Tire Pressure Reading

So today, with less than an inch of snow covering the road surface in the morning, I decided to take my wife's Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid to work. The car still has snow tires on. To check the question asked by @Mendel Leisk, I decided to swap the front and rear tires to see if the on dash tire pressure monitor would recognize the correct location. I knew that the right rear tire has low psi from my last driving.

Weill, when I first started driving and psi data showed up, it was at the old location of the right rear, but within less than a mile, the display swapped the two right-side tires to correct positions. So, at least for Nissan which does require OBDII re-programming for a new set of TPMS sensors, do have the ability to tell the location of each sensor on the car without any manipulation such as re-setting.

BTW, after this snow, I am now ready to change wife's SUV to summer tires.

 

It must have 4 separate TPMS receivers near each wheel well.

 

Yeah, that seems to be the case with this car. There was no mentioning of resetting or initialization requirements after tire rotation on this car, so I thought it would recognize the correct sensor location automatically. I just didn't know until I tested this since I always do the tire rotation at the time of winter tire change over with another set of tires and rims with a separate set of TPMS sensors in them.

 

50F with snow.

Hope it all melted away.

And hopefully doesn't return for several months.

 

Morning temp was 26F. Less than an inch of accumulation, mostly gone on road surface by the time sun came up, and totally gone by the time I drove the SUV. GET YOUR DEDICATED SNOW TIRES NOW !!! | Page 19 | PriusChat

I am going to change over the snow tire this week-end. It's not studded tire, so I could keep it longer, but no reason to lose rubber on warm road surface.

 

Or listen to the tires.

I'm sure the wife will like the quieter ride too.

If she would even comment on such a thing.

 

I don't know if she noticed it or not, but the snow tires now on the SUV is 18" Micheline Latitude Xice which is actually quieter and smoother ride than the summer all season 19" Yokohama Geolander. Also with this set-up, the car with snow tires during winter gets better mileage than summer time.

 

Really weird Toyota does not put that in Prii. Alls I can figure in Japan the drivers must check pressure religiously so it is not seen as a need. My new RAV4H manual talks about TPMS display, but it is not implemented in mine. I am hoping for software upgrade.

I got one of the Autel 401 readers that works for many vehicles.

 

I'm ok with a single light saying one of the tires is low, takes about 2 minutes to narrow it down. But it is convenient, to see a t a glance.

 

I think it's interesting that when TPMS first became mandatory in vehicles, and people realized they were going to have to deal with sensors, and batteries, the common complaint was that it was superfluous, unneeded information....grumble, grumble, grumble...
Now in 2020 we've reached a point, were people are complaining about the vehicle NOT giving them enough Tire Pressure Information.

For most of my life, tire pressure information obtainment was limited to a ball point pen PSI gauge, and actually physically checking each tire. I'm NOT saying those were better days.
But I am saying it's hard for me to either complain or have too much empathy for those that are upset they can't get individual tire PSI information, automatically and continuously.

Since most of my childhood and adult life, dangerously...the Tire PSI warning system was usually a pop/bang and a dangerous sweat producing skid.

 

Yeah all the things we "need":

1. A touch-screen that keeps rebooting, (and when it is working) makes basic control adjustments an exercise in distraction.
2. Proximity sensors that won't shut up.
3. Pleather steering wheel wrap with excema.
4. Gloss finish dash with blinding glare in sunlight.
5. TPMS and the associated reg's that discourage folks from getting snow tires.
6. Three-layer

 

Even in winter. This trend to bigger diameter rims is for the birds.

 

Yeah, I have no idea why people want bigger rims on any car. I don't even find it aesthetically pleasing to have 18" wheels on Prius. If I can find rims that works, I may try to switch our SUV with 17 inch. That's what was on our Sienna which was bigger than Pathfinder.

 

When I went from my Prius to Honda Fit, I had to upgrade, "pay more" to keep some features in the Fit I knew I would miss, that I had in the Prius.
I wanted to keep keyless entry, touch button start, which at the time were NOT standard on the Honda Fit.

I really like keyless entry, being able to just keep the fob in my pocket...enter, exit, very nice.
I like the push button start. Basically I hands free get in my vehicle and go without having to do anything as long as I have the fob in my pocket....it's great. BUT....

I admit to really missing a real KEY. Just the feel of a standard ignition and really turning the key. Now I kinda miss it.
Plus I'm always worried to an extent about when either the keyless entry or the push button break.

The older I get, the more I miss and muse about the less "gifted" age, when you didn't have TPMS, and doors and cars were open and started with something as basic as a metal key.

I DO NOT want to fall into the trap of saying those were better time, BUT....if I ever get another car? I might not work so hard to avoid having a working key.

 

The sensors cannot be pinged, they have no receive function. They are just dumb radio beacons, with ID codes programmed in to the sent data packet. So send-receive time is not an option.

 

I wonder what proportion of Prime owners know that they are carrying a Real Key when they carry the fob in their pocket. It might be useful if the battery in the fob dies.

 

The key in the fob opens the driver's door. That is all. Once in the car, you can hold the fob with dead battery near the Start button and press the Start button to start the car. The battery in the fob is commonly available wherever button batteries are sold (drugstores, online). You don't have to go to the dealer to get a replacement fob battery.

 

I actually forgot that technically with both my old Prius and current Fit, I do have a key. I've never had reason to use them.

 

In the beginning, it was larger diameter wheels=shorter sidewall=stiffer "throw it into the corners" handling. The offroading vehicle side is just the opposite. Smaller diameter wheels=taller sidewall= more wheel protection while crawling over obstacles especially when aired down.

Now it's mostly about looks. I admit I like the "slightly" larger wheels on "some" vehicles, but not the Prius. No baloney skins for me.