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 GMC Acadia is manufactured with a direct TPMS system, which means TPMS sensors are 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).

When a sensor is replaced in one or more tires, one or more wheels are replaced or tires are rotated in a GMC Acadia, a manual (stationary) or OBD TPMS relearn is recommended to transfer new and/or existing TPMS sensor ID’s to the vehicle’s ECU.

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 GMC Acadia can be found in the VT56 in “Service TPMS”.

Type of TPMS frequency:

• 315 MHz for years 2007-2016 (first half of production year)
• 433 MHz for years 2016-2020 (second half of production year)

Type of Relearn procedures:

• Manual (stationary) relearn
• Bonus OBD relearn procedure coverage as an option on the VT56, requires OBD module

Type of TPMS tool required for TPMS reset

• VT56 TPMS Diagnostic tool, step by step relearn procedures are written in the tool.

Bonus coverage, OBD relearn procedure:

Available for years 2008-2020

• 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

Manual relearn procedure:

• Turn ignition ON
• Press and hold the lock and unlock button on the key fob until the horn sounds
• Hold TPMS tool on left front tire sidewall next to the valve stem
• Horn chirps once
• Repeat for RF, RR, LR tires
• Turn ignition OFF

Troubleshooting tips

Tip 1:

The owner’s manual on the GMC Acadia 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 ID’s did not transfer correctly, which means the procedure has to start over again.

The solution? For most GMC vehicles, the bonus OBD relearn procedure is available for the ATEQ VT56, 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 GMC Acadia, and requires just one relearn procedure to memorize for various vehicle Makes.

Tip 2:

Lowering the driver’s side window may help complete the process for larger GMC vehicles

Tip 3:

GMC 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, GMC 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.

Tip 4:

The GMC Acadia was manufactured with 315 MHz TPMS sensors from 2007 through the first half of the production year. From the second half of the production year, the GMC Acadia is manufactured with 433 MHz TPMS sensors. Be sure to check the tool in the CHECK TPMS icon on the VT56, VT46, VT36 or VT31 tools to see which sensor frequency you are working with before replacing a TPMS sensor. 

TPMS DTC code information

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