I have been looking at several TPMS tester/programmers and was wondering if anyone has an Autel TS501 service tester . It looks to be the best in the price range I am looking at but was curious to know if others have purchased or used on of these. Just asking. Happy New Year

 

Funny you should bring up the topic.
In Sept. 2016, I bought an Autel TS401 to check the TPMS on my 2007 XK, since I figured they were probably on their last legs. It said the batteries were ok, so I didn't change them. Put those wheels/tires/TPMS in storage, and put on a refurbished set of wheels I like better, with new tires and TPMS.
Now I've forgotten where I put the dang TS401. Hunted all over the basement and garage this past weekend, it seems to have vanished! I need it to read the TPMS on my Lexus, that doesn't auto-relearn new TPMS codes (like the XK does), so I can put on a set of new winter wheels/tire/TPMS.
Hate to buy another TS401, or the 'better' TS501, just because I can't find the 'old' one.

 

I've got a TS401.

You can read the sensors directly from the wheel, which gives you the sensor ID, pressure, temperature, battery status..





It doesn't actually interact with the car, won't clear codes or fault messages, it won't "pair" a sensor with the car. Maybe the TS501 can do that, as that tool will connect to the car over the OBD port. I didn't go for the TS501 because I have IDS/SDD that covers the car side of things.

 

Cambo I was looking at the TS401 and TS408 but wanted to get one that gave me the ability to program in a new sensor. With the Lexus you need to go into the OBD port to identify the sensors as it doesn't have a "learn" mode. The TS501 has that capability so you can reprogram new sensor replacements . Starting to look like this may be my choice.

 

What's up with Lexus anyway?
My XK auto-relearns new TPMS, my wife's Mazda auto-relearns too. So after I buy it, I find out that not only does my 3rd generation Lexus IS not auto-relearn, it's ECU can only store one set of TPMS IDs, while the previous generation could store two sets. No way am I going to pay the dealer to swap the Summer/Winter TPMS IDs twice a year.
The Autel TS401 can supposedly program Autel's own sensors with ID's you provide it, so it can clone your original TPMS IDs.
Since I didn't want to go through the hassle of getting separate wheels, tires, and the Autel MX sensors, and lugging them somewhere to get them mounted, I chose the easier route to get a full set (of winter wheels/tires/TPMS) pre-mounted and balanced from TireRack.
I separately ordered an Ateq Quickset ($120), that should allow me to read the current ECU TPMS values, and then upload the new TPMS values for the winter combo (but I need to find my TS401 to verify all the values, since I've read that the Ateq apparently swaps some wheel locations).

 

kj it seems there were/are a few asian car mfg's that don't have an auto learn. Don't know why but they went that way. Also I understand the Autel will program other sensors also and are compatible with all mfg. sensors produced so far.

 

Exactly... I always had to take mine to the local Toyota dealer for summer/winter rim swaps... Dang annoying...
My Audi could at least store both summer and winter TPMS, so you just told it when you changed rims!

Absolutely LOVE the fact Jag simply learns them on the fly.... Sweet!

 

WooHoo! Found it!

 

I have the TS501 & it can read & clear tpms codes without any issues. I think the kit comes with 8 sensors included. It will not show you the actual tire pressures (if that's something you were hoping for). Every time I tried to interphase with the sensors & get a pressure reading it would fail. Not sure if this was just something going on with my car (I did have issues with the tpms module).

 

OK I pulled the trigger on the TS501 and expect to get it next week. We'll see how it works on my Lexus which has a bad sensor or two. I'm at the 7 + year mark so I'm betting it's the batteries that are starting to go. Light has been on for a week but all 5 tires are at the same pressure . OK I'll keep you guys posted in case anyone else is curious.

 

Be interesting to see if the TS501 reads the battery condition on your Lexus.
Just read my 2014 Lexus IS TPMS with my TS401, and it doesn't show a battery condition (my XK showed 'Normal' for the batteries).

 

OK got the TS501 yesterday and am still reading through the manual. I did do a quick check of my Lexus which is 7 years old and has a TPMS light on. I have 2 out of 5 sensors that are bad and another one with LOW BATTERY but still reads. It's cold here so my unheated garage is at 25* F so I am not spending time to check all of the features. I also just ordered a new Autel sensor as my 1st test to figure out how to clone it to the car. I didn't check the Jag yet but as the weather warms up I'll give it a look. Lexus is 315 mhz and the jag supposed to be 433 mhz.

 

Oh as another feature it has the capability to test my key fob battery and gives a percentage of battery condition. Simple just call up the fob feature and press any button on the fob and it reads and gives status. FYI

 

Your Jag in the US will be 315 mhz as well.
Used my Autel TS401, along with my new ATEQ Quickset yesterday to put the new TPMS values for my new winter wheels into my Lexus. Worked great (other than the Quickset quirk of having to swap the left front and rear values for Lexus), no warnings, and the psi values showed up correctly on my dash display.

 

Hope that cloning works out, that would be great.

 

As I understand it there are 3 methods to program the sensors. With the TS501 you can go into the OBDII port and see the S/N of each sensor. Then you put one of Autel's MX sensors in the tester and press the clone button to program it. Then replace the wheel back to it's location and then just reset the TPMS light. You can also manually input the S/N and the last way is to program a new set of sensors and then load their new S/N's into the cars PCM. All a little bit gray yet to me but hopefully I'm not to old to figure it out. I'll report back when I get a test sensor cloned/programmed.

 

OK as an FYI i cloned my Lexus TPMS sensor using my Autel TS501 tester and one of the Autel Programmable MX sensors. Did the cloning by using the OBDII copy method which was stored in the car PCM. It was a simple process and I went back into the car and reset the TPMS using the button Lexus has under the dash. The dash light went out and after starting the car there was no fault. Also while scanning my other sensors I have 2 more that register with a LOW battery which I will need to change. The Autel sensor cost $28 but you can get all 4 for $100. Lexus wants between $60-$75 per sensor only. I did not change or rebalance the tire as I only broke the seal on the top of the tire and fished my hand in to remove/install the new sensor.

 

Nice. Don't know the year/model of your Lexus, but do you get a PSI reading on your dash for the new sensor? Read that some clones show up as a blank pressure reading on the dash display.

 

Lexus is a 2010 and it does not show PSI , only the low tire sign. The Autel tester gives all of the test info.