CTIS - "FLAT?" - HELP!!! (newb)

[DCottle]

Ok, for the first few months my CTIS was working fine...

Now, when I turn it tried to increase the pressure in the CTIS readout to the required pressure for my chosen setting (for example, Highway = 45 psi). It gets up to 13-14 sometimes, and then it registers "FLAT?" in the uppre right corner.

No tires look flat. The main air pressure gauge on the front dashboard hovers between 90-120...mostly around 120.

I do not have alot of mechanical experience, but I am willing to learn. Can somebody please give me some idea as to where to start in diagnosing and fixing this problem so the CTIS will work again?

Thanks.

 

[pwrwagonfire]

I know this doesn't answer your question...but CTIS is really problematic, all the A3's that I have seen have it disabled, and still the tires all run flat...

That is very cool that you have a working system! How do you like it?

 

[lonegunman]

I just picked my A3 up a few days ago and am prepping it for a cross country trip. The CTIS system appeared to work fine for three whole days. Then it went apecrap and starting giving the flat alarm with 45 psi in the tires, all six tires.

When it is off it is shut-off and all six wheels are seperate and cannot deflate, or so they say. I am planning on airing them up daily as part of the pre-flight checklist and leaving the thing off. When I get home, I am going to disable the whole darned thing once and for all.

I've never heard any military mechanic who worked on it say a nice thing about it and they all leak.

So shut it off and air them up by hand. If they hold air, good. Fiddle with it in your spare time.

 

[DCottle]

Totally not what I wanted to hear....but thanks.

David

 

[bulldog_mack13]

David, Turn your box off on the steering colum. Check the air pressure before you drive it you will be ok as long as they are holding air. (Short term or long term if your happy)

It sounds like your control box is going out BUT you can pull the CTIS covers, take off the valves, clean them up inside and out, reinstall them. Try it then. It might be real dirty in there and its sending something back to the control box.

Your truck sounds real good so let us know and keep playing with it. Im new to A3's also but your one of the few that owns them. I see more and more out of the 5K they made being sent to foreign countries. -Jay

 

[markmontana]

The CTIS on the A3 maccus and I picked up last week seems to be working ok. It kept the tires aired up for the 700 mile trip from Ft McCoy to Custer, SD. It was good entertainment while driving- the unit would build up extra pressure in the air tank, balance out the tires to 45 lbs and then blow off the extra pressure in the tanks. The CTIS display showed the pressure as it filled the tire(s) back up to 45.

At first the system would go thru this cycle about every 75 miles, then increased to 150 or so. I'm sure it's a small leak.

These trucks have been sitting for a long time- hard on tires and air fittings. One of the tires had a serious flat spot- made a bumpy rode for about 20 miles, then it gradually got better. After 100 miles, things smoothed out. These are very stiff/hard tires.