TPMS "Issue"

The word issue is in quotes because I'm not sure if it is or not...

I got new wheels from a guy on eBay. He had TPMS sensors on them and used them on his Prius C without any TPMS problems. I mounted them today. I've driven the car several times BUT the TPMS warning light hasn't come on and stayed lit. I had expected that it would light because I never had the sensor IDs loaded into the car. The warning light does light after starting and stays lit for a few seconds, then turns off, like normal. I'm happy that it isn't lit, but now I'm wondering if there's a problem with the system.

Does anyone know if it will take a few more driving cycles or should I have expected it to come on immediately? Or maybe Toyota has gone the VW route and lets the system read and store the IDs on its own?

 

Yes, that's what I understand. So until they're calibrated wouldn't it make sense that the warning light would come on since they're not being read? Wouldn't the computer think the ones that were removed are either missing, sending no signal, or flat and cause the warning light to come on?

 

Might as well show them off a bit.

 

Thanks for this. Yes, it's definitely a pleasant surprise but makes me wonder if the system ever worked correctly...

I read the manual ( a couple of times) but must have missed that part. Could I trouble you to check it and tell me what page that's on? I'd like to read it in context.

 

Your memory wasn't so fuzzy. I got my answer yesterday. It took three days for the light to come on, but it did. I guess they built in a buffer before the light is triggered.

 

Ha. My thoughts exactly! I am wondering if the buffer is just for a "sensor ID that's not reporting" so that the light gets triggered less frequently perhaps? Surely it's designed that if the sensor ID is reporting but there's an issue it would trigger immediately???

 

UPDATE:

Went to four different places for help in getting the new sensors learned to the car.
1. Tire place - their tool couldn't read the sensors in the new winter wheels, but then again it couldn't read the sensors in the factory installed ones either.
2. Toyota - "minimum one hour labor at $110" tuned him out after that.
3. Second tire place - looked at me like I had two heads - couldn't begin to understand what I was asking for.
4. Third tire place - knew what I was talking about, told me to go to the dealer.

So after researching, I found a thread on ToyotaNation (mods - hope it's ok to reference other forums). Search for Toyotanation + DIY + TPMS + Programming. Luck123 did a a good write up of the Ateq tool. I was lucky that I had the sensor IDs from the original buyer. Bought the tool, followed the instructions and poof - done!

I'm guessing that since our cars don't display the individual tire pressure for each wheel sensor location, it doesn't really matter if the sensor ID matches the location. I only knew the IDs, not the location they were installed, but it cleared anyway.

What I learned: Toyota waaaay over complicated this and made it a total PITA to do winter wheels. If you install new wheel sensors, make sure you get the sensor IDs before the tires are mounted. If you buy a set with sensors installed, ask for the sensor IDs.