Write-up: How to Disable (Bypass) the TPMS

[WXman]

Well, when I bought this 4R back at the end of winter, the light was on. Turns out that the spare tire was low. After that was aired up the light went off. So the system was working OK.

Today, it's day 4 with no sensors in place and the light still isn't on. I'm super happy about this. Apparently the jap engineers were smarter than the U.S. ones and programmed the system to look for all of the sensors missing and if so, let it be. A lot of people switch to a dedicated winter set of tires and this will mean you don't need to worry about TPMS. Very good design and I'm happy my light is off with no mods needed.

My guess is that later years, being under more government scrutiny, were changed so that the light is more likely to be on than off.

 

[Radial GT]

I went to do this a while back on my 05 and the wires where different colors. So I waited until last spring when I changed the color on my dash by switching out the LEDS (which is awesome in white) and I pulled that damn LED out. I literally walked it all the way to the outside garbage can and thew it away in anger. lol

I also am happy to report my light has not come back on since.

 

[ThePMFG]

Awesome mod!!!

Just did this to my 04 SR5 4x4... Worked as described, done in 5 min or less... So glad I don't have to stare at this light anymore! And since I've got aftermarket rims without the sensors anyways, the whole concept of the light is useless for me. Thanks for the write up!

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Well, when I bought this 4R back at the end of winter, the light was on. Turns out that the spare tire was low. After that was aired up the light went off. So the system was working OK.

Today, it's day 4 with no sensors in place and the light still isn't on. I'm super happy about this. Apparently the jap engineers were smarter than the U.S. ones and programmed the system to look for all of the sensors missing and if so, let it be. A lot of people switch to a dedicated winter set of tires and this will mean you don't need to worry about TPMS. Very good design and I'm happy my light is off with no mods needed.

My guess is that later years, being under more government scrutiny, were changed so that the light is more likely to be on than off.

Eh... I don't think that's how its supposed to be, I'll check and see if TIS has an "official" explanation. But maybe you just got lucky and/or the TPMS just wasn't working right to begin with?

 

[WXman]

If TPMS wasn't working right to begin with, wouldn't it default to being ON?

And like I said...it was working because I had a light originally that went out when I aired up my spare.

My light still isn't on. It's obvious to me now that this mod won't be needed for my 2004. If one sensor or two maybe were missing, it'd be throwing a light. But apparently with all 4 gone at once the ECU knows what's up. I'm happy.

 

[Atlanta_man]

mine's still working fine, but I'll be shorting those wires when it quits

2005 120,000 mi

some incredible battery, radio, sensor in those things

 

[badfeather]

What size scotchlok did you use?
The smaller?

 

[Calimander]

Another great thread. Got rid of that damn light after three years. Only difference in the instructions for my 05 v6 sr5 was that my wires were pink with a grey stripe and white with a black stripe. Dave

 

[slyangel9]

What size scotchlok did you use?
The smaller?

blue one

 

[natevans65]

Can ya pick up the scotchlok at an Advance Auto or Napa??

Great write up.....thanks!

 

[bigskyeric]

This can be done in 5-10 minutes. All you need is a wire connector that can directly connect two wires. What I used was a Scotchlok wire connector (see the first picture below). Here is how:

Steps (on my '05 4Runner):

1. Disconnect the battery (Although I did not do this)
2. Take out the screw that holds the black plastic panel located below the glove box
3. Gently pull the black panel and it should just pop out
4. Drop the panel and you will see that the TPMS module is right there
5. Unplug the harness (as show in the second picture below)
6. Use utility knife or scissors and cut the yellow type open (BE CAREFUL-Not to cut the wires!!!!)
7. Inside the yellow type there is another layer of black type, cut that open as well (again, BE CAREFUL Not to cut the wires!!!)
8. Now, look for two wires: the Pink-Black one (TPMS) and the White-Black (ground) wire (see below the third picture)
9. Use Scotchlok wire connector to connect the Pink-Black wire and the White-Black wire (watch youtube Scotchlok Wiring Demo clip here: ScotchLok Wiring Connector Demonstration - etrailer.com - YouTube)

Done! The TPMS light is now bypassed and the light will never come back on. (Note: this mod is reversable by simply removing the connector or wire a switch to turn it on or off: see http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/50252-tpms-light-bypass-switch.html)

Since the TPMS is disabled, be sure to check your tire pressure regularly.

Thank you. You must have read my issue on the 'discount tire, broken stuff....' thread. again... thank you.

 

[WXman]

My '04 didn't need the mod. Been almost a month now and still no light on. But if you are going to do this mod I noticed that the scotch lock connectors typically sold at auto parts stores won't let you connect two wires on a harness. I think what you can do though is use a small drill bit and modify the connector so that you can lay the two wires in there and then crimp it. Should work fine.

Once you look at them you'll see what I mean.

 

[badfeather]

This procedure works as txt4r says. Just got back in from the driveway and am happy to have the light off!

Thanks for the info.

Great forum to be a part of.

 

[JD914]

My '04 didn't need the mod. Been almost a month now and still no light on. But if you are going to do this mod I noticed that the scotch lock connectors typically sold at auto parts stores won't let you connect two wires on a harness. I think what you can do though is use a small drill bit and modify the connector so that you can lay the two wires in there and then crimp it. Should work fine.

Once you look at them you'll see what I mean.

Yup, that's correct. Most of those connectors will need one side drilled out, which is simple enough.
Just did this mod this weekend and wow! Finally, after.... well, YEARS, my low tire pressure light is finally gone!
Many thanks to the OP!

 

[WXman]

Yup, that's correct. Most of those connectors will need one side drilled out, which is simple enough.
Just did this mod this weekend and wow! Finally, after.... well, YEARS, my low tire pressure light is finally gone!
Many thanks to the OP!

I see that you have an '04 V8 like me. I wonder why you needed to do the mod and I didn't. Was there a change to the software mid-year?

 

[JD914]

I see that you have an '04 V8 like me. I wonder why you needed to do the mod and I didn't. Was there a change to the software mid-year?

No idea. For some reason, my light came on after switching tires (iirc) and never went off, no matter what pressure I ran, including in the spare. Finally, this little mod got rid of the annoying light that I never really got used to.

 

[WXman]

OK, so after two and a half months, and hundreds upon hundreds of miles driven, my light finally came on and started flashing. What the heck? So anyway, I did this mod in 5 minutes time and it worked. This is probably the most useful mod I've seen on the forum yet. A+

 

[CXS]

Yeah, great mod and even saved me money. Discount Tires told me that by law they had to swap them to my steel wheels when I bought tires. I told them I don't have TPMS and they said I did. I told them that if they could show me where it's showing one way or another I'd pay the extra money. Five minutes later they agreed they didn't need to swap them.

 

[andy2008]

Awesome thanks!

 

[aedgington]

PINK W/ BLACK STRIP AND BLACK W/ RED STRIP WIRES.

Thanks for adding this from a fellow 08 owner