TPMS and 2 Sets of Wheels

[ikonxone]

I have two sets of wheels, one being the oem tires for road trips and another set on some fj wheels with some bfg tires. The fj wheels don't have tpms, so will be i stuck driving with the tpms light on or can i get a second set of tpms valves for my offroad wheels? i have seen different answers to that question on other forums.

 

[FoCo-4Runner]

I have two sets of wheels, one being the oem tires for road trips and another set on some fj wheels with some bfg tires. The fj wheels don't have tpms, so will be i stuck driving with the tpms light on or can i get a second set of tpms valves for my offroad wheels? i have seen different answers to that question on other forums.

You can get a second set of TPMS sensors for your FJ wheels. You will still get a TPMS error until you take it into the dealer and have the set programmed to your car. Also remember that every time you swap wheels you have to have the ECU re-learn the TPMS sesors since it can only store on set at a time. The expense of taking it into the dealer 2 times a year at $40-60 a pop can add up quick though. Another option is the ATEQ Quickset tool. Runs about $150 and lets you do it at home easily. Heres a link to a setup/review from another forum.

DIY TPMS Programming - Tool to Program your Own TPMS Sensors - Toyota Scion Honda - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

This will be the route I will take when I get a set of summer wheels and tires.

 

[Aspen]

The DIY tool is a great idea and would pay for itself quickly if you switch out twice a year for sure. Too bad we can't just rent one though!

I recently swapped wheels and moved the TPMS sensors to the new wheels (I won't be using the previous wheels). The warning light still comes on. Is there something the tire guy might have done to disable one of the sensors - it seemed like literally just remove the valve stem/sensor and remount it in the new wheels and the system should have recognized them. Anyone run into this before and have a suggestion - I hate to take it back to the dealer...

 

[FoCo-4Runner]

The DIY tool is a great idea and would pay for itself quickly if you switch out twice a year for sure. Too bad we can't just rent one though!

I recently swapped wheels and moved the TPMS sensors to the new wheels (I won't be using the previous wheels). The warning light still comes on. Is there something the tire guy might have done to disable one of the sensors - it seemed like literally just remove the valve stem/sensor and remount it in the new wheels and the system should have recognized them. Anyone run into this before and have a suggestion - I hate to take it back to the dealer...

Did they damage a sensor when they made the swap? That is common and I've seen it numerious times.

 

[Aspen]

How would I know if they damaged a sensor?

 

[T4Fun]

Did they damage a sensor when they made the swap? That is common and I've seen it numerious times.

so who pays the bill then? i would demand the tire store fix the issue. you guys are a tire store and cant get it right? thats whay i would say politely

 

[Quentin]

TPMS is so ****ing useless. My winter wheels don't have the sensors, so I deal w/ the light all winter long. When my summers go back on, my ECU doesn't want to pick up the sensors normally. Such a pain in the ass. I'm good about checking my tire pressure frequently, so this system is nothing but a hassle.

 

[Aspen]

My tire store is a one-man operation as part of the local feed store and he said he did not have proper tools for TPMS but would be happy to move mine from one wheel to the other for me since it was the simple kind. I'm not going to yell at him - we do things differently in my little town here in the sticks of Arkansas. (While the car was up on the rack he let me install mud flaps since I could not do this while the wheels were on. Nice guy, just not too high tech.)

I'm still wondering how you can tell if a sensor has been damaged, or if there is some other issue? I'll probably just wait until the first oil change in a few months and have the dealer look at it unless someone here has another idea. Thanks...

 

[7harper]

The DIY tool is a great idea and would pay for itself quickly if you switch out twice a year for sure. Too bad we can't just rent one though!

I recently swapped wheels and moved the TPMS sensors to the new wheels (I won't be using the previous wheels). The warning light still comes on. Is there something the tire guy might have done to disable one of the sensors - it seemed like literally just remove the valve stem/sensor and remount it in the new wheels and the system should have recognized them. Anyone run into this before and have a suggestion - I hate to take it back to the dealer...

Alot of time,If they sit for awhile while there is no pressure on them when changing tires then they will have to be reprogrammed/reset.

Most if not all tire shops, since they made tire pressure monitoring on new cars a law a few years back,should have a TPMS programmer,like a Bartech, to read the sensor ID's and then program to the TPMS ECU.

Discount Tire does it for free if you buy your tires there.Don't forget about the spare too as that has one too.My spare used to go low in the winter and trigger the warning.Take it back to the tire shop and have THEM reprogram them, if they won't program then they probably broke/cracked one on the tire install.

I bought a new OEM set of 4 TPMS sensors on Ebay to go on my new wheels so I wouldn't have to change them out. I had to then buy the o-ring service kit for them.

 

[Aspen]

I've had TPMS on all our cars for the past 3-4 years and they have really helped us a lot. We drive on very rough roads just to get in and out of our home and get a lot of flats during the year as a result. All of our previous vehicles have had the type that shows you actual pressure of each tire and which one is going flat - a HUGE help when things start to go wrong. I don't like the idiot light setup that Toyota has but I guess it is better than nothing. For those who don't like the light and don't have TPMS sensors installed - black tape works well!

 

[Quentin]

Is there something like VW's VAGcom for Toyota where you can turn off the TPMS light? I'd just as soon turn the system off completely.

 

[7harper]

Is there something like VW's VAGcom for Toyota where you can turn off the TPMS light? I'd just as soon turn the system off completely.

No , but there's a mod for the 4th Gens that grounds a wire behind the glove box that shuts it off. Somebody will figure it out for the 5ths someday.

 

[ikonxone]

You can get a second set of TPMS sensors for your FJ wheels. You will still get a TPMS error until you take it into the dealer and have the set programmed to your car. Also remember that every time you swap wheels you have to have the ECU re-learn the TPMS sesors since it can only store on set at a time. The expense of taking it into the dealer 2 times a year at $40-60 a pop can add up quick though. Another option is the ATEQ Quickset tool. Runs about $150 and lets you do it at home easily. Heres a link to a setup/review from another forum.

DIY TPMS Programming - Tool to Program your Own TPMS Sensors - Toyota Scion Honda - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

This will be the route I will take when I get a set of summer wheels and tires.

that is a real nifty option. i've been looking for FJ specific TPMS since it seems the angle is different than the 4Runner, but maybe i just find a set to fit aftermarket wheels. with this software, i am assuming it needs to be the specific toyota oem sensors?

does the spare have tpms on the 4runner?

 

[Kmvreter]

How would I know if they damaged a sensor?

Is the light on steady (low air in one of the tires) or blinking (system fault due to a bad sensor or computer)?

 

[Aspen]

The light blinks for a little while when I first turn the car on (looking for the sensors perhaps?), then is steady until I turn the car off.

All the tires have about 35psi in them...

 

[Kmvreter]

The light blinks for a little while when I first turn the car on (looking for the sensors perhaps?), then is steady until I turn the car off.

All the tires have about 35psi in them...

Blinking then steady is a unique symptom. Are you sure ALL the tires have more than 27 psi, including the spare? Try a different pressure gauge (I've seen some real bad one's in the past.) The only thing that triggers a steady light is low pressure. Even if one sensor is bad (triggering the blinking) this will get overridden by a low preesure (steady light) from another sensor. It's hard to diagnose the blinking if the steady light comes on. Get rid of the steady light and get back to us.

Or you can do the mod in my signature link to switch the light off.

 

[Aspen]

..Get rid of the steady light and get back to us...

Hum, that is actually my problem, and if I got rid of it my problem would be solved!

All tires have about 35psi as I stated before (I just checked them all again with a different gauge after a long day of serious driving on rough terrain).

FYI, the spare tire does not have a TPMS sensor - that is a bit of a letdown to me.

I LOVE TPMS, which is why I'm trying to get mine to work again so I certainly don't want to disconnect it - after all, I paid good money for it. I've used TPMS systems for many years - but this is the first vehicle that only has the idiot light and does not show all the tire pressures, which was really handy.

Anyone else have an idea? Thanks...

 

[Kmvreter]

..Get rid of the steady light and get back to us...

Hum, that is actually my problem, and if I got rid of it my problem would be solved!

All tires have about 35psi as I stated before (I just checked them all again with a different gauge after a long day of serious driving on rough terrain).

FYI, the spare tire does not have a TPMS sensor - that is a bit of a letdown to me.

I LOVE TPMS, which is why I'm trying to get mine to work again so I certainly don't want to disconnect it - after all, I paid good money for it. I've used TPMS systems for many years - but this is the first vehicle that only has the idiot light and does not show all the tire pressures, which was really handy.

Anyone else have an idea? Thanks...

What year is your T4R? They all came with 5 sensors, which includes the spare. Can you give us some more info on the sequence of events? I take it you bought the vehicle used? Was the TPMS light always on or did this start when you switched wheels?
I'm guessing if the TPMS isn't in your spare it might be in the glovebox or console cubby or somewhere in the vehicle reading 0 psi, setting your light off. If you don't find the 5th sensor then you will definitely need to visit the stealer or do the mod.

 

[Aspen]

2010 Limited (why else would I be posting in the 5th Gen. forum?). Bought new, then swapped the 20" wheels for 17" SR5 wheels about three weeks later. The tire shop moved the TPMS sensors from the 20" Limited wheels to the 17" SR5 wheels, mounted new tires and installed on car. The spare was untouched. The TPMS light came on when I started the car, blinked for a few seconds, then lit steady - been doing this ever since...

The 2010 Limited wheels have the sensor attached to the tire stem, with the nut on the outside of the wheel. The spare tire is just a normal tire stem - and I assume there is no TPMS sensor inside - don't know why they would use a different type than the other four wheels on the car. Nothing has been done to the spare tire since new and there is no sensor in the glove box.

So I guess that does bring up a good question - is there a TPMS in the spare, and if so, why did they use a different type I wonder?

 

[Kmvreter]

2010 Limited (why else would I be posting in the 5th Gen. forum?). Bought new, then swapped the 20" wheels for 17" SR5 wheels about three weeks later. The tire shop moved the TPMS sensors from the 20" Limited wheels to the 17" SR5 wheels, mounted new tires and installed on car. The spare was untouched. The TPMS light came on when I started the car, blinked for a few seconds, then lit steady - been doing this ever since...

The 2010 Limited wheels have the sensor attached to the tire stem, with the nut on the outside of the wheel. The spare tire is just a normal tire stem - and I assume there is no TPMS sensor inside - don't know why they would use a different type than the other four wheels on the car. Nothing has been done to the spare tire since new and there is no sensor in the glove box.

So I guess that does bring up a good question - is there a TPMS in the spare, and if so, why did they use a different type I wonder?

Sorry, didn't notice the 5th Gen thread. Maybe they decontented this as well and went with 4 sensors. Others can confirm this. I'm out of ideas other than it's so new take it to the stealer.