tire pressure sensor fault light is on but the sensors are all oK

[BoulderFusion]

A few weeks after buying new tires for my 2013 Fusion hybrid this spring (installed on existing wheels), the 'tire pressure sensor fault' light came on after I would drive 13 miles (it will go off if I don't drive for 24-36 hours but illuminates whenever I surpass 13 miles). The tire store staff confirmed that all 4 sensors are functioning properly and they found the computer code B124D for this fault notice, which notes other causes for this problem: faulty body control module, body control module harness = open or shorted, body control module circuit with poor electrical connection.

Has anyone else had this problem NOT caused by the pressure sensors themselves? It sounds like it may be difficult to diagnose an intermittent electrical or electronics problem so I haven't approached the dealer yet (I can certainly manually check tire pressure regularly). But having the light come on flashing and then persisting until I don't drive the car for a day or more is annoying.

[Kurt]

This started happening to me a couple years ago. It sounds like exactly the same thing. Whenever I would drive for about 20 minutes (not sure about distance), the TPMS telltale would start flashing, with the message about tire pressure sensor fault. After sitting overnight it would go away. I assumed that the sensor was just getting too old and its battery was getting low. It made sense, as these are designed to last about 10 years. When the vehicle is not being driven, the sensors begin transmitting once per hour, so it made sense that sitting overnight might let the battery recover enough to resume transmitting. I even went to Discount Tire a couple times to have them check to see which one it was. Both times they found all sensors still working. 

 

I recently had 4 new tires installed and had them replace all sensors as well, thinking this would be the end of the issue for me. However, I am still getting the same behavior, thus thinking maybe it was not the sensors. It seems oddly specific that this would only happen after driving a certain distance or time, which does not fit what I would expect for a bad connection. Replacing the BCM sounds like an expensive option  Not sure what to do now.

[allen84]

I have the same problem.  Car is almost 13 years old, and it has the same rims with the original sensors.  I attribute it as being the battery dieing in the TPMS module.  As long as it doesn't say low tire pressure, I just ignore the fault message.   It has been happening almost 3 years now, only when it's cold it seems.   Did not see the problem in late spring or summer.

 

Yes the problems also occurs for me after 25 mins of driving, and it's gone when I start the car later or the next day.

Edited November 22, 2022 by allen84

[Waldo]

When you got the new sensors, did they reprogram them to the vehicle?  If not, the vehicle is still looking for the old sensors and after it doesn't seen them for a certain amount of time, it then trips the fault code.