Can I have normal tires, not low profile tires?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by SoShoreKen, Apr 12, 2021.

  1. SoShoreKen

    SoShoreKen Junior Member

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    My tire pressure light came on, again. I've had to replace or patch a bunch of tires since I bought my Prius. I've had more tire issues with this car than all the other vehicles I have owned in my entire life combined.

    It says the tires are low profile. Can I use normal tires?
     
    #1 SoShoreKen, Apr 12, 2021
  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    What size of wheels and tires do you have? If it is a 17" wheel, then it has to be a lower-profile tire than OEM 15" tires 195/65R15 to be able to fit. If you want a higher sidewall, your option would be to change to 15" wheels.
     
    #2 Salamander_King, Apr 12, 2021
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Ours came with 215/45R17, and every winter I swap over to 195/65R15 snow tires (on Corolla steel rims), no problems.
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Apr 12, 2021
  4. SoShoreKen

    SoShoreKen Junior Member

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    Its a Prius Persona model. 17 inch tires. How come tire pressure is such a big issue with this car?
     
    #4 SoShoreKen, Apr 12, 2021
  5. sLick415

    sLick415 Member

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    I'd stick with the recommended size. You'd have clearance issues with the wheel well if you went with a bigger tire.

    The issue isn't the car... What's the tread life on your tires? How are you patching them? Is or was there road work on the routes you typically take?
     
    #5 sLick415, Apr 12, 2021
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  6. Jim Swart

    Jim Swart Member

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    Original equipment size is 215/45R17. There is plenty of room for 225/45R17.
     
    #6 Jim Swart, Apr 12, 2021
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe go with the standard 15". i'm on my second set at 74k. no issues with pressure, i load 'em up so it takes months for them to fall below the tpms threshold. years even.
     
    #7 bisco, Apr 12, 2021
  8. SoShoreKen

    SoShoreKen Junior Member

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    Since I took delivery of my Prius, tires has had to gotten patched, or replaced. Tire pressure lights keep going on. Sick of it. I'm a smart guy, I know how to look at a tire and read a tire gage to see if I need to put air in my tires. I don't need a tire pressure light coming on every 3 days saying I have to put air in my tire saying I'm a screw up.

    I've had the same job for 17 years, drive the same route too and from work every day. I've had like 4 cars since I started working there. This Prius is the ONLY car where the tire pressure light keeps coming on. Checked sensors, ect. Sometimes it stays off for a few months, but it always comes back. I want them off, deactivated. Or set to go off when they are at 1 PSI. Sick and tired of this happening all the time, what's the fix besides getting a new car? I don't want them to come on, ever. I feel its telling me I'm screwing up. When I get it fixed they tell me its all set, then it comes back on after.

    I've been driving for almost 40 years. This is the only car that has given me this much trouble with tires. So I know its not me.
     
    #8 SoShoreKen, Apr 12, 2021
  9. SoShoreKen

    SoShoreKen Junior Member

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    I assume if I go with the 15 inch tires, I have to get 15 inch rims? So that's more money to fix it.
     
    #9 SoShoreKen, Apr 12, 2021
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    correct, some people put a piece of electrical tape over the light.
     
    #10 bisco, Apr 12, 2021
  11. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    low profile tires have little to no shock absorbance. The impact of pit holes goes straight to the rims and the rims rips through the tires since there’s a lack air between rims & tires. Low profile tires look great on the car, bad in the wallet.
     
    #11 Grit, Apr 12, 2021
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    @Grit some good material here.
     
    #12 Mendel Leisk, Apr 12, 2021
  13. alteea

    alteea New Member

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    Most aluminum wheels leak after a while. Corrosion. Remove tires and put sealer on the bead area.
     
    #13 alteea, Apr 12, 2021
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  14. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    There's a TPMS button deep under the driver side dash. Everytime you adjust the pressure, you're supposed to reset it. Then it won't come on until a drop of 20 - 25 %, a significant amount. Put lower pressure in, reset it, then pump them back up. Shouldn't come on unless you're really flat. Probably was reset with too much pressure in the tires.

    moto g(7) power ?
     
    #14 jzchen, Apr 12, 2021
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  15. bisco

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    should be able to find salvage 15 rims for cheap
     
    #15 bisco, Apr 12, 2021
  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I very strongly suspect that car #1 didn't even have tire pressure lights, because it pre-dated the TPMS mandate, which started phasing in 15 and a half years ago.

    Which of those other cars had TPMS? Any of them?
    You haven't said whether these pressure warning are mostly valid (tire or wheel problem), or spurious (car problem). So we can't really tell if you are yanking our chain, or ...
     
    #16 fuzzy1, Apr 12, 2021
  17. SoShoreKen

    SoShoreKen Junior Member

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    Good to know. I'll go that route. Be cheaper in long run.
     
    #17 SoShoreKen, Apr 13, 2021
  18. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Finally! I was reading along wondering if anyone would think of this. In fact, @SoShoreKen, you should be able to practically eliminate the TPMS safety measures if you lower the tire pressure to some silly-low pressure, then hit the TMPS button, and then pump the tires back up.

    However, to blame the car for tire punctures is just silly. :LOL:
     
    #18 jerrymildred, Apr 13, 2021
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