The Spare Tire!

[flyrv9]

Our TPMS light came on the other day. Turns out we had a tire with a slow leak (about 3lbs per day) caused my an odd looking piece of metal. I took the tire off to get it fixed and put the spare on.

Until now I have never touched the spare. Turns out it is mounted with the valve stem up, so pressure can't be checked without lowering it. On the 2013 SR5 the spare has no TPMS sensor and I don't think the steel rim will allow one. Also, I don't think the computer will read 5 sensors anyway.

I look in the manual for the basics and it doesn't look too bad. I get all the stuff out and decide to use my floor jack instead of the bottle jack. I go to lower the spare and can't seem to engage the insert with the jacking rod. After a look with a good flashlight I find the insert is at an angle - not straight in. You can look through the little hole the rod goes through; but can't see much with the rod in there - so it's a go by feel thing. You can't see any of the mechanism from underneath if the spare is there.

So I was able to get the tire lowered after engaging the insert at about a 45 degree angle to the right. I was going to flip the tire around so I could access the valve stem; but it's just as easy to lower it some, now that I know how. That way the stem is protected.

It would be a real pain to do this on a dark rainy night, not having gone through it once in good conditions. The manual isn't really much help. I also used a breaker bar and my own 21mm socket in lieu of the supplied handle. I plan to add these to the tool kit along with a plate for under the jack.

I suggest that if you haven't lowered the spare that you do so in good conditions and check the pressure while you're at it!

 

[1engineer]

Our TPMS light came on the other day. Turns out we had a tire with a slow leak (about 3lbs per day) caused my an odd looking piece of metal. I took the tire off to get it fixed and put the spare on.

Until now I have never touched the spare. Turns out it is mounted with the valve stem up, so pressure can't be checked without lowering it. On the 2013 SR5 the spare has no TPMS sensor and I don't think the steel rim will allow one. Also, I don't think the computer will read 5 sensors anyway.

I look in the manual for the basics and it doesn't look too bad. I get all the stuff out and decide to use my floor jack instead of the bottle jack. I go to lower the spare and can't seem to engage the insert with the jacking rod. After a look with a good flashlight I find the insert is at an angle - not straight in. You can look through the little hole the rod goes through; but can't see much with the rod in there - so it's a go by feel thing. You can't see any of the mechanism from underneath if the spare is there.

So I was able to get the tire lowered after engaging the insert at about a 45 degree angle to the right. I was going to flip the tire around so I could access the valve stem; but it's just as easy to lower it some, now that I know how. That way the stem is protected.

It would be a real pain to do this on a dark rainy night, not having gone through it once in good conditions. The manual isn't really much help. I also used a breaker bar and my own 21mm socket in lieu of the supplied handle. I plan to add these to the tool kit along with a plate for under the jack.

I suggest that if you haven't lowered the spare that you do so in good conditions and check the pressure while you're at it!

One of the first things I do when buying a new vehicle.

 

[tykkor]

One of the first things I do when buying a new vehicle.

Yeah, that's a great idea. I didn't even think about it when I got my 4Runner, since my previous vehicles were a Jeep XJ and a JK, both of which had the spare very easily accessible. (JK on the tailgate and XJ in the rear cargo area)

Thankfully I didn't have any real surprises when I had to use my spare for the first time.

 

[cutty01]

I am going to practice this weekend. Does this 4th gen VIDEO capture the basics for the 5th gen?

 

[BobsTrail]

Spare Tire

Had the same problem, this is an old post of mine --

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/134396-spare-tire-access-2013-te.html

 

[flyrv9]

Yes (I just watched it) it's pretty close. I couldn't see through the hole as well as it shows in that video. I would still practice though. I also plan to add a breaker bar, short extension and 21 mm socket along with a plate for under the jack to make things easier. Lug nut torque is 81 ft/lb according to the manual.

The lug wrench is kinda short for that. Granted you won't know how much torque you are really applying either way. I have a torque wrench and did the torque in 3 steps. If you do have a flat rear tire, everything will be much closer to the ground too.

 

[gm350reratliff]

After purchasing a new vehicle I always get familiar with things like accessing the spare tire, fluid checks and fill locations, jacking points, etc..

I'm not sure if the 5th gen will recognize a 5th tpms but the 4th gens do.

Also, you can use one of these to check and fill the spare without dropping it: https://www.amazon.com/Chuck-Inflat...r=1-6&keywords=Dually+tire+gauge+and+inflator

Just be sure to re-install the valve stem cap afterwards.

 

[rochmpr]

The system will read 5 sensors. I have all wheels with TPMS in them. I do five tire rotations and never get the sensor light.

 

[catrains]

in july when I purchased the 2016 T4R I did drop the spare and then flipped it so the valve stem [NO TMPS] so it faces down . I also washed off the tire had a weird look to it then sprayed it down with silicone.

took out the jack and the other tire kit parts , and as you stated toyota did a poor job on the spare tire drop fabrication .

valve stem down fully toward the rear. also they had 50 PSI in the spare tire . reduced it to 38 psi.

I put a breaker bar for lug removal and a socket in the vehicle. I do plan on putting together a tire plug kit .

 

[<<<<]

2013 Trail doesn't have TPMS, so I put about 36 PSI in it and leave it alone until cold weather when I check it again. After having 5 sensors in 4th gen 4runner it is nice not to worry about that dash light when season changes but I'd rather have it. I rotate only 4 tires. Spare - just stays new.

 

[SirBarton]

Great Thread. I'm putting KO2s on later today. wondering if I should get a 5th and do the 5 tire rotation. Never done that on a vehicle before.... Making me think...

Definitely going to check the spare either way. Haven't pulled it off or paid it any attention. Kind of boneheaded not too.

 

[96r50]

The system will read 5 sensors. I have all wheels with TPMS in them. I do five tire rotations and never get the sensor light.

That's interesting; it's the first I've heard of anyone using 5 sensors. Have you verified that the TPMS ECU is actually reading all five sensors and not just four of them?

 

[rochmpr]

That's interesting; it's the first I've heard of anyone using 5 sensors. Have you verified that the TPMS ECU is actually reading all five sensors and not just four of them?

No, I have not pulled tires off and put them a far distance from the truck to see what happens, but since my spare resides on a swing away bumper, I doubt that is close enough for a sensor to pick up.

 

[NorthwoodsRunner]

No, I have not pulled tires off and put them a far distance from the truck to see what happens, but since my spare resides on a swing away bumper, I doubt that is close enough for a sensor to pick up.

Your previous post sounded more definitive and infallible about the 5th TPMS sensor. My 5th gen 4Runner ECU only shows four (4) active TPMS sensors and nothing for the spare wheel. I know this because I just programmed the winter wheel TPMS IDs onto ATQuickset.

 

[BadSpellar]

The 2016 and I think 2015 Limited have 5 sensors. Not sure how much hardware is shared with SR5 and Trail.

 

[NorthwoodsRunner]

The 2016 and I think 2015 Limited have 5 sensors. Not sure how much hardware is shared with SR5 and Trail.

I believe you. How did you confirm this? Do you have a TPMS tool?

 

[BadSpellar]

On my 2016 Limited I got a flat on day 3. It has 5 matching wheels, tires and TPMS so I had the flat fixed and left it as the spare. On the newer Limited Toyota recommends a 5 tire rotation, you can't do that without 5 sensors.

From page 418 of the owners 2016 manual

When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
Vehicles without P245/60R20 tires
The spare tire is not equipped with a tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning light will not turn off
even though the flat tire has been replaced with the spare tire. Replace
the spare tire with the repaired tire and adjust the tire inflation pressure.
The tire pressure warning light will go off after a few minutes.

Vehicles with P245/60R20 tires
The spare tire is also equipped with a tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter. The tire pressure warning light will turn on if the tire inflation
pressure of the spare tire is low. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning
light will not turn off even though the flat tire has been replaced with
the spare tire. Replace the spare tire with the repaired tire and adjust the
tire inflation pressure. The tire pressure warning light will go off after a few
minutes.

 

[bimrunner]

No, I have not pulled tires off and put them a far distance from the truck to see what happens, but since my spare resides on a swing away bumper, I doubt that is close enough for a sensor to pick up.

It is close enough on the bumper. Before I damaged one and got the light in all the time, I only had 4 installed and I do a 5 tire rotation and it read just fine on the bumper.

I'm 99.99% sure 5 can be registered but only 4 are monitored at any point in time (which means that if one of those 4 failed, it would register but the 5th wouldn't pick up the spot and if the 5th, unmonitored tpms, were to fail while being used, no light would come on). I believe there was a post at one point a few years ago that showed this using techstream.

 

[bimrunner]

On my 2016 Limited I got a flat on day 3. It has 5 matching wheels, tires and TPMS so I had the flat fixed and left it as the spare. On the newer Limited Toyota recommends a 5 tire rotation, you can't do that without 5 sensors.

From page 418 of the owners 2016 manual

When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
Vehicles without P245/60R20 tires
The spare tire is not equipped with a tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning light will not turn off
even though the flat tire has been replaced with the spare tire. Replace
the spare tire with the repaired tire and adjust the tire inflation pressure.
The tire pressure warning light will go off after a few minutes.

Vehicles with P245/60R20 tires
The spare tire is also equipped with a tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter. The tire pressure warning light will turn on if the tire inflation
pressure of the spare tire is low. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning
light will not turn off even though the flat tire has been replaced with
the spare tire. Replace the spare tire with the repaired tire and adjust the
tire inflation pressure. The tire pressure warning light will go off after a few
minutes.

Hmm. Must have been a change since 2013! When mine was stock... The spare LE rim was yellow and no tpms and no way I was going to do a 5 tire rotation with a canary yellow wheel! Lol. Perhaps that is another difference when 2014 refresh took place.

 

[rochmpr]

Since I was doing a rotation today, I figured I would test out the pick up of the TPMS. I an confident that Americas Tire programmed all 5 sensors. Before I started the rotation, I aired down the spare then drove around the neighbor hood. No lights came on. Mind you, I have the spare on a swing away bumper. Then rotated all the tires, torqued everything down and cleaned up. Start up and got the sensor for the tire with no air. Filled up the tire and all is good. I hope this satisfies all those questions.