I put a set of blizzaks w/dedicated alloy wheels on my Prius about 6 weeks ago. The snow wheels do not have tire pressure sensors in them. The TPMS idiot light did not come on in my car after the switch. Same deal with my wife's Camry Hybrid. My manual says the TPMS light should be "disabled" under these circumstances. So, all was good. Then last week, we're driving to Chicago with the Prius. After about an hour on the highway, suddenly my TPMS light starts flashing, then settles into a steady on, and remained so ever since. What do you make of this course of events? The 8 OEM tires/wheels for our cars, with the sensors in them, do sit in our garage directly in front of our cars. However, we both park our cars outside at work all day. rpm (ps...my wife reports that, on her HyCam, the light was off the first week or so, but comes on if she's on the highway for a while. However, the next time she starts her car, it's off again.)
not an uncommon experience, as we're seeing. a couple of examples: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=26131&hl= http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&show...st&p=337642
There was a recent thread in which Galaxee said her DH did some tests with it, and apparently the range on them is 60ft. Additionally, the car doesn't immediately report them if it can't get a signal from one - imagine what it would be like for the light to be going on and off because you're in an area that naturally jams or muddies the signals (through other signals in the area). People have reported it taking 3 days or more before the car realized it didn't have the TPMS tires on anymore. So basically, it probably detected the values everytime you got home or left, and thought everything was fine... then you take a big road trip, and it finally realizes they're missing. same thing with the HyCam. I believe the dealership can disable the warning light for you, but i believe that, by default, just removing the tires with the TPMS will cause the light to go on. *edit* darn it galaxee, you beat me too it
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Nov 28 2006, 12:32 PM) [snapback]354800[/snapback]</div> makes sense. they must be battery-powered, then. the tire shop guy thought they were powered by centrifugal force. rpm
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(onerpm @ Nov 28 2006, 01:10 PM) [snapback]354849[/snapback]</div> Is it possible that they are RFID?
:mellow: Battery powered? Does that mean when the original batteries are depleted, you will get a constant dash warning light? And... Would you be required to replace the sensor elements in the wheel with new ones at that time? Seems I recently read somewhere that Tire Pressure Sensors are to be required on all new cars in 2009 models.
charles, you won't need to be worrying about that for about 10 years. but yes, then the sensors would need to be replaced.
Well, now that I'm back at home, parking in front of my OEM wheels in the garage each night, my TPMS light is not coming on any more. So, if I took just one of the 4 OEM's over to a friend's garage for awhile, the light should come back on, then?
so long as the garage is far enough away, i believe so (i think it was determined the distance has to be greater than 60 feet). And as for the batteries running out... there's a very low power draw on them, i would expect the batteries to outlast the lifetime of the tires without a problem.
Well! I put my snow tires on last weekend and just last night the sensor light came on.A week delay!funny how that works.At least its not blinking!That would be verry annoying.Merry Xmass and happy holidays to all!
Tpms light is out again!after a few days on!It cant seem to make out its mind on what it wants to do . Oem tires are stored in my basement around 50 feet from the car.Not sure if this is close enough to make a difference.Hard to figure this one out!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(stanlwyjohn @ Jan 3 2007, 05:00 PM) [snapback]370311[/snapback]</div> ha! I've got the opposite situation. no tpms lights at all for the first 3 weeks or so after I put the snows on, until I took a long highway trip. now, the lights turn on regularly every morning, even though the OEM wheels with the sensors are sitting in my garage, so close that I could hit them with Prius when pulling in. rpm
