Mercedes-Benz C159916: Tyre Sensor Battery End of Life
Mercedes-Benz C159916 means one of the TPMS wheel sensors is reporting a supply voltage below its threshold, which on a sealed sensor almost always means the internal battery is at end of life. It is most common on cars past five to ten years old and does not affect braking or steering, but it is usually fixed by replacing the sensor, not by charging or resetting anything.
Quick facts
- System
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPMS/RDK)
- Severity
- Low
- Can you still drive?
- Yes, safe to drive
- Applies to
- Mercedes-Benz direct TPMS (RDK) equipped cars with A69/1 to A69/5 wheel sensors. Confirmed on a W213 E 200 in a published Autel MaxiSys scan report, and read in our own workshop on two Mercedes, one of them a W205 C-Class. The same 433 MHz sensor family is listed by parts suppliers as covering A-Class, B-Class, C-Class, E-Class, CLA, GLA, GLB, GLE, GLS and Sprinter, so the code is not model specific.
Also shown by some scanners as: C1599 16, C1599-16, U116209, U1162 09, U116309, U116509, A69/1
Symptoms
- Tyre pressure monitoring inoperative message, or dashes shown instead of pressure readings
- Warning that a wheel sensor is missing or not detected after a tyre change
- One wheel drops out of the display while the other three still read normally
- Fault returns after being cleared, even though shown pressures look correct
- In some cars no warning lamp at all, with the fault only found during a scan
Common causes, most likely first
- 1
End of life internal battery in one or more tyre pressure sensors
Most common on cars roughly five to ten years old, sensor is the sealed service part, battery cannot be replaced on its own
- 2
Sensor physically damaged during a tyre change
Most often from the counter hold on the valve body when tightening the union nut
- 3
Corroded or seized valve stem and sensor assembly
- 4
Wheel or wheel set fitted without sensors, or with wrong frequency sensors
- 5
Failed TPMS control unit or aerial side fault
Only considered after the sensors themselves have been checked
Stock moves fast and listings change daily. WhatsApp us, we can usually source this part quickly.
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WhatsApp us your fault code and car model to book a time. We scan the car, confirm the actual fault, and quote the used part and labour before any work starts. All parts tested, with warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still drive with C159916 stored?
Yes, this fault does not affect braking, steering or engine performance. The real risk is that you lose the early warning for a slow puncture on that wheel, so check all four tyre pressures with a gauge until the sensor is sorted, and do not rely on the dashboard display alone.
Does C159916 always mean the sensor battery is dead?
It usually points to a dead sensor battery, especially on an older car, but it can also come from a sensor damaged during a tyre change, a corroded valve stem, a wheel fitted without a proper sensor, or in rarer cases the control unit itself. A proper diagnostic read at the workshop is needed to confirm which one applies to your car before any part is replaced.
What does fixing C159916 involve?
Once the workshop diagnostic read confirms which wheel and sensor is affected, the fix is normally at the tyre pressure sensor itself, sometimes the full set of four if the car is old enough that the others are close behind, occasionally the valve stem hardware, and only rarely the TPMS control unit. WhatsApp us the code and car model for stock and today's price.
Which Mercedes-Benz models does this code apply to?
This applies to Mercedes-Benz cars fitted with direct TPMS using A69/1 to A69/5 wheel sensors, which is a wide range covering A-Class, B-Class, C-Class, E-Class, CLA, GLA, GLB, GLE, GLS and Sprinter. It has been confirmed on a W213 E-Class and read in our own workshop including on a W205 C-Class, so it is not limited to one specific model or generation.