricky to reset on your Nissan Altima. This is what our How To Reset Your Nissan Altima TPMS article is for, to help you get rid of that annoying tire light.
How To Reset your Nissan Altima TPMS
When the TPMS light goes off on your Nissan Altima, you should first pull over as soon as possible and check for any leaks. This can be easily accomplished by simply leaning over and listening for any leaks and looking for punctures, or using a simple hand held gauge over 5 minute intervals.
It’s handy to have a tire pressure gauge around in case you need to check for pressure or leaks. Look at the pressure rating for your tire and make sure you have proper inflation in them before driving the vehicle.
If your have no leaks present, you must then match the pressure in the tires to the Tire Load and Information tag on the driver side doorjam. Open your Altima door to inspect this rating and simply match the tire pressure accordingly. Driving your Altima over 16 mph for around 10 minutes should then reset the TPMS light and resolve your problem.
If this method does not show you how to reset your Nissan Altima TPMS, or this method does not work, you may have a TPMS sensor malfunction.
Looking for a DIY guide on how to replace your TPMS? Check our Altima guide above, but if the method above does not work for your Nissan Altima, you might have to replace your TPMS sensor. This is Nissan part number 40700-1AA0A, and 40700-1AA0C as well as 40700-CK002, 40700-JA00B, depending on your VIN number. You can also alternate this Nissan OEM part number for the matching Infiniti part number.
You can also opt to reprogram or reset the Tire Pressure Monitors by using a registered Nissan Scan Tool or an aftermarket J-45295 activation tool. Check our How To Replace your Nissan Altima TPMS DIY Guide fr more details.
The procedure on how to reset your Nissan Altima TPMS after a tire change or sensor change can be straight forward using this tool. After mounting and aligning your vehicle, insert the key to the “ON” position and activate the TPMS using the scan tool which connects by pressing the transmitter against the sensor. Reset your TPMS using the device’s instructions or simply hit “RESET” to accept the TPMS reset.
The Brake Reset Method
Depending on the cause of your Nissan Altima TPMS light being on, you can also try to ground the TPMS connector located under your lower dash trim. Remove your lower dash panels to reveal this white 2 pin connector and ground it to the chassis.
- Left front : 34 psi
- Right Front : 21 psi
- rear right : 29psi
- rear left : 26psi
Now turn the car to the “ON” position and press the ON button and depress the brake six times slowly. This should cause your TPMS light to blink and then reset, if this does not show you how to reset your Nissan Altima TPMS, you may have a malfunction.
When you reset your TPMS sender this way, the blinker lights should flash which give you the go ahead to move to the next tire. Start with the left front tire, then move to the front right tire before going back to the right rear and finishing with the rear left tires. You must reset the vehicle and TPMS sender ID in this pattern for the lights to flash again upon completion, showing that the process is now complete.
Drive the vehicle over 16 MPH to complete the TPMS reset process if you have just installed new tires or new TPMS sensors. Using the Nissan scan tool you can also reprogram the TPMS system by altering Body Control Module (BCM) functions to test the air pressure monitors.
ID registration can be completed in this manner if all else fails, but it will require you to set the tire pressures to specific values for each tire in question. Here are the values below:
- Front-left at 36psi
- Front-right at 33psi
- Rear-right at 30psi
- Rear-left at 27psi
Never drive on flat or underinflated tires as this can cause lack of traction and could potentially cause a life threatening situation. Do not take your TPMS light or the matter of your tire pressure lightly, and always make sure your Nissan Altima is in proper working condition before driving.
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