2004 Tire Pressure Monitoring System
- Thread starter Hunter450
- Start date
Air pressure light.
New to the forum, although been reading for couple months now. This morning it was 14' outside and with 2300-miles I was surprised to find the dash light indicating tire pressure should be my concern for the day.
Called the dealer, the service manager wasn't much help. I've learned about this problem reading this thread! I checked all 4 tires and the spare - all at 31-lbs. This was done after I got home, so I'll check again in a couple hours for a cold reading.
It's a Monday, next available appointment is a week away. I'll play with the 35-lb someone else mentioned. Does the senser reset automatically? Or is there some secret reset trick?
Really like the 4Runner, but I too have couple of the nagging issues I've read about. The driver seat - making noise. I also have a noise when the sunroof is fully opened, sounds as if the sunroof motor cycles on and off. Gave the dealership a chance to resolve, they couldn't duplicate. I'll wait until it starts to get warmer, shouldn't need much open air with it being 14'.
Put my T4R.ORG sticker on the other day. Anyone else out there from Delaware?
New to the forum, although been reading for couple months now. This morning it was 14' outside and with 2300-miles I was surprised to find the dash light indicating tire pressure should be my concern for the day.
Called the dealer, the service manager wasn't much help. I've learned about this problem reading this thread! I checked all 4 tires and the spare - all at 31-lbs. This was done after I got home, so I'll check again in a couple hours for a cold reading.
It's a Monday, next available appointment is a week away. I'll play with the 35-lb someone else mentioned. Does the senser reset automatically? Or is there some secret reset trick?
Really like the 4Runner, but I too have couple of the nagging issues I've read about. The driver seat - making noise. I also have a noise when the sunroof is fully opened, sounds as if the sunroof motor cycles on and off. Gave the dealership a chance to resolve, they couldn't duplicate. I'll wait until it starts to get warmer, shouldn't need much open air with it being 14'.
Put my T4R.ORG sticker on the other day. Anyone else out there from Delaware?
sharp4runr
New member
Hey welcome to forum. Hope we can help with your questions.
I've had the truck long enough to know that when the temp drops it wreaks havoc with the TPM. Tires seem to be low on air when it gets really cold tricking the TPM. After driving for a while, the air in the tires should warm up and sensor should go off. If it doesn't go off, usually the spare is the culprit. Since its not a drive wheel it isn't warming up. The last couple of days has been pretty cold in VA so I've seen the same effect as you.
The sunroof motor cycling on/off could be the automatic feature of the wind deflector. The wind deflector will lower when you exceed a speed of about 55mph and then it will raise again when you drop below 45mph. If its not that then there is something wierd going on with your sunroof.
I've had the truck long enough to know that when the temp drops it wreaks havoc with the TPM. Tires seem to be low on air when it gets really cold tricking the TPM. After driving for a while, the air in the tires should warm up and sensor should go off. If it doesn't go off, usually the spare is the culprit. Since its not a drive wheel it isn't warming up. The last couple of days has been pretty cold in VA so I've seen the same effect as you.
The sunroof motor cycling on/off could be the automatic feature of the wind deflector. The wind deflector will lower when you exceed a speed of about 55mph and then it will raise again when you drop below 45mph. If its not that then there is something wierd going on with your sunroof.
sharp4runr
New member
sharp4runr said:
RTFM and you'll see it is in fact a feature
:just to finish off my situation (see page 3 of this thread), it looks like my light WAS coming on because of low pressure in the spare. nobody had ever bothered to check it during my oil changes and tire rotations, but once i got more air in it, the light hasnt come back on..... well.... at least not until i blew my front right tire on some metal in the road 
carina71
New member
kscott said:just to finish off my situation (see page 3 of this thread), it looks like my light WAS coming on because of low pressure in the spare. nobody had ever bothered to check it during my oil changes and tire rotations, but once i got more air in it, the light hasnt come back on..... well.... at least not until i blew my front right tire on some metal in the road
You want to read the thread I wrote entitled "Tire Pressure Light 'Explained'" about a week ago. Let me know if you have any questions.
Carina71
Blinking Tire Pressure Light Fix
First I'll start with a little history! 04' 4Runner 3 wks old. The tire pressure light came on. I adjusted all the tires including the spare. The light then started blinking. I took it to my dealer. It them about 15-20 minutes to reset it. These are the steps he told me on how to reset the blinking light:
1) Turn the ignition key to the "on" position.
2) Inflate ALL of the tires (including the spare) to 50psi.
3) With the key still in the "ON" position, bring ALL of the tires
down to the proper pressure.
Please note that I have not acually done this myself, therefore I cannot guarantee that this is the right way to do it!. This is just what I was told.
If anyone does these steps and it does work please let us know!
Thanx
First I'll start with a little history! 04' 4Runner 3 wks old. The tire pressure light came on. I adjusted all the tires including the spare. The light then started blinking. I took it to my dealer. It them about 15-20 minutes to reset it. These are the steps he told me on how to reset the blinking light:
1) Turn the ignition key to the "on" position.
2) Inflate ALL of the tires (including the spare) to 50psi.
3) With the key still in the "ON" position, bring ALL of the tires
down to the proper pressure.
Please note that I have not acually done this myself, therefore I cannot guarantee that this is the right way to do it!. This is just what I was told.
If anyone does these steps and it does work please let us know!
Thanx
As expected, it got cold again. Surprise, light came back on. Went ahead and put 35-lbs all the way around and light went out. Starting to think maybe, just maybe...I had low tire pressure?! Before putting air all around, all five tires had 31-lbs. As tire pressure on door plate spec's suggest 32-lbs, I have hard time beleiving 1-lb would make a difference...but...
Other than a slightly harder ride, what would running higher pressure have for downsides?
Other than a slightly harder ride, what would running higher pressure have for downsides?
carina71
New member
barkley89 said:
Could just be the spare throwing you off. You may want to try over-inflating it just a bit more, and let some of that air out if/when you need to use it. Although I have not mentioned it before, external atmospheric pressure can also affect internal tire pressure (rise and fall of barametric pressure), however is probably negligable compared to temperature changes.
I am not suggesting that anyone ride on over-inflated tires. Simply "over-inflate" them in a warm garage to compensate for much colder temperatures outside which will cause a drop in internal tire pressure. Perhaps the "best" thing to do would be to fill tires when they are sitting outside in the cold to recommended psi. But realize when you bring the car into warmer temperatures (say a heated garage), internal tire pressure will increase.
Once again from my previous thread:
It comes down to simple physics and the "ideal" gas law PV=nRT, or rearranged P=nRT/V. Where P is pressure, n=amount of air, R is a constant, T is temperature, V is tire volume.
Basically, the light goes on and off as pressure changes, and pressure increases as tire temperature increases. And pressure decreases as tire temperature decreases. The temperature change could be due to weather or friction from driving, or both.
The sensors only come on when tire pressure becomes too low (around 23 psi in my 4runner). Now, I live in Alaska, and my car can experience 100 degree temperature changes in a single day (from heated garage to artic cold).
My winter-time solution is this: In a 50 degree F garage, over-inflate tires by 5 psi-- light should be in good shape and stay off unless your tires get really cold (say -20 F or colder). Sometimes the light might come on when you first get in to drive, but after driving will usually go off due to tires being heated by friction. JUST REMEMBER TO LET SOME AIR OUT IN THE SPRING TIME, or your tires will be way-overinflated.
For summer conditions and 60-70 degree F garage temp, put tire at recommended psi.
I know the light can be a real nuisance for picky people like me, but it is there for a reason. If the pressure light comes on while you are driving, you probably are losing air--Unless you've gone from heated garage to much colder conditions.
When I get in my 4runner and it is outside and -35 deg F, I know my tire pressure light will be lit--so I walk around the vehicle and look at the tires before I get in and drive anywhere.
Good luck all:driving:
A co-worker just bought an 05 sport edition saturday. I converted her from looking at that nissan morauno(sp) to a 4runner. Anyway, she drove it to work today, and we were looking at it. She said she can't get the air pressure light to turn off. It only has 500 miles. She's adjusted all the tires plus the spare. WTF! I told I'd do a search here, but I haven't really found anything explaining the issue. Is there a resolution to this or not. Thanks!
carina71
New member
JSB said:
Well... all I can say is make SURE the spare was not forgotten. It's a bit tough to get to and most people just shrug it off and say they checked and filled it.
A malfunctioning light or sensor on the T4Rs seems to be very rare. Make sure that the pressure gauge that is being used is accurate.
JSB said:She never checked the spare. I asked her and she said it was too hard to get to, so she ran it to the dealer. It was the spare. Too funny. Thanks-JSB
It is hard to get too. You have to lower the spare and most women I know would not deal with it or even try to figure out why the light would go on when the tires look OK so they take it too the dealer. Sounds normal to me.
templeaz
New member
I have a 2005 Sport Edition. About three weeks ago my tire pressure light started coming on... a day or two later it would go out.(Twice it went out on my way to the dealership. They didn't believe me, and also told me that the weather would affect it. I LIVE IN PHOENIX!!!! IT'S 110 DEGREES) But now it's been 3 days and the light is still on - solid. I will check my spare today... Thanks for this thread.
2004 TPMS problem, Firestone can't diagnose
I took my spare tire to the Firestone dealer the other week for repair since it had gone flat while I was out in the desert. I have used the place before, once to repair a stock tire from this truck and again to replace all 5 tires with Revos.
This latest time they replaced the tire because of a sidewall cut. Now my TPM light won't go off. I know that the TPM was working even after this latest flat because I filled the bad tire from my CO2 tank and it held air long enough for me to get to a blacktop road and swap it with the spare and the TPM light was out for this interval.
The Firestone place has played around and claim that all 5 TPM sensors are working and that I will have to take it to the Toyota dealer because the problem is beyond them.
What do people think. Did the Firestone dealer break my sensor and they either don't know or are jerking my chain or is there possibly some other problem beyond their ability?
I took my spare tire to the Firestone dealer the other week for repair since it had gone flat while I was out in the desert. I have used the place before, once to repair a stock tire from this truck and again to replace all 5 tires with Revos.
This latest time they replaced the tire because of a sidewall cut. Now my TPM light won't go off. I know that the TPM was working even after this latest flat because I filled the bad tire from my CO2 tank and it held air long enough for me to get to a blacktop road and swap it with the spare and the TPM light was out for this interval.
The Firestone place has played around and claim that all 5 TPM sensors are working and that I will have to take it to the Toyota dealer because the problem is beyond them.
What do people think. Did the Firestone dealer break my sensor and they either don't know or are jerking my chain or is there possibly some other problem beyond their ability?
kinchy
New member
tire pressure light
When it gets cold it tends to be more sensitive to minor pressure differences.. Typically goes off after 10 miles on the highway. One other time it came on and stayed on and the next day I had a blow out on the highway. I hate the damn thing it makes me paranoid when it comes on.
When it gets cold it tends to be more sensitive to minor pressure differences.. Typically goes off after 10 miles on the highway. One other time it came on and stayed on and the next day I had a blow out on the highway. I hate the damn thing it makes me paranoid when it comes on.
