GOOD NEWS -
The annoying TPMS MALFUNCTION error message has been vanquished!
It would seem that 4 new tpms sensors on the wheels has solved the issue. 2k miles last week driving to NY and back, and the truck felt awesome on the new rubber. Got my best mileage ever, just over 22mpg on the highway on the way up. The cruise, the planted feel, the passing power, and entertainment features make for a formidable road tripper. The kids did very well for 12 hrs as long as the DVDs kept rolling. My older son can now change them on the fly so that is a huge help. Oh, and SNACKS. Plenty of kid snacks. Some for Dad too! It will need a good vacuum...
Now, there was one little thing that got rectified at the dealer I didn't mention... there seems to be a 1 ft long braided wire connection from the frame to the muffler, driver-side end. I assumed for anti-static, but the tech said it reduces radio interference (which I had no issues with). I wonder if its possible that THIS was a factor in my TPMS Malfunction issue? As it was replaced at the same time as my new 4 sensors I cannot tell. Perhaps I will unhook one end of that wire *just to see* if the error comes back... Hmmm, I will def try this in the next few weeks.