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OE 15" Steel Wheels without TPMS?

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Farfle, Nov 25, 2013.

  1. Farfle

    Farfle Member

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    I'm gearing up to put snow tires on my PC2 for the first time, so I bought a set of Prius C steel wheels (with hubcaps!) from a guy off craigslist for $100. They don't have the TPMS sensors on them anymore, and I know the car functions fine w/o them, but I'm now concerned whether these OEM Prius C steel wheelys are physically designed to work without the sensors? Are the stem holes bigger or anything that might prevent a regular tire from working?

    Also, the snow tires I'm looking at are only available in 185/60r15. Its an equivalent overall diameter size, but a bit wider. Has anyone running that size noticed anything peculiar vs 175s? Thanks.
     
    #1 Farfle, Nov 25, 2013
  2. fourenty

    fourenty Junior Member

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    I am running OEM PC steel wheels without TPMS. No issues.
     
    #2 fourenty, Nov 25, 2013
  3. Brypettit

    Brypettit Junior Member

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    I also changed to 185 winter tires recently from the stock 175s. No noticeable differences here, besides being able to make it home through 4" of fresh snow on the roads! (With the traction control light blinking on and off like a strobe light)


    Turn off signatures in Tapatalk Tapatalk
     
    #3 Brypettit, Nov 26, 2013
  4. Farfle

    Farfle Member

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    I ended up buying some 175/65R15 Xi3s so I'm pretty stoked. But now the tire shop is refusing to do anything unless I get new TPMS sensors for the wheels.

    Apparently theres no easy (read cheap) solution to install new sensors and swap them out every year with a set of summer wheels/tires. This seems absolutely preposterous. Why did Toyota create a system that can't register new sensors on its own or by owner intervention? If the gov wants this TPMS to become mandatory for all vehicles why do they let manufacturers get away with such infuriating ways of maintaining them?! It seems very poorly implemented.

    So what the hell are my solutions here? I paid to have the tires "installed" onto the car, but it looks like thats not happening without a significant more expenditure in cash! I guess could try to get the shop just to mount/balance the tire and install them on the car myself but then I'd have to do that every time, thus I would never get to enjoy the free lifetime rotation benefit.

    Or I pay $300 for new sensors and then on top of that pay $100 a year to have them reregistered to the car? That's g'damned unacceptable. Someone mentioned something about clonable/programmable sensors? Is this a cheap, permanent solution? Can someone explain this method in more detail?

    Also why isn't there a TPMS sticky post explaining all this stuff. It seems pretty important and questions about it seem quite ubiquitous on these forums.

    Thanks
     
    #4 Farfle, Nov 26, 2013
  5. csp1971

    csp1971 Junior Member

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    I just had new winter tires mounted and balanced on new rims at Walmart last weekend. Carried them in and had them installed without tpms.
     
    #5 csp1971, Nov 26, 2013
  6. Farfle

    Farfle Member

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    Well that's good to know, but unfortunately I've already committed myself to the tire shop that sold me the tires, as it was a complete package deal, all tied up in rebates and crap. If I don't have them install my tires, I can't get the tires as cheap as I wanted.

    But anyways, I think I've been concerning myself too much about this whole thing. After reading up a bit, and talking to some other tire shops, it sounds like they all do TPMS sensor relearning for free, or for a nominal one-time lifetime fee (like $20). This talk of $70 per mount/dismount just isn't true anymore, as more and more tire shops have the tools to do it easily themselves. The tools to scan and relearn TPMS sensors into cars aren't that expensive to personally own (relatively), let alone for an entire shop.

    Also, I believe I can do the relearn process myself with an OBD cable and the free Techstream software running on a laptop.

    Regarding the TPMS sensor cloning method (using something like the Schrader EZ-Sensor or Alligator Sens.it), while it looks intriguing , it's ultimately just not as cost effective as ordering cheap non-clonable sensors and having the tire shop relearn them to the car for free every time the wheels are switched out. Or, if switching sets myself, using Techstream and a Laptop.
     
    #6 Farfle, Nov 27, 2013
  7. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    The 185/60x15's are a trifle less diameter (24" v 23.8") but nothing significant about speedometer and odometer readings; however, being smaller diameter means the 185/60x15's are harder to push through snow and further hampered by the extra width too, so they don't fit the ideal spec for snow conditions.. Slightly greater diameter and no greater width is typically the rules but I doubt they will matter in your case. The extra weight would hurt mpg but thankfully offset by the smaller diameter. Enjoy.
     
    #7 mahout, Dec 4, 2013
  8. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    TMPS is only politicians trying to appear representing the voters but in truth TPMS isn't needed as over 100 years experince shows.
    Cover up the light with black tape and check your tire pressurescweekly or more if things don't feel or look right.
    And since there are 4 sensor suppliers Toyoata could hardly have proved automatic calibration. And if they did add a thousand to your purchase price.
     
    #8 mahout, Dec 4, 2013
  9. citroenjohn

    citroenjohn Active Member

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    Regarding TPM's, my tire dealer says that if a car is equipped with tire monitoring system and it is made inoperable by using rims and snow tires w/o the tire pressure sensors and you have an accident; the insurance company can decline the claim because a safety system was disabled (sorry for the run on sentence). Any comments? Being of Scottish descent (thrifty not cheap), I'm reluctant to pay $240 for TPM's as I check my tire pressures weekly. Thanks
     
    #9 citroenjohn, Dec 5, 2013
  10. xpcman

    xpcman Senior Member

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    The only way they could win in court is if the accident was CAUSED by an unmonitored flat tire.
     
    #10 xpcman, Dec 5, 2013
  11. alshubcaps.com

    alshubcaps.com New Member

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    yes & 100 years ago what kind of mileage did they get on their cars?
    50 years ago, how did you know you picked up a nail when driving?
    10 years ago, how much did that tire cost when you drove on it flat?
    last year how many times did you actually check your tire pressure with a good tire gauge not that pencil style junk?

    If everyone really maintained their car correctly then you are right we would not need tpms just like if everyone
    went the speed limit & didn't blow a red light in ny we would not need red light camera's.
    I could go on with the sarcasm but i am sure you get the point, i am no fan of big government but in this case i agree. They
    stepped in because drivers are lazy and/or stupid!!
     
    #11 alshubcaps.com, Dec 17, 2013
  12. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    TPMS are not needed. Just do a quick walk around your car... as your owners manual suggests... That's easy. But then again, nobody does what the owners manual suggests. Do you check your oil every time you stop and get gas? Didn't think so. Even with idiot lights, you should still make it good practice to do a visual check.
     
    #12 ztanos, Dec 17, 2013
  13. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    #13 mahout, Dec 19, 2013
  14. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    TPMS is a safety device but not critical to accident prevention; it is completely unlikely that an insurance company would use the fact that the TPMS not being there was a reason to not cover an accident. After all, that makes the newer cars just like older cars.
    We've not come across a low cost supplier for TPMS sensors; cosidering how they're made its not likely.
    For a century autos and drivers have suceeded without TPMS so that doesn't appear to be that critical to safety.
     
    #14 mahout, Dec 19, 2013
  15. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    In the U.S., your tire dealer would be sowing FUD. A scare tactic.

    I do keep hearing of similar insurance tactics in the UK, but not here.
     
    #15 fuzzy1, Dec 20, 2013
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