snowtires and steelwheels

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theorist @ Oct 3 2006, 08:09 PM) [snapback]327642[/snapback]</div>

I swapped my Blizzaks (on alloy wheels) onto my 2006 for the winter, a few days ago (they were on my 2005 last year), and my TPMS light has not come on. What's everyone else's experience?

rpm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Oct 16 2006, 10:49 AM) [snapback]333401[/snapback]</div>

This is completely expected. Search for TPMS on priuschat for details.

In brief, if you swap wheels, your TPMS will not work with the new wheels and the warning light will remain lit. You have four main options.

1 - Do without the TPMS while using the winter wheels. Learn to ignore the warning light. Covering the light with tape helps.
2 - Only use one set of wheels; have the tires swapped off and on this one set. Remind the tire installers that there are TPMS sensors on the back side of the valve stems and to be careful that the dismounting machine does not tear them off.
3 - Use two sets of wheels, one set of TPMS transmiters. The tire shop may be able to break the seal between the tires and the rims to move the TPMS transmiters from one set of wheels to the other. They may be able to do this without moving or needing to rebalance the tires.
4 - Use two sets of wheels, buy a second set of TPMS transmiters. The second set of sensors-transmiters will cost several hundred dollars. On top of this, the car's ECU will only store the ID#'s for 4 transmiters. The dealer will charge at least an hour of labor to plug in the scan tool and enter the ID #'s for the new transmitters every time you change wheels and transmitters, maybe more if they break the bead seals to read the ID#s. This can easily cost over a $100 a year to do this twice a year. My dealer, Nashua Toyota, charged my tire shop over $200 to register just one new ID# once, because the tech hadn't done this before and the dealer decided to charge for the on the job training.

If anyone's found a way to register TPMS sensor ID#s without the dealer, let us know how and you'll find many Priuschatters indebted to you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theorist @ Oct 16 2006, 12:17 PM) [snapback]333479[/snapback]</div>

thanks, Theorist, but what I said was that my warning light has NOT come on. So I wonder if it might only be triggered when it gets a low reading, as opposed to no reading at all?

rpm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Oct 16 2006, 02:33 PM) [snapback]333547[/snapback]</div>

:huh: :blink: Oops. Sorry about that, rpm. Apparently my reading can be as bad as my writing at times.

That is interesting if the TPMS transmiters are in your original wheels and not on, in, or very near your car. You've got me interested.

 

when I was driving home from the tire store last week, I looked for the warning light and, when it wasn't on, thought "of course, that's because the OEM tires/wheels are in the back." but I had asked the tire guy what powers those sensors (batteries?) and he said it was by centrifugal force. I am parked right in front of those tires when at home in the garage. however, after sitting all day at work, I still get no warning light. that's why I was wondering if anyone had confirmed that the warning light comes on when you put on wheels without sensors in 'em.

rob

 

What's the majority opinion here on PriusChat, go with option one?

Option four certainly makes sense, but there are MANY better things
to do with several hundred dollars of upfront and recurrying costs
than enrich the dealership and Toyota.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theorist @ Oct 16 2006, 01:17 PM) [snapback]333479[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mdiguy @ Oct 16 2006, 09:25 PM) [snapback]333783[/snapback]</div>

I'm planning to go with #1 (no TPMS, cover light) when I pick up a set of winters on steelies in the coming weeks. Not so keen about sticking electrical tape though - has anyone tried getting some of that plastic film stuff they use for the oil change reminders on the windshield- except in solid black (perhaps with the help of Mr. Sharpie)? Not sure if that would be opaque enough to sufficiently block (or at least dim) the idiot light. Something I will try though, to avoid using sticky tape on the dash...

I am intrigued about onerpm's story about removing the sensors and not getting the light... please keep us posted!

Kevin

 

Instead of steel wheels, consider take-off wheels from someone who upgraded. I found OEM wheels on ebay in basically new condition for about $50-$60 each, shipped.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Oct 16 2006, 08:50 PM) [snapback]333797[/snapback]</div>

no change yet (still no warning light, that is). on the off chance that there is something wrong with my TPM system, I guess I'll see this coming Friday, when I swap new wheels/blizzaks, without sensors, onto my wife's Camry Hybrid. We'll see if her light comes on.

Is there anyone else out there who has put aftermarket wheels on without sensors? If so, is your warning light on?

rpm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(stanlwyjohn @ Oct 17 2006, 03:07 PM) [snapback]334100[/snapback]</div>

Hello! I checked the manuals for the Prius and HyCam at lunch today. Both state that the TPMS will be "disabled" if you put other wheels on there (there are some other examples that will/might cause disabling, such as tinted windows, etc.. It's not entirely clear, but I would think "disabled" means that the light will not come on.

On the other hand, the manuals do seem clear that if you get a flat, and the light comes on, and you put on the spare (which does not have a sensor), the light will stay on until "a few minutes" after you replace the spare with the original wheel.

rpm

 

Anyone had experience buying rims and tires for an '07 Touring?

Thinking about Tirerack Michelins with 16s with the same specs of stock tires, but can you install 15"s (there is a year-old set for sale in the paper) from a non-touring, ie., will the suspension on the Touring accept 15"s?

Thanks!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oldsnowmass @ Oct 21 2006, 09:55 PM) [snapback]336258[/snapback]</div>

Many people advocate somewhat narrower tires on smaller rims for better snow traction. If the brakes on the touring edition are the same I would hope 15" wheels would fit. I'd also like to know if anyone can confirm this from experience.

I would discourage you from buying used snow tires. Winter tires lose much of their snow traction as the tread gets shallow. I see many trying to sell snow tires with half the tread left. Many people stop using snow tires when the tread depth falls from 12/32" to 6/32" even though all-season tires usually start at 10/32" and are street legal to 2/32". Some winter tires, like Blizzaks, only use the soft winter rubber compound on the outer portion of the tread, meaning you lose ice traction as well. I'd only use half worn winter tires as lousy all-season tires (to minimize landfill and pollution). Perhaps it's smarter to sell them to someone less informed.

 

I can confirm that, if you swap out your OEM wheels for snow tires premounted on wheels without TPMS sensors, the warning light will not come on. True for both my 06 Prius and my wife's 07 HyCam.

rpm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Oct 23 2006, 02:27 PM) [snapback]336877[/snapback]</div>

Thank you. This is great news.

I guess we jumped the gun, worrying about what reportedly 'would' happen. In hindsight, the only reported case I remember of observing the light when switching all 4 wheels was from DocVijay when he put TC wheels on his Prius. http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&show...st&p=198317

Now if we can just figure out how to make sure the TPMS system in our 2006 Prius behaves like your Prius instead of DocVijay's.

 

Puzzling. I just skimmed through that thread to see what DocVijay might have done differently, but nothing jumped out at me.