Snow Tires for 2014 Prius

The USA cars have TPMS by law. I am not sure about the ones in Canada. Underneath the steering wheel there is an OBD II connector and next to that a button that has something to do with TPMS. You could look for that. Also, a light will appear on the instrument cluster as the car is started. It looks like the cross-section of a tire.

Ask the seller if the TPMS sensors are Toyota OEM and whether they have the codes or not. My mechanic told me the aftermarket TPMS clones do not work well. (of course, individual results and systems can vary).

That looks like a decent price but maybe not a complete bargain depending on the type of TPMS sensor. I just checked tirerack here in the USA and you can get that package for 790.40 USD with some shipping (104 for me) and after a rebate. that is for Michelin X-ice tires, steel rims, TPMS (aftermarket I assume) all mounted and balanced.

 

This snow tire setup is very similar to what we're using on our 2010: Michelin X-Ice2, mounted on 15" steel Corolla rims, using plain, open-ended galvanized lug nuts. Only differences, no wheel covers, and no TPMS.

New Toyota wheel covers can be pricey. I've toyed with getting them for our setup, but everytime sticker shock and complications turn me off. Plus, they tend to trap snow, sand, salt: I'm kinda reluctant from the get go.

TPMS is not mandatory in Canada, and they are truly the "gift that keeps on giving", when you have two sets of tires. The car will only recognize one set of TPMS sensors. Your options with two sets are to either get the dealership to do the handshake, twice yearly, or research and purchase the equipment needed to do the handshake yourself. The dealership will very quickly become the more expensive option. The third option, as I said at the outset: forget about TPMS.

I got this set up right after purchase of the car, in November 2010, through a dealership. They weren't 100% sure it was going to fit, so I let them handle the whole install. The rims were $70 apiece, the lug nuts around $31 for the lot and the Micheline X-Ice2 195/65R15 $141 apiece. With $80 install cost and tax it ended up at $1100 out the door.

Info:

snow tire: Michelin X-Ice2 195/65R15
Corolla steel rim, part no: 42611-02471 (2006+ model year?)
steel rim lug nuts: 90942-01007 (plain, open-ended, galvanized)

 

Your factory rims will have TPMS. If they don't you'd be seeing the TPMS warning symbol, it's orange, upper-right corner of the dash, you'll see it momentarily when the car's booting. Your stock rims are black painted alloys. The Corolla rims black painted steel, old school.

If the TPMS are installed, the quick-and-dirty solution is to ignore them, just mount the tires and drive. You'll see the TPMS warning light, that's all. We drive that way for 4~5 months every winter. Come spring when I put the regular tires on, light goes out.

Here's a pic of our set up. The wheel covers would really dress it up, but hey. To paraphrase John Candy, it's not pretty, but it gets us where we want to go.



And a pic of the TPMS warning light:



With the sensors not present, or not detected, this warning will come on soon after the car's started. Occasionally it'll flash, then go on steady. When I roll the car into the garage, where the regular tires (with TPMS) are stacked, the light goes out, lol.

 

As long as there's no surprises, undisclosed damage for example, and the tread depth is "95%", that's seems a real good deal. Our American brethren are snorting, but hey.

If you go my route, buy it all new, you could save a few $ by just buying those rims through the dealership and then shopping tires at somewhere else, Costco or wherever. My concern was to leave all the onus for fit on the dealership, they weren't completely sure it was going to work. And I don't think it was BS'ing: guess I was their guinea pig, lol. So, I didn't mind spending a few extra bucks.

Considering 5 years have past since I got ours, it might be more costly, you'd have to phone around. Hopefully those Corolla rims are still available, and the price is stable. I wouldn't think it'd be too much problem though.

I'd stick with the Corolla rims though: generic rims could have fit issues, and will likely need spacer rings at the hub: since they are intended to fit a variety of vehicles. Same thing for the lug nuts: the seat type is specific style. You could actually use the OEM lug nuts; they will work, but will look kinda silly, sticking out, and with their captured washers.

Michelins have a $70 rebate every fall, coming up soon I think. It was on when I purchased. But being through a dealership, it was mail-in, bit of a pain. Costco OTOH: they take the $70 off at the till, AND it saves on sales tax.

TPMS on snow tires is a bit of a quagmire: see now you're thinking about mounting snows and OEM's twice yearly, to circumvent the TPMS-less issue. This is just another can-of-worms, expensive as heck, and really hard on the rims. If you stick with separate rims, you also keep your alloys out of winters worst, and have the luxury to detail/wax them out of the elements.

 

I learned something new today. I didn't know I had TPMS. I am also using my after market system to monitor my pressures at 40 PSI. I've used the TireMinder on several cars. It threads on and off like a stem cap.

If always having TPMS during the winter is important to you, you could buy this.

TireMinder TM55 5-Wheel TPMS, Includes 4 Transmitters for Brass Valve Stems - Minder Research, Inc.

 

Here's a close up. You can see the hub opening is ugly as heck, but you could use those wheel covers. Personally I prefer to leave them bare, but that's me.

 

All the signs in the ad point to this being compatible. Looks to be a tire shop, and it's a setup taken from one of their customers. I can't say definitively.

Hang on, I'll take a look at one of my rims, see what markings are on it, if it corresponds to the part number I posted above.

The one thing missing in the ad is the lug nuts. You can make do with your OEM lug nuts, just as I said they look a little funny: they're much taller, have the captured washer for alloy rims, but they do have the proper seat taper, they're used with the temporary spare for example.

 

To you're other questions: you, or any tire shop, can install tires. If DIY tire install is new to you read up, watch a few videos, work safe, get the right tools.

The torque for lug nuts is 76 lb/ft, I believe that's noted in the Owners Manual. Toyota recommends to rotate tire locations just front to back, no crossing to the other side. Seems old-school, but I've stuck with it, so far.

Also, important: the X-Ice are directional, ie: there are (or should be) two "lefts" and two "rights". The tire tread pattern is intended to roll (primarily) in one direction only. There's directional arrows on the tires, they should be pointing forward when the arrows at the top of the tire.

Anyway, here's pics of our rims. And wouldn't you know it the part no's are NOT on the rim. This is what there is, FWIW. These were new rims, purchased through dealership, so kosher I think:

 

Wheel balancing's a must, whenever a tire's installed on a rim. But this set of tires on rims is already balanced, you can assume, unless a weight has flung off for example. I'd assume the best, and only consider rebalancing if-and-when you feel a wobble.

The numbers on the rim don't seem as much a part number as a size/spec designation. And I didn't see the part number from my first posting. They are a snug fit at the hub, no issues.

Kinda frustrating, but I guess it's that way with a lot of part no's: the number may actually change, it'll be on the package or a tag, but not embossed on the component.

I think you're gonna be good. What are the realities of the sale, ie: will you be able to trial fit one? If it's a tire shop I'm sure they'll let you verify, put one on at their place, help you out with a floor jack and air tools.

 

I have two sets of tires for our prius. One set of summer tires and one set of winter tires.

Our TPMS units are only installed in the summer tires.

 

Same thing here. I understand tho, in the 'States tire shops are forced to install TPMS now. Hopefully some will still "look the other way".

 

We still have plenty of legacy vehicles without TPMS, and it is perfectly legal for them to install tires on such vehicles without TPMS.

For post-TPMS vehicles, just don't have them install the newly mounted tires on the car. Have them just mount the tires on the separate rims, without specifying what car vintage the wheels are for. Take the newly mounted tires home to put on the car yourself.

FWIW, I have TPMS on both tires sets, for both modern vehicles. Each vehicle has already used TPMS to warn me of an impending flat before the leaking tire was low enough for me to see or feel. One of them would have made it home and been discovered the next morning. The other would not have reached the day's destination without attention.

 

Do you have the electronics to switch them over yourself?

 

With two TPMS vehicles, I now have the devices too, from ATEQ. One programs the car, the other reads the ID numbers (and pressure and temperature) via RF.

The former is easier to justify. The later is pricier, and can be avoided if one can get the TPMS ID numbers from the tire shop. Or borrow a reader from a friend.

 

The dealership may be required to sell new vehicles with TPMS in all four tires. Yes.

However; I was at a tire store getting new rubber put on the factory rims. When they had removed the old rubber, they told me one of the TPMS devices had turned, they showed it to me, and said that they were not allowed to touch it, as owner of the vehicle I turned it 90 degrees back to the position where they said it needed to be in. And they went ahead and installed the new rubber.

If your TPMS devices must be keyed to the vehicle, than clearly you can not have two sets of tires with all tires equipped.