PIP TPMS/no spare tire/fix it can

Oh I really hope I don't regret sticking my neck into this fun thread, but I wanted to let you all know there will be more info coming out shortly on the tire repair kit. Our thinking is that this should be used as a last resort (think small puncture and stuck in a remote area with no cell coverage).

Our recommendation will be that the first attempt should be to call roadside assistance rather than use the repair kit. As such, we are giving every Prius Plug-in an extra complimentary year (for a total of 3 years of Roadside Assistance).

And, the lack of a spare in the PiP is due to space constraints rather than cost issues and we chose to prioritize the cargo and passenger space rather than cut into that to attempt to find room for a spare.

Now I will quietly retreat from this heated discussion.

Best,
Erica Gartsbeyn
Prius Product Manager

 

Erica

Some of us will occasionally carry a spare in the PiP cargo area (tied down, of course). A jack kit like the prototype had would be useful. Would it be possible for that topic to be addressed when the information about the tire kit is available? Thank you.

Allan

 

If the TPMS idiot light you should be able to feel which tire is low. Put your fingers on top of the tire and press the center of the sidewall with your thumb. You should be able to feel a 5 psi difference in pressure that way.

 

NOW you tell me....!

 

After much research, it does look like Flyaudio's OEM Prius HU offers a TPMS feature on their units. This is very handy and I can't believe it's something they don't advertise as part of their feature. The TPMS on the Flyaudio actually tells you the tire temperature, pressure, the specific pressure of each tire, sends a text to your HU if parameters are violated and when the battery dies from the tpms, it is easily replaceable.

Sounds like the TPMS in the Tesla Roaster to me!

 

FYI, thirsting for Prius Plug-In updates, I roamed on over to the Toyota Japan site and found this:

toyota.jp ƒvƒŠƒEƒXPHV Âb ƒCƒ“ƒeƒŠƒA Âb ƒ†Â[ƒeƒBƒŠƒeƒBÂE‹ÂÂZ« Âb ƒTƒCƒhƒrƒ…Â[

I've attached an image of the included jack below. The text above the image (thanks to Google Translate) is:

"Tool box (passenger side under the floor)."

The text beneath says:

"* shown without cover"

 

Good job! If they are providing the jack kit on the Japanese PiP, they could provide it on the North American PiP. The Japanese PiP does include two colors more than the North American PiP, so there is no assurance that the cars will be identical.

I sure hope that this kit will be in our cars.

 

While it is good to have a jack kit, it is useless w/o a spare tire. I removed my Jack kit from my 2005, it was genuinely a piece of junk. The amount of effort required was unreal. Instead I bought a elec (12V) jack which I will keep and use on all of my cars. :cheer2:

 

I second that!

 

I plan to Remove the Jack kit, Compressor and cans of Tire Filler.
Thus removing their Weight and save MPG !!!

Then call ToyotaCare or AAA if needed.

 

There is NO jack kit! you mean there is a Toyota supplied compressor? :cheer2:

 

There is a jack kit. See pg. 448 of the Owner's Manual.

 

The "tire filler" which many companies are moving to seems too much of a risk for me. I'm adding a plug kit as well
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B000EXSER4?tag=priuschatcom-20 6oz I think the weight/benifit ratio is good. Not sure the filler would be good enough from a drive home at 2am from the airport.
I'd keep the compressor and filler and add the plug and loose the jack.

 

I'll just get a patch kit (AKA plug kit) and throw it in the glove compartment. Used them before even when tire companies told me they wouldn't patch them because the nail/screw was too close to the tire wall. Works like a charm.

 

I can't even imagine driving a car without having a spare. This is a big mistake by Toyota. I can't believe people are actually trying to justify the idea as a "weight savings". Talk about fan boys. Geez.


iPad ?

 

Me? I'd get a mini-spare from a wrecked Prius for out of town trips and rely on roadside service for the rest.

How long is the Toyota roadside service?

 

Toyota already replied earlier in this thread it was to save space, not weight. Never had to use a spare before, always used a plug kit and air compressor. Have one now in my Prius, ironically called Hummer.

 

TireRack has a good article about tire patches:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=77

What they say is that the proper way to repair a puncture is to remove the tire from the wheel and put a patch on the inside, AND also put a plug in which keeps moisture from entering and rusting.

I've had garages fix tires by just putting a plug in. I'm glad that now I know that's wrong, but I'm also glad I read this thread and learned that a simple plug kit and a pair of pliers will be much better than using the glue/goop to fix a flat tire.

 

I know what Toyota said. I said "people" are justifying it as a weight savings. In my book there is no excuse not to have a spare. If there is not enough room to have some kind of spare then the car was not designed with the customer in mind.


iPad ?