Vehicle Tire Pressure Sensors

[ultrarunner]

The 2011 Toyota Tire Pressure Sensor illuminated on the dash and sure enough I found a nail in the tread.

Took it back to Goodyear and agreed to buy 2 new tires and Pressure Sensor “Kits” plus their expensive mount and balance… I declined the $30 each tire road hazard.

Went to pick up and light still illuminated and was told to drive it 20 miles which I did and light still on… checked air pressure on all 5 tires and spot on so returned to Goodyear same day and they did a reset and drove home…

Next day driving and it came back on and called and told to bring it in and on my way.

Told I would have to leave it as they were real busy and they would try to get to it.

Well they didn’t and I picked it up.

Tempted to just check air pressure manually each Saturday and not waste anymore time after I learned they would have to charge me $80 each to replace if determined to defective.

 

[LouNY]

Sounds to me like they may have damaged a sensor while mounting or dismounting a tire.

I also found this;
Reset
2011 toyota tpms reset
With the vehicle off, turn the key to the “ON” position, but do not start it. Hold the TPMS reset button until you see the flashing tire pressure light blink three times. Then release the reset button. Start the car and give it about 20 minutes for the sensor to refresh.

Also, many tire sensors have a finite life span as the batteries will fail after awhile. 12 years it may be time to replace them, I would price some aftermarket ones or put tape over the light.

 

[Peter 315]

In NH if the TPMS light is on they won't give you an inspection sticker...

 

[zzvyb6]

That year of car, the pressure sensors actually report the pressure to a radio module in the trunk area which then talks to another module in the radio area.
Your computer knows the signature of the specific sensors and their location on the car. But, you have new sensors, so the car is read "no valid sensor" from the two new wheels. Either the shop has to use a hand-held device to update the location and address of the sensors, or you can do it yourself using a blead-down technique. Youtube has videos on it.
Earlier vehicles just counted brake rotor revs and you got a notice but it couldn't tell you which tire is going down. Because of the Ford Explorer low pressure fiasco, NHTSA required specific tire pressure readings to be reported to the driver. But that requires more complex sensors in the wheels to actually measure tire pressure.
You didn't need new sensors, since they are part of the wheel assembly. Whatever. But when you rotate your tires for averaging out wear, you also have to update the sensor location information since the computer still thinks they were in their original position.
All this cost, aggravation, and complexity because so many car owners can't recognize a soft tire, nor one gradually going flat.
Pretty soon these kinds of devices will be reporting more than tire pressure because governments want to road-tax you for mileage instead of gas use because of electrification. Plus they will know you are wasting natural resources by running lower tire pressures than those allowed. This is already being done in test mode around the country. The solution is to keep another set of sensors in the car hidden somewhere and your car computer programmed to know only about THEM.

 

[Tinhack]

In NH if the TPMS light is on they won't give you an inspection sticker...

Used to be, that was the case in Texas as well. Any dash warning light on would fail. Our safety inspections are going away in September, I think. However, there will still be a $7.50 charge for the registration sticker (on top of the annual registration fee). A lot of the independent inspection stations made a big stink about it but most of them were scamming owners for additional costs for repairing. Like $50-80 just for replacing a taillight bulb or wiper blades. And don't get me started on the emission test. In this region, it wasn't required anyway--We're clean here.

 

[ruffdog]

Did the tire shop install sensors that are not compatible with the vehicle?

 

[CH4Ohio]

Seems to me that TPMS maintenance and replacement is straightforward and simple enough that your tire shop should be able to handle this very simple repair. Literally anyplace that sells tires can usually correct this problem without all the hassle you've had to go through. I wouldn't let them off the hook. There's no reason to have to look at a TPMS light giving an erroneous warning.

Didn't the "kit" that you already paid for include a new TPMS module? What's the potential "replacement" that they're now threatening you with? I think they're jerking you around. Don't underestimate the value of escalating your complaint to someone besides the "parts changers" that you've been talking to.

I think Walmart fixed the last one that I had trouble with. It was on a Honda. Turned out it just needed to be reset and they didn't even charge me. Might be easier on your blood pressure to just take it someplace else and let them check it / fix it while you wait.

 

[ultrarunner]

Not sure but I did replace two sensors pre pandemic and the shop at that time had a hand held device and went to each wheel and the result was no more problem… they no longer have that which is odd for a busy 12 bay tire shop.

The reset button tried but no cure has me thinking damage.

Two Corolla tires almost $400 out the door and road hazard would have made it $450.

I use to mount and balance my own tires at my uncles home shop with a bubble balancer and was ok… might have to start buying the same tires on the net for $80 each and new sensors in the $20-30 range or say screw it and put tape over the light.

 

[ultrarunner]

Seems to me that TPMS maintenance and replacement is straightforward and simple enough that your tire shop should be able to handle this very simple repair. Literally anyplace that sells tires can usually correct this problem without all the hassle you've had to go through. I wouldn't let them off the hook. There's no reason to have to look at a TPMS light giving an erroneous warning.

Didn't the "kit" that you already paid for include a new TPMS module? What's the potential "replacement" that they're now threatening you with? I think they're jerking you around. Don't underestimate the value of escalating your complaint to someone besides the "parts changers" that you've been talking to.

I think Walmart fixed the last one that I had trouble with. It was on a Honda. Turned out it just needed to be reset and they didn't even charge me. Might be easier on your blood pressure to just take it someplace else and let them check it / fix it while you wait.

Already sent email to Goodyear corporate in Ohio…

The tire shop is walking distance to my work and I have sent Hospital patients to them.

It does seem getting even simple things efficiently done are more difficult Post Pandemic.

Working at a hospital we dropped mask requirements some time ago but city offices still require masks for in person visits… topic for another time.

 

[ruffdog]

I just use my hand held re-set tool whenever I rotate tires or swap winter/summer tires.

 

[jyoutz]

The 2011 Toyota Tire Pressure Sensor illuminated on the dash and sure enough I found a nail in the tread.

Took it back to Goodyear and agreed to buy 2 new tires and Pressure Sensor “Kits” plus their expensive mount and balance… I declined the $30 each tire road hazard.

Went to pick up and light still illuminated and was told to drive it 20 miles which I did and light still on… checked air pressure on all 5 tires and spot on so returned to Goodyear same day and they did a reset and drove home…

Next day driving and it came back on and called and told to bring it in and on my way.

Told I would have to leave it as they were real busy and they would try to get to it.

Well they didn’t and I picked it up.

Tempted to just check air pressure manually each Saturday and not waste anymore time after I learned they would have to charge me $80 each to replace if determined to defective.

Discount Tire replaces the sensors for $60.

 

[ultrarunner]

I just use my hand held re-set tool whenever I rotate tires or swap winter/summer tires.

View attachment 810005

Now we are talking… I wonder if these are year/manufacturer specific?

 

[jyoutz]

Used to be, that was the case in Texas as well. Any dash warning light on would fail. Our safety inspections are going away in September, I think. However, there will still be a $7.50 charge for the registration sticker (on top of the annual registration fee). A lot of the independent inspection stations made a big stink about it but most of them were scamming owners for additional costs for repairing. Like $50-80 just for replacing a taillight bulb or wiper blades. And don't get me started on the emission test. In this region, it wasn't required anyway--We're clean here.

When emissions tests started in the 1970s, they were needed because many of those old cars needed tune ups or carburetor work to run clean. With the much cleaner new vehicles, I think that continuing to require emissions testing is a big scam. But the testing industry is entrenched and probably has political influence.

 

[ultrarunner]

Not to mention the small independent shops invested a lot of money for testing and dyno equipment.

We test 1976 and newer and codified when rolling exemption eliminated.

 

[ericm979]

Now we are talking… I wonder if these are year/manufacturer specific?

Most tire sensor setting devices can handle a range of sensors.

Do you have an OBD2 reader? Many Toyotas know which tire is which and you can get that info from OBD2. So you can see which sensors are not reporting.

But 99% chance it's the new sensors that are the problem, and the shop just didn't program them correctly (or worse, they're not compatible with Toyota but that's unlikely).

 

[ultrarunner]

Growing up we always had a tire guy… and he changed locations and people followed because he was very honest.

Rich was the kind of guy you could send your wife or daughter to for tires and brakes without worry…

He had no problems telling a struggling college student you’re ok now but before winter get those two tires replaced… or he would have new car takeoffs on occasion at a very fair price… 43 years he was the business.

He retired during the pandemic like so many and it’s getting harder to find these relationships at least in my trade area.

 

[ultrarunner]

Most tire sensor setting devices can handle a range of sensors.

Do you have an OBD2 reader? Many Toyotas know which tire is which and you can get that info from OBD2. So you can see which sensors are not reporting.

But 99% chance it's the new sensors that are the problem, and the shop just didn't program them correctly (or worse, they're not compatible with Toyota but that's unlikely).

Loaned my reader to nephew and he left it out in the rain… glad it was not an expensive one!

My plan is to be at the shop
Monday when it opens… not going to waste a Saturday…

 

[CH4Ohio]

Already sent email to Goodyear corporate in Ohio…

It does seem getting even simple things efficiently done are more difficult Post Pandemic.

Working at a hospital we dropped mask requirements some time ago but city offices still require masks for in person visits… topic for another time.

Good luck! Hope you get someone's attention. TPMS has actually saved me from being stuck along the side of the highway a couple times.

Seems like the average level of incompetence in service-related jobs just keeps increasing. (Just like the standardized test scores keep decreasing.) It's very concerning. (Fortunately, I haven't seen this with health care. Still get excellent expert service there.)

On your "mask" comment -- Interesting that my doctor's office quit wearing masks months ago. However my dentist office still wears them. No rhyme or reason . . .

 

[ultrarunner]

I was drawing the same conclusion in my mind… the hospital never closed and I still went to work everyday knowing sick people were walking or transported in the door.

A few standards were suspended such as having to throw away meds and supplies because of a printed date when no replacement was available through supply chain but this has all returned to normal.

My friends reaped a bounty of 3M N95 industrial masks that were approved for medical in times of supply shortage but that exemption passed so I was tasked with disposal and I did… my woodworker and metal shop fabricator friends were thrilled!

If only I had a crystal ball…

 

[CH4Ohio]

If only I had a crystal ball…

Yeah, but . . . Can you imagine how hard it would be to get good service for your crystal ball these days ???