Reset the TPMS

Last updated: May 18, 2026

The Nissan Pulsar C13/C12/B17 (2014–2018) uses a tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that watches the pressure in all four tyres and warns you on the cluster when one drops below the safe threshold. After any tyre work — a top-up, a swap to winter wheels, a rotation, or a new set of rubber — the system needs to be re-initialised against the new pressures so it has a fresh baseline to monitor.

When a TPMS Reset Is Required

• After checking and adjusting tyre pressures (even a top-up of just one tyre).
• After replacing one or more tyres or wheels.
• After rotating tyres front-to-rear or side-to-side.
• After a seasonal swap from summer to winter wheels (or vice versa).
• After a battery disconnect if the warning light comes on incorrectly.

Preparation

1. Inflate all four tyres to the placard pressure listed on the driver’s door jamb sticker (this is the cold pressure — set it before the car is driven, or after the car has been parked for at least three hours).
2. Park on a level surface with the engine off.
3. Turn the ignition to ON (do not start the engine).
4. Make sure the steering wheel multifunction controls are in their normal position — some Pulsars have replacement non-OEM wheels that don’t expose the ENTER scroll-wheel needed for the procedure.

Tools and Supplies

None for the reset itself. You may want a tyre-pressure gauge and a compressor if you’re setting pressures before the reset.

TPMS Reset — Step-by-Step

1. Use the ENTER scroll-wheel on the steering wheel to navigate the cluster menu. Push up or down to move between options; press inward to confirm.
2. Scroll to Settings and press ENTER to confirm.
3. Scroll to Tyre Pressures and press ENTER.
4. Choose Calibrate and confirm with ENTER.
5. Scroll to Start and press ENTER again.
6. The display will show “Resetting tyre pressure system” and may animate for a few seconds.
7. Drive the vehicle for at least 2 minutes above 25 km/h (15 mph). Straight-line driving on a level road is ideal — the system stores readings while the wheels are spinning.
8. The new tyre pressures are now the reference baseline.

Verify the Reset Worked

The amber low-pressure warning light should go out after the calibration drive. If your Pulsar’s cluster shows individual pressures in the trip computer, those values should also update to your freshly-set cold pressures (give or take a small amount as the tyres warm up).

Troubleshooting

• The warning light comes back on a few miles later. The reset was successful but at least one tyre is genuinely leaking. Re-check pressures cold and inspect each tyre for a slow puncture (often hard to see — a soap-water spray will bubble at the leak).
• “Tyre Pressures” option doesn’t appear in the menu. The base-trim Pulsar (without the colour info display) may not expose the calibrate menu — on those cars the system self-calibrates after 10 minutes of driving above 25 km/h, with no driver action needed. Just drive normally.
• Display shows a tyre icon with a question mark or “—”. One of the wheel-position sensors lost communication. Check that you haven’t installed a non-TPMS spare wheel; if the original wheels are on the car, a sensor battery may be dead (typical lifespan is 7–10 years).
• System won’t accept the calibration if pressures are too low. Add air to the placard value before retrying — the system rejects calibration if all four tyres are dramatically under pressure, as a safety measure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I need to drive after the reset?

The Pulsar’s system stores readings during the first 2 minutes of driving above 25 km/h. In practice, drive normally for 5–10 minutes — by then the system has plenty of data and the warning light should be confirmed off.

Why check pressures cold instead of hot?

Tyre pressure rises as the rubber heats up — typically 3–6 psi between cold (parked overnight) and hot (after 30 minutes of motorway driving). The placard pressure on your door jamb is a cold figure. Setting pressures hot leaves you with under-inflated tyres once they cool, which is exactly what the TPMS is designed to warn against.

I switched to winter wheels with separate TPMS sensors — do I need to re-pair them?

The Pulsar’s TPMS is a direct system (each wheel has its own sensor that broadcasts to the car). On the C13/C12/B17, the car auto-learns sensor IDs after about 10 minutes of driving — no pairing tool needed for OEM-spec sensors. If you fitted aftermarket sensors, check that they’re programmed to Nissan’s protocol; some generic sensors need a TPMS programmer first.

Does this work the same on the Pulsar GTI?

The procedure is the same. The GTI uses the same direct TPMS hardware as the standard Pulsar — the difference is performance tuning, not the monitoring system.