Tire Pressure Notification **LIGHT** on the dash

Trdsupranick

Trdsupranick

New member
Hey all!

I have had the light come on in the winter when the temp changes tire pressure etc. I would put air in the tires and voila the light goes away.


Well....my light has been on a couple days so I put some air in my tires and the light still has not gone away. I opened my manual and it says if light doesn't go away CONTACT DEALER.

WHAT DO I DO TO TROUBLESHOOT??? ANY SUGGESTIONS??? I AM OCD and I cant stand the light on !!!
 
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THanks for the reply!

I have stock dunflops...the door sticker says 32 psi... the dealer puts them at 35 psi....but the light went on ....so I put them at 40psi... WHat PSI should I have in them ?



I have not checked the spare ....is that connected to the monitoring system too???
 
Check your spare, it's probably the culprit.....it has the same TPMS as the others......

I don't know the correct psi off hand, but I run 35psi in mine always.......I don't know the upper and lower limits, and I'm stuck on a boat at work and don't have the info here.....someone on here will tell you though soon I'm sure.

In the meantime, go check the spare, I'm sure it's the one thats setting off your light.

HTH
 
STUCK ON A BOAT????? I am jealous!!! I am in the process of switching jobs....I will move down and work with ya ASAP!


My lady and I are actually heading down to the keys in 2 days! Cant wait!

I will check my spare thanks for the info! Do you know if I have to drop it in order to check the pressure ??
 
Should be able to access the spare w/ no problem, I know others will have their opinions too, but I've found 35 psi to be a good level for wear on most tires and a good ride. Some tires will run better higher, but I have never had Dunlops and can't tell you about those. My Michelins and BFGoodrich have also rode and worn nicely at 35 psi though.

Enjoy the Keys, I LOVE it down there.....Next best thing to getting out of the country.

I guess being "Stuck on a boat" isn't too bad....I could be stuck in the Snow, and unless I'm snowboarding, I can't take it!! So I guess it could be worse :D I just miss my 4runner while I'm gone at sea! ( Oh and my Wife and Son! :biggrin2: )
 
Yes...check your spare.

I left my spare at 40 or 45psi...so it can seep out air on it's on. But soon, I'll be replacing all (5) tires, so I'll be monitoring the psi all the time.

When my friend went to Tahoe for snowboarding..his TPMS light came on, because the weather temp dropped, so did the psi, and he didn't touch the spare, so that was the culprit for triggering the TPMS light to go on.
 
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ozana said:
are you guys serious about the spare? how the heck can that be connected to the system?
Click to expand...
Yes, make sure you check the spare. Id say 90% of the time thats the problem. It has a sensor in it just like the other 4. These guys dont screw around...(at least not all the time :D ) they are very informative.
 
Well, my parents have a 2005 solara and it has a button to push to reset the tire pressure monitor. So maybe the 4runner does as well?

Mine's in a shop otherwise I would have checked mine before I posted.
 
No, the 4Runner doesn't have the button. It's not a reset button - the button allows you to set the threshold pressure (when the light comes on) to the current tire pressure. The 4Runner is fixed at about 27-28 psi.
 
When I bought the 04 in November of 2008 the tire pressure light was on and all the tires had full pressure. When I got the tools for the spare, the paint on the screw to tighten the jack had to be broken to put the jack together, meaning it had never been used. The poor guy that sold me the car must of been driving around with the light on for months, maybe years.

Anyway, the spare was low, around 27 pounds and I filled it up to 34 PSI and the light went off.
 
Now for me I can run 5lbs difference without issue. As long as my spare is solid I'm good to go.

Also check to see if a sensor or something came loose from your lift. I've heard of it before on here. Check the wires , connections , ect.... Just a thought. Also the YAW sensor might not be aligned.

I'm just whippin stuff out there from what I've read in the past.
 
K.C. said:
Yes...check your spare.

I left my spare at 40 or 45psi...so it can seep out air on it's on. But soon, I'll be replacing all (5) tires, so I'll be monitoring the psi all the time.

When my friend went to Tahoe for snowboarding..his TPMS light came on, because the weather temp dropped, so did the psi, and he didn't touch the spare, so that was the culprit for triggering the TPMS light to go on.
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Got it.....slid my lazy A** under and checked the spare. It was at 27PSI...I filled it to 40PSI. LIGHT WENT OFF! Yippy! I thank you for the info! I dont know to much exactly how the TMPS works could anyone elaborate? There is no wiring correct? They are just wireless systems on each valve stem? correct. IF the spare is using TMPS it must be a wireless system...how does it work?
 
Yes, it's wireless. The valve stems are part of a much bigger assembly that includes a sensor.

Each sensor (there are 5 - including the spare) has a unique ID that it sends out along with the pressure reading. The TPMS computer keeps a list of the transmitter ID's that it should be hearing from on a regular basis and interprets the data. If the computer doesn't hear from a transmitter, then it assumes there is a fault in the system and flashes the dash light for at least one minute every time you start the car and then leaves the light on. If one of the 5 pressure readings is below about 27-28 psi, the light simply comes on and stays on.

The biggest drawbacks of this system are the list of ID's kept in the computer and the cost of the sensors. The Toyota dealer can manage the lsit with a scan tool, but that means you have to pay to have the computer changed if you change to rims with different sensors (like winter tires) or have to replace a sensor for some reason. Also, the sensors are designed to be disposable once the battery dies - you will destroy it trying to open it to get at the battery. Toyota says they have a lithium battery which will last up to 10 years. Since the sensor is part of the valve stem, it's in a dangerous place when mounting or dismounting the tire, so it's not unusual for a tire place to damage one if they're not careful. A new sensor/valve stem is about $100 - $150 each!
 
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When i wrote about buying the 04, I mentioned the air pressure warning was a pain in the ass.

In my younger days, I have a VW bug and the washer fluid would work with the pressure coming from the spare tire under the front hood. No pump was used, just the pressure from the front tire. If the pressure got too low, the washer wouldn't work, it made sure you had some pressure for the tire, in case you had a flat. Of course when it worked, it never worked that well. We have come a long way, I guess?
 
toto said:
Yes, it's wireless. The valve stems are part of a much bigger assembly that includes a sensor.

Each sensor (there are 5 - including the spare) has a unique ID that it sends out along with the pressure reading. The TPMS computer keeps a list of the transmitter ID's that it should be hearing from on a regular basis and interprets the data. If the computer doesn't hear from a transmitter, then it assumes there is a fault in the system and flashes the dash light for at least one minute every time you start the car and then leaves the light on. If one of the 5 pressure readings is below about 27-28 psi, the light simply comes on and stays on.

The biggest drawbacks of this system are the list of ID's kept in the computer and the cost of the sensors. The Toyota dealer can manage the lsit with a scan tool, but that means you have to pay to have the computer changed if you change to rims with different sensors (like winter tires) or have to replace a sensor for some reason. Also, the sensors are designed to be disposable once the battery dies - you will destroy it trying to open it to get at the battery. Toyota says they have a lithium battery which will last up to 10 years. Since the sensor is part of the valve stem, it's in a dangerous place when mounting or dismounting the tire, so it's not unusual for a tire place to damage one if they're not careful. A new sensor/valve stem is about $100 - $150 each!
Click to expand...

Does this mean that the dealer can disable one of the tpms sensors?

I got rid of my spare when I got exhaust and larger tires because it wouldnt fit and I didnt want to risk running a tire that is 3" smaller than the rest no matter what distance. I have AAA and Les Schwab Tires said they would pick me up and fix it for free. I had the spare sitting im my garage for 3 months without the light going off, even when I was not at my house. After I sold my stock wheels and tires, the light came on a couple days later.

The light has not gone out since, even though all of my tires are at the correct psi. I would love to get rid of that damn light and still be able to use the system for the 4 tires, but if not I wouldnt mind just getting rid of it all together. I am used to it now and dont even notice it flashing but I would love to get it to go off!
 
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