Unfavorable Tire Installation

[sbcsar26]

So today was the day for getting the new tires on the 4Runner. Made an appointment for 8 am and was supposed to be done in 90 minutes. Since the tires we got were the next size larger they had to trim the wheel wells for turning radius. Which I knew was going to happen. But then they said they had to reset the computer. UHM................Why????????(I should say that I was sitting at work and I had a friend take the 4Runner to the tire shop)

So 2 and a half hours later I am now getting a little worried and I am trying to find out what's going on. I call and get the usual song and dance that this is standard procedure. But the sales rep was going to talk to the tech and get back to me. What I was told was that since they installed a larger tire they had a traction control sensor light come on and they had to reset the compuer to the larger tire size and that there would be an addition $40 charge. UHM.........OK?????

At the 3 and a half hour marker my friend shows up at work and informs me that the 4Runner now needs to go to the dealer because they could not reset the computer. The traction control was now disabled!:wtf::mad2:

So now I am upset. This was supposed to be a simple tire installation. Once again I call and talk to a supervisor. I told him why I was calling and I wanted an explanation of what happened. I wasn't going to take the answer of well something was wrong when we brought the vehicle in. NO!!! I may be female but I am not stupid and I know the vehicle. And I might add that it's only a couple months old with less then 1300 miles on it. Nothing is wrong with the 4Runner. Next thing I know I have someone else calling me trying to get to the bottom of what happened and telling me that everything they did was standard operating procedure.

Three hours later, two Toyota dealer mechanics, recalibration of the computer, two test drives and we still have no fix and no traction control. Now there is another tech or maybe an engineer scheduled to come in to look at it next Friday. If this doesn't fix the problem off to the factory the 4Runner will go to fix the issue!

Not a very satisfying experience for a first time customer of a local tire shop.

 

[Newf4R]

I'm certain there are more people with bigger tires on here than there is with oem size... I stuck with 265s when swapping, so I'm no help. I have however read a scattered thread where people talk about similar problems with traction control when upsizing the tires. What model 4Runner and what size tire did you go up to?

 

[1engineer]

So today was the day for getting the new tires on the 4Runner. Made an appointment for 8 am and was supposed to be done in 90 minutes. Since the tires we got were the next size larger they had to trim the wheel wells for turning radius. Which I knew was going to happen. But then they said they had to reset the computer. UHM................Why????????(I should say that I was sitting at work and I had a friend take the 4Runner to the tire shop)

So 2 and a half hours later I am now getting a little worried and I am trying to find out what's going on. I call and get the usual song and dance that this is standard procedure. But the sales rep was going to talk to the tech and get back to me. What I was told was that since they installed a larger tire they had a traction control sensor light come on and they had to reset the compuer to the larger tire size and that there would be an addition $40 charge. UHM.........OK?????

At the 3 and a half hour marker my friend shows up at work and informs me that the 4Runner now needs to go to the dealer because they could not reset the computer. The traction control was now disabled!:wtf::mad2:

So now I am upset. This was supposed to be a simple tire installation. Once again I call and talk to a supervisor. I told him why I was calling and I wanted an explanation of what happened. I wasn't going to take the answer of well something was wrong when we brought the vehicle in. NO!!! I may be female but I am not stupid and I know the vehicle. And I might add that it's only a couple months old with less then 1300 miles on it. Nothing is wrong with the 4Runner. Next thing I know I have someone else calling me trying to get to the bottom of what happened and telling me that everything they did was standard operating procedure.

Three hours later, two Toyota dealer mechanics, recalibration of the computer, two test drives and we still have no fix and no traction control. Now there is another tech or maybe an engineer scheduled to come in to look at it next Friday. If this doesn't fix the problem off to the factory the 4Runner will go to fix the issue!

Not a very satisfying experience for a first time customer of a local tire shop.

Are you for real? Off to the factory? In Japan??? I would suggest you take the time to learn a few things before you get taken to the cleaners. An engineer lol.

 

[calcrc]

I might have not understood where you took you truck to change the tire, Toyota dealer or a local shop ?

If it's a Toyota dealer, they suck, but if it's a local shop then don't get mad at the truck. They messed up bad.

I understand how you feel. It sucks, just get it fixed at your dealer, Patience is a virtue ?

Good luck and let us know how it turned out.

 

[sbcsar26]

You may need to do a "Zero point calibration" to make the traction control behave, search this forum for details. You can do it yourself.

I will have to look into that. While at the Toyota dealer they recalibrated the computer twice but still no fix. So they were bringing in some other guy to look at it. But I don't know what they call a recalibration.

I have already been told by the tire shop that they will take care of the Toyota bill if there is one. They are promising to take care of the issue no matter what it takes. So far all I have spent is the for the tires. I am hoping that this issue gets resolved without having to send it to the factory, where ever that is going to end up being.

I didn't think going up to 285's would be this big of an issue. I really wish I could get the truth to what happened at the tire shop when they tried to reset the computer.

 

[sbcsar26]

I might have not understood where you took you truck to change the tire, Toyota dealer or a local shop ?

If it's a Toyota dealer, they suck, but if it's a local shop then don't get mad at the truck. They messed up bad.

I understand how you feel. It sucks, just get it fixed at your dealer, Patience is a virtue ?

Good luck and let us know how it turned out.

I am not mad at the truck. I am mad at the local tire shop that screwed up the truck. I ended up at the dealer after the tire shop hoping to fix the problem, but they couldn't fix it.I am hoping that Friday will be the fix with this other tech.

Think I will have to blow off some steam this weekend by finding some dirt to play in!

 

[Qjake]

Have the ABS sensor wire on each front wheel checked.

Post pics of the dash showing the warning lights!

Pics of the trimming done by the tire shop! (not related to the warning lights just want to see where they trimmed)

 

[eddiebx]

Did the tire shop happen to do a front wheel alignment while they were at it? I believe this is one thing that could possibly throw the zero point calibration off (if they tried to recenter the steering wheel too much). If that happens I think you will get a persistent traction control light until you re-perform the zero point calibration.

Which leads me to my next question, did they try to perform the zero point calibration and if so are they doing it properly? Once they attempt it, the traction control lights will never go off until they do the last step properly. This is because the first step is to clear the zero point data, so once it's cleared its gone until the new data is stored properly; and the new data will never store properly if you don't complete the last step.

I think you really need to get more specific details on what they are supposedly "calibrating" over and over again, and possibly get a competent Toyota tech involved. Might as well take them up on their offer and have them fly out an engineer from Japan, it would be cheaper than shipping your 4runner back there

 

[Stifler]

Since the tires we got were the next size larger they had to trim the wheel wells for turning radius.

I didn't think going up to 285's would be this big of an issue.

um you went up 2 sizes.... increasing height/width/weight

Check ABS lines
Alignment
Zero Point

and lastly.... FIND A REPUTABLE SHOP

 

[2013Trail]

um you went up 2 sizes.... increasing height/width/weight

Check ABS lines
Alignment
Zero Point

and lastly.... FIND A REPUTABLE SHOP

Well, at the very least this is good information to know when planning to go up in tire size. But going from a 265 to a 285 isn't really that much of a jump, is it? Wouldn't that mean about 3/4 inch increase in tire width and only a 20 % increase in the sidewall height? I'm kind of suprised the wheel wells had to be trimmed. Are tolerances between tires and wheel wells that close? Or are my numbers way off?

 

[eddiebx]

Well, at the very least this is good information to know when planning to go up in tire size. But going from a 265 to a 285 isn't really that much of a jump, is it? Wouldn't that mean about 3/4 inch increase in tire width and only a 20 % increase in the sidewall height? I'm kind of suprised the wheel wells had to be trimmed. Are tolerances between tires and wheel wells that close? Or are my numbers way off?

Let me guess, your Trooper would swallow up some 35s without a doubt, am I right?

It's not only the overall diameter calculations that you are talking about, it also has a lot to do with how "square" the shoulders of whatever tire you pick are (ie. knobby duratracs vs slender dunlops). Here's a helpful thread where Harper posted some nice visuals for clearing 285s: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/87546-will-285s-fit-black-wheel-question.html#post759604

 

[KCcarguy]

So today was the day for getting the new tires on the 4Runner. Made an appointment for 8 am and was supposed to be done in 90 minutes. Since the tires we got were the next size larger they had to trim the wheel wells for turning radius. Which I knew was going to happen. But then they said they had to reset the computer. UHM................Why????????(I should say that I was sitting at work and I had a friend take the 4Runner to the tire shop)

So 2 and a half hours later I am now getting a little worried and I am trying to find out what's going on. I call and get the usual song and dance that this is standard procedure. But the sales rep was going to talk to the tech and get back to me. What I was told was that since they installed a larger tire they had a traction control sensor light come on and they had to reset the compuer to the larger tire size and that there would be an addition $40 charge. UHM.........OK?????

At the 3 and a half hour marker my friend shows up at work and informs me that the 4Runner now needs to go to the dealer because they could not reset the computer. The traction control was now disabled!:wtf::mad2:

So now I am upset. This was supposed to be a simple tire installation. Once again I call and talk to a supervisor. I told him why I was calling and I wanted an explanation of what happened. I wasn't going to take the answer of well something was wrong when we brought the vehicle in. NO!!! I may be female but I am not stupid and I know the vehicle. And I might add that it's only a couple months old with less then 1300 miles on it. Nothing is wrong with the 4Runner. Next thing I know I have someone else calling me trying to get to the bottom of what happened and telling me that everything they did was standard operating procedure.

Three hours later, two Toyota dealer mechanics, recalibration of the computer, two test drives and we still have no fix and no traction control. Now there is another tech or maybe an engineer scheduled to come in to look at it next Friday. If this doesn't fix the problem off to the factory the 4Runner will go to fix the issue!

Not a very satisfying experience for a first time customer of a local tire shop.

What are the details of your truck? What tires did you install (specifically)? What other mods have you done?

My guess is what [MENTION=76166]Qjake[/MENTION] said.....ABS wire. This whole thing sounds ridiculous. :redbrick:

 

[harper7]

Wow ,there's alot of misinformation in this thread!

Just changing tires or going up in size should never need an alignment, Zero Point Calibration or anything to do with ABS lines.

Six nuts hold a wheel on ..take them off, change tires and put back on is all there is to it even if your going with 35's! There is no resetting the computer or speedometer recalibrating or anything to do with electronics on these for tires.Bigger tires and the speedometer is going to read wrong unless you get aftermarket tools to recalibrate it.The only way you would need ZCP is if your running 35's in front and 32's in rear or vice versa as then that would change the YAW of the vehicle.

To the OP [MENTION=96216]sbcsar26[/MENTION]
You've been done wrong and somewhere a village is missing it's tire change idiot or in the case of the dealership too, several idiots got loose. No telling what the tire shop morons did and tried to program in your computer but the dealership tech should have been able to pull up the DTC codes and run diagnostics thru techstream and go from there. Take it to another dealership! Maybe post up the area you live and somebody on here might know a good place to go.

btw ....watching finding dirt and any driving for that matter til you get it fixed because the TE's electronics will shut down all brake and 4x4 nannies including ABS.

 

[2013Trail]

Let me guess, your Trooper would swallow up some 35s without a doubt, am I right?

:lalala:

No, not really Eddie, just dishing back to ya. Thanks for the link, though.

 

[Jono.ful]

You may need to do a "Zero point calibration" to make the traction control behave, search this forum for details. You can do it yourself.

not unless you're mucking about with suspension. Bigger tires won't change any of the values that the TCS reads.

 

[eddiebx]

Wow ,there's alot of misinformation in this thread!

Just changing tires or going up in size should never need an alignment, Zero Point Calibration or anything to do with ABS lines.

Six nuts hold a wheel on ..take them off, change tires and put back on is all there is to it even if your going with 35's! There is no restting the computer or speedometer recalibrating or anything to do with electronics on these for tires.Bigger tires and the speedometer is going to read wrong unless you get aftermarket tools to recalibrate it.The only way you would need ZCP is if your running 35's in front and 32's in rear or vice versa as then that would change the YAW of the vehicle.

To the OP [MENTION=96216]sbcsar26[/MENTION]
You've been done wrong and somewhere a village is missing it's idiot or in the case of the dealership too, several idiots got loose. No telling what the tire shop morons did and tried to program in your computer but the dealership tech should have been able to pull up the DTC codes and run diagnostics thru techstream and go from there. Take it to another dealership! Maybe post up the area you live and somebody on here might know a good place to go.

btw ....watching finding dirt and any driving for that matter til you get it fixed because the TE's electronics will shut down all brake and 4x4 nannies including ABS.

You bring up a really good point which I totally did not make clear in my original post. None of the stuff I mentioned should have been done to begin with if you're just swapping some tires!

I only mentioned the alignment, since it seemed like the only logical thing that a tire shop could try and upsell to the OP (and screw up on in the process). Every darn tire shop I've been to tries to convince me that I NEED an alignment whenever new tires are installed no matter what (even after I remind them that there's only 2000 miles on the odomemter total, lol).

If I recall correctly, I think the FSM advises you to perform a ZPC after a front end alignment is performed; this might be because if you end up recentering the steering wheel too much during the front end alignment it will throw off the zero point of the steering wheel angle sensor (ie. the ECU thinks you're steering 10 degrees to the right, but the actual position of the steering wheel is straight ahead). If this happens the traction control system gets confused and throws the check light.

That's the tricky thing about this whole ZPC subject...it seems like it's a single zero point calibration for a whole bunch of different systems/sensors in the 4runner; so I don't think we're necessary doing the ZPC only for the sake of the yaw sensor.

I'm actually very surprised that the alleged "Toyota dealer techs" whom worked on it was not able to resolve it, one would think the first thing they'd do is pull the DTC like you said. Either there's a bunch of idiots working on the vehicle or the tire shop screwed up big time

 

[Okki]

Either there's a bunch of idiots working on the vehicle or the tire shop screwed up big time

Or both... which is what it sounds like. Pull codes/check wires.... not a whole lot of rocket science there for an initial diagnosis.

Hope it gets resolved quick and proper for the OP.

Okki

 

[Holley]

Someone is pulling your leg at the tire shop and dealership.

As someone already said, putting 285s on has absolutely no effect on the traction control or any electronic nanny stuff.

We have an FJ cruiser and a Tacoma, and both have 285s.

It sounds like they broke an abs wire or a plug somewhere.



If it were me and they were blaming all of these issues on the larger tires, I would tell them to put the old tires back on and see if the problem goes away (which it won't)opcorn:

 

[Qjake]

Wow ,there's alot of misinformation in this thread

Not trying to misinform anyone!!

It would seem logical that with the symptoms described and if they are mucking around in the front end trying to get 285's to fit stock height they might have f'd up something.

My honest opinion though, we're being trolled....again. We both know this is and easy troubleshoot for any dealer tech, even for a bad one. Hence the request for pics :suspicious:

 

[huntindawg]

She may be trolling, but ironically I had the same thing happen to me on my '11 LE on Friday afternoon. Took it in to replace the original, worn out Bstone tires with 275/55/20 Fstone Dest LE2s (my wife's daily driver) and picked it up after closing, only to find the TRAC light on constantly. Shop wasn't open today but hopefully they'll make it right on Monday and not blame it on the tires.

My MIL dropped the vehicle off for me and without calling to check with me first, had them do an alignment, which sounds like might be the cause of the problem. I have driven the truck approximately 25 miles today and haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, other than it drives much better than it did with those crappy, stock tires.

Harper, noticed you said not to drive it with this light on, what could/will happen?