Need help with TPMS Question/possiable problem???

[duckman06]

I just had new tires installed about two weeks and have another post about that but will recap what was installed. (4) new BFG A/T 275/70/17. Reused sensors from old tires as they were in good shape & was carfully when me and a buddy installed them in new tires. drove around no problems. Went on vacation drove 300 miles to the loaction and on my trip back another 300 miles my TPMS light started to blink and did so for about 20 miles then went off. Thought it might be elvaction and computer got confused?

Drove on then about a hour latter night poped on and stayed on for about 10
Miles then went off. Never came back on again after that so got home and checked pressures and all read 48-50psi. So I thought might be the spare couldn't get a reading due to being mounted under rear bumper area with no way to get to it without letting it down so Chosse to wait till tomorow till I could get it up on a lift.

So my question is has anyone ever had this happen before and if so what causes it? The runner only has 7000 miles on it and spare doesn't seem low but could be. But my expersnse with TPMS sensors is that once on the only way to get it to turn off is to add air to the tires in this cause went off by itself but I didn't do anything and it went off. Any help would be great.

Thanks

 

[eddiebx]

The spare has no TPMS, so that's probably not your issue. I am confused, did you install 4 new tires and wheels, or just tires? If you just replaced the tires, the TPMS shouldn't need to be touched since they are mounted on the wheels.

Does the light blink for about 1 minute and stay on, or just blinks for however long and then turns off?

I think if the pressure is okay in all four wheels and it blinks for 1 minute and stays on, it means there might be something wrong and you need to take it into the dealer for them to look at...

 

[Chewbacca]

When swapping over the tpms did you happen to reset the system? If not I would highly suggest getting that done, MOST tire shops should have the TPMS reset scan tool (it also tests to make sure the sensor is sending a good signal).

If the light flashes that is an indicator that there is an issue with the TPMS system. If you get the TPMS reset/checked that should reveal a potential problem.

 

[duckman06]

Ok let me try to be clearer. The tires where changed out and used with the orginal OEM rims. The light came on today on the way home and flashed for about 10 mins then went off. Then the light came on for 10-15 min solid light then went off.

It's not own now or is flashing. Idk if maybe the computer was confused for a moment and read what I listed above then reset? The orginal TPMS sensors where reused with new tires as they where in good shape. Drove for about a week no problems or light. Even on the way to vacation location it never came on just on the way home. Flashed for 10 min then off. After that the light came on solid for about the same time then went off and didn't come back on.

Presures in all (4) new tires are 45-50psi in all four. So the spare doesn't have a TPMS sensor? That rules that out if the case. I am not worried but would like to know what might have caused it to do so then go off? If there was a major to minor problem I would accept the light to stay blinking or stay on but in this case did not?

Hopefully just got confused or couldn't read right at the time for whatever reason? Is there a way to reset myself without a special tool? That's why I posted to see if anyone else had this happen. Thanks for all the info.

 

[shootmymime]

excuse my ignorance but why are you running so high of pressure?

With TPMS you cant inflate by the pressure markings on the side wall, you must go by the info found on the door sticker for tire pressure.

Do the 5th gens need that high of tire pressure? i would run at about 35-40.

could over inflation cause the tpms to trip the light?

 

[duckman06]

excuse my ignorance but why are you running so high of pressure?

With TPMS you cant inflate by the pressure markings on the side wall, you must go by the info found on the door sticker for tire pressure.

Do the 5th gens need that high of tire pressure? i would run at about 35-40.

could over inflation cause the tpms to trip the light?

That could be the problem didn't think about that. The reason I run that much nitrogen in my tires is due to the load E and wear on those tires. While I have never ran BFG A/T on the 4 runner, I have ran them on my tundra for 5 years and just got a new set for it as well.

It's been my expersinse running that psi helps with wear on this tires. It basically keeps the tires from wearing on the cornors. While some may disagree with this much psi it helped me get 40,000 miles plus with limted wear and I rotate them every 5,000 miles. I would never run that much psi in a a stock tire just choose to use on such a heavy tire for the reasons listed above.

 

[Canazes9]

That could be the problem didn't think about that. The reason I run that much nitrogen in my tires is due to the load E and wear on those tires. While I have never ran BFG A/T on the 4 runner, I have ran them on my tundra for 5 years and just got a new set for it as well.

It's been my expersinse running that psi helps with wear on this tires. It basically keeps the tires from wearing on the cornors. While some may disagree with this much psi it helped me get 40,000 miles plus with limted wear and I rotate them every 5,000 miles. I would never run that much psi in a a stock tire just choose to use on such a heavy tire for the reasons listed above.

That's not the problem - the TPMS will allow you to go higher than that, I think as high as 74 pounds (from memory - its in the owners manual). Tire pressure for LT tires does need to be higher than the sticker. The sticker is for factory P metric tires. Min for C,D & E load LT tires is 35psi. Duplicating the factory load reserve of the P metric tires on LT tires will require about 44psi, but that far exceeds the GVWR and as such there is some room to adjust down, particularly if you are not loaded down.

I just put a set of LT E load tires on my 5th gen, the tread pattern was not even at 44psi, the ride was harsher than I liked. After experimenting, I settled on 40psi, still has a reserve load capacity far in xs of the vehicle GVWR, tread pattern is even, ride is reasonable. When your tires "don't wear on the corners" that means you are over inflating the tires such that only the middle part of the tire is making contact with the road. This over inflation is reducing your tire contact patch, which may negatively impact handling/stopping.

Flashing on the TPMS indicates system trouble. There are some circumstances that can interfere with the sensors communicating with the system (in the owners manual). Having the light go back off and stay off means whatever it was is resolved. I wouldn't worry about it unless it happens again. If you want to be certain the TPMS is working properly, drop the pressure on a tire to about 25 psi to trigger the light then re-inflate to turn it off. If its working I wouldn't worry about it anymore.

David

 

[duckman06]

Well the good noise is that it hasn't come back on. So I guess I will caulk it off to the tpms not reading for a few moments then went back to normal. So for now I will not worry about it unless it comes back on.

Just so I am clear there is no sensor in the spare tire of 2013 4 runner right? If so that is a good thing one less thing to have worry about. I am still running 45 psi with notable firm ride compared to factory tires and decreased gas millage. I am now averaging about 14 in town and 18-19 on highway at 75-80mph but its a fair tread off for the look and even wear.

I went in today and got it aligned again. I did have it aligned once the tires were installed and it was late so we had the tow end a little to much. Went to a trusted alignment shop that I have used for years and got it created. It now handles better and rides a little smother.

Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[duckman06]

Update: the light has not come back on flashing or solid so don't know what happened with the system that day? I will continue to montier it but will really like to know what might have caused it? The only thing I can think of is at the time it wasn't sending the right signal and made light come on solid then blinking?

 

[Canazes9]

Update: the light has not come back on flashing or solid so don't know what happened with the system that day? I will continue to montier it but will really like to know what might have caused it? The only thing I can think of is at the time it wasn't sending the right signal and made light come on solid then blinking?

HTH
David

 

[Jono.ful]

Why are you going for an alignment? Shouldn't be necessary the first time, nevermind the second time provided you haven't mucked around with the suspension recently.

 

[duckman06]

I had it alligned first after the leveling kit up front then again once installed the new tires as both through the front end off. Both times drove like crap till I had it aligned then drove like a champ afterwards. There one thing I belive in and that's taken care of tires and front end. Rotate every 5000-6000 miles and align when needed do it to both the 4 runner and my tundra. I just got 40,000 plus out of my old BFG A/T tires on tundra and replaced them with a new set and went ahead and got the same for the 4 runner as a package deal. Everything was good till the tpms light came on and blinked then came on solid but lasted for maybe 20 min a Pieace then went off and did not come back on.

 

[STLDAVE]

I had it alligned first after the leveling kit up front then again once installed the new tires as both through the front end off. Both times drove like crap till I had it aligned then drove like a champ afterwards...

Was it driving OK right before the tire swap? Who mounted the tires for you? Was it the shop that did the alignments? If so, you might want to avoid them in the future. Replacing tires on the original rims won't change the alignment settings.