Technical Service Bulletin
44 Message "TPMS" in instrument cluster
44 14 51 2034445/2 June 26, 2014. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 44 number 13-38 dated July 11,
2013 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

A4

2010 - 2015

All

Not Applicable

A5

2010 - 2015

All

Not Applicable

A5 Cabriolet

2010 - 2015

All

Not Applicable

Q5

2010 - 2015

All

Not Applicable

Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision

Date

Purpose

2

-

Revised header data (Added model year)

1

07/11/2013

Initial publication

Customer reports seeing the messages “TPMS” and “Tire pressure: System malfunction!” in the instrument
cluster. The customer’s report matches one of three possible scenarios:
Scenario A:
• After the engine is started, the message “TPMS” appears briefly then turns off.
• No DTCs are stored.
Scenario B:
• The message “TPMS” appears constantly.
• DTC 03159 (tire pressure monitoring in ESP function) is stored in the ABS control module, J104 (address word
03), with one or more additional DTCs.
Scenario C:
• The messages “TPMS” and “Tire pressure: System malfunction!” appear while the vehicle is being driven.
DTC 03159 (tire pressure monitoring in ESP function) is stored in the ABS control module, J104 (address word
03), without other DTCs.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 1 of 3

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Technical Background
The “TPMS” message is not related to a loss of tire pressure. The message only indicates that tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) is not active. The message can appear under the following circumstances:
Scenario A:
As part of the self-check during the start of the vehicle, the tire warning display may be briefly deactivated along
with the ESP. In this case, the “TPMS” message only indicates that the TPMS is not active for a short period of
time. Because the vehicle is not moving at this time, there are no wheel revolution values available for the TPMS
to read, even if it were active. After the self-test is completed, both the tire warning display and the ESP are fully
available.
Scenario B:
When there is a problem in the brake electronics (or a problem caused by another system, such as the engine or
EPB control module) the tire warning display is switched off. In addition to DTC 03159, at least one other DTC will
be stored in the ABS control module, J104 (address word 03).
Scenario C:
The message appears when there is a problem with the tire warning display, which is most likely caused by a
problem with the ABS control module.

Production Solution
Not applicable.

Service
Tip: Because the “TPMS” message is not related to a loss of tire pressure, storing tire pressure does not
lead to any change.
Scenario A:
If the “TPMS” message only appears briefly after the engine is started, it can be ignored. Do not perform any
repairs. In this case, the “TPMS” message only indicates that the TPMS is not active for a short period of time.
Scenario B:
If DTC 03159 is stored in the ABS control module, J104 (address word 03), with another DTC, diagnose the other
DTC first. Once the other DTC is resolved, the tire warning display will be available again and DTC 03159 will
disappear or can be deleted.
Scenario C:
If DTC 03159 is stored in the ABS control module, J104 (address word 03), without another DTC, submit a
Technical Assistance Center (TAC) ticket.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 2 of 3

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Warranty
This TSB is informational only and not applicable to any Audi warranty.

Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2034445) are subject to change and/or removal. Always
check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 3 of 3

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.