After the TREAD Act was mandated in 2007, all vehicles manufactured in the United States beginning in 2008, must be installed with direct or indirect TPMS systems.

The Chevrolet Equinox is manufactured with a direct TPMS system. Direct TPMS has TPMS sensors installed in the wheel; if one or more tires indicate low tire pressure, the TPMS sensors will transfer the information to the vehicle’s ECU. An indicator light (low-line TPMS system) or each tire pressure will show on the dash (high-line TPMS system). A TPMS relearn is recommended after a sensor replacement or tire rotation.

 Type of TPMS system:

• Direct TPMS, sensors are installed in the wheel
• All OE and aftermarket TPMS part numbers and service kit replacement options for the Chevy Equinox can be found in the VT56, VT55, VT46 brands and VT36 TPMS Tools in “Service TPMS”.

Type of TPMS frequency:

• 315 MHz

Type of Relearn procedures:

• Auto relearn
• Bonus OBD relearn procedure coverage as an option on the VT56 and VT46 brands (Powered by ATEQ), requires OBD module

Type of TPMS tool required for TPMS reset

• TPMS Diagnostic tool (VT56 or VT46 brands), step by step relearn procedures are written in the tool.
• TPMS activation tool (VT56, VT55, VT6, VT31, VT36 and VT46 brands) for a auto relearn, step by step relearn procedures are written in the tool for the VT56, VT55 or VT46 brands and are available to complete a TPMS reset in the owners manual for the VT36, VT31 or VT15 tools.

Bonus coverage, OBD relearn procedure:

• OBDII dongle is required
• Confirm TPMS sensors are properly installed
• Adjust tire pressures to placard value
• Hold TPMS tool on left front tire sidewall next to the valve stem
• Repeat for the right front, right rear and left rear tires
• Apply OBD module to the DLC
• Turn ignition ON
• Press OK on TPMS tool to transfer sensor data to the ECU
• Disconnect OBD module from DLC
• Turn ignition OFF, then start the engine

The video shows the Chevy Trax, but the same procedure will work with a Chevy Equinox.

Manual relearn procedure, years 2007-2009:

• OBDII connector is not required 
• Confirm TPMS sensors are properly installed 
• Adjust tire pressure to placard value 
• Turn ignition to ACC
• Press and hold lock and unlock button on the key fob until horn sounds 
• Activate TPMS Tool on left front tire sidewall next to the valve stem 
• Horn chirps once 
• Repeat for RF/RR/LR tires 
• Turn ignition OFF 

Manual relearn procedure, years 2010-2020:

• Inflate all tires 
• Apply parking brake 
• Turn ignition ON 
• Push the MENU button to select Vehicle Information in DIC
• Use arrow keys to select Tire Pressure
• Push SET/CLR button to start sensor matching 
• Push SET/CLR button to select YES 
• Horn chirps 2x DIC displays TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
• Use tool to activate LF sensor 
• Single horn sounds 
• Repeat for RF/RR/LR 
• Horn chirps 2x for relearn complete 
• Turn ignition OFF

Troubleshooting tips

Tip 1:

Lowering the driver’s side window may help to complete this process on larger vehicles if the relearn fails.

Tip 2:

The owner’s manual on the Chevy Equinox states, “There are two minutes to match the first tire/wheel position, and five minutes overall to match all four tire/wheel positions. If it takes longer, the matching process stops and must be restarted.”

If the horn chirps twice before all steps have been performed or sensors have been activated, the relearn procedure most likely has failed and the IDs did not transfer correctly, which means the procedure has to start over again.

The solution? For most Chevrolet vehicles, the bonus OBD relearn procedure is available for the ATEQ VT56 and VT46 brands, thanks to patented Sync-ID technology. This advanced feature allows the user to perform an OBD relearn to turn the light off, with minimal to no driving time required to turn the light off, saving the technician time and the customer labor costs. It takes two minutes or less to perform an OBD relearn procedure on a Chevy Equinox, and requires just one relearn procedure to memorize for various vehicle Makes.

Tip 3:

Chevy recommends rotating tires every 7,500 miles (12 000 kilometers). Tire rotation helps with even wear for all tires and is important for balanced handling on the road, which can extend the life of tires and save money in the long-run. When tires are rotated, Chevy recommends resetting the TPMS system by performing a TPMS relearn to transfer the new location of the TPMS sensors to the vehicle’s ECU. It is also recommended to do a TPMS reset after a wheel or sensor replacement.

TPMS DTC code information

Use the VT56 to retrieve Chevrolet TPMS DTC codes for direct TPMS systems by selecting the “Service” icon. After selecting the Make, Model, and Year select the DTC code icon. Use the OBDII module to retrieve the Chevrolet DTC TPMS information to diagnose and service the TPMS issues determined.