2007 Prius Tire Pressure Sensors

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dhoward @ Apr 23 2007, 12:53 PM) [snapback]428462[/snapback]</div>

YES! Just tell who ever you buy new tires from to take the Valve stems/tire sensors out of the old tires and put them in the new ones....Should be no problem and no added cost !!!!

 

Um, the TPMS is mounted on the metal rim, not the rubber tire. You don't need to replace the stems when you replace your tires. Just be sure the people replacing your tires know there is a TPMS and they should be careful of the stems and unit inside the rim. It's a PITA to have one replaced, even if the tire place pays for it. Each pressure sensor must be registered with your car by the dealer.

Welcome to PriusChat, dhoward!

 

Hi dhoward...

YES... that's exactly what Bill said. The TPMS sensor is attached to the rim, not the tire. The caveats previously posted are dead on right. You need to caution the installers of new tires to be aware of the sensors at the base of the valve stems to avoid damage to them. Replacement is both expensive and requires reprogramming to the Prius computer to operate properly.

If you change rims, as some do, and have the TPMS system, you must be sure the new rims are compatable with the TPMS sensors. I believe it involves the exact configuration of the inner part of the rims at the valve stem hole.

ENJOY your remarkable Prius.

 

non-TPMS valve stems are typically replaced when you change out the tires. just good practice. but with the TPMS, they just leave em in. tell the guys about it in advance so they can be careful when removing the tires.

 

Good to know. Thanks!

Now my problem....Tire pressure on my 2007 leaks down from 40 to 20 every few weeks. It's different on each tire but all tires are leaking.

Anyone else run into this?

 

I was experiencing this with one of the tires on my 2006. It was losing about 3-5 PSI per day, so I was having to refill it every couple of days. I took it to Firestone Complete Auto Care, and they did a patch job on the tire, but it still leaked, and I continued refilling the tire every couple of days.

This past weekend, I took the air compressor hose off the valve after refilling the tire, and air began blasting out of the tire through the valve. My repeated fillings broke the valve, apparently.

I took it in to Gatorland Toyota this morning, told them what had been going on, and they replaced the valve as well as the valve core for free. The invoice says the valve core was defective, so I'm guessing that's why I was losing pressure.

darrylp, maybe you got a bad batch of valve cores.

 

So, wait. Everytime I have ever bought new tires (all without the monitoring system), I have been told I SHOULD (for what reason I don't know, safety?), get new valve stems.

Was I being cheated before, or are we just taking a chance for cheapness now.

Hey, reading that back, I kind of like that. Chances for cheapness!

 

-Rubber- valve stems do wear out. The rubber rots. The TPMS valve stems are metal. By the time the "O" ring that seals them to the rim wears out you will need to replace the TPMS unit because the battery will be dead. The battery is sealed inside the part of the TPMS unit inside the rim. So far nobody with a 2004 (which presumably will be the first group to have to worry about this) has posted about a dead TPMS unit due to battery failure, so that's a good sign they may last 10 years or so.

Note that -all- currently commonly used valve stems mount in the rim. Inside the valve stem there is a valve core that can be replaced if you want. Just make sure the replacement is the same length as the original (there are several lengths, which may or may not be compatible).

If you do start having trouble loosing tire pressure, check inside the valve cap. A common trick kids used to do was lodge a small pebble inside the valve cap. It pressed the core down releasing the seal, and air slowly escapes past the valve cap. Don't ask how I know about this.

 

TPMS sensors do not all have batteries that wear out. They may also have small rechargeable batteries or capacitors that are charged by a piezoelectric device that generates electric energy. It does this by being in motion as a result of it rotating with the wheel and tire. The motion is what causes the generation of electricity. Some vehicles, such as current Fords and older Corvettes have a sensor/transmitter attached to a hoop ring in the dropped center of the wheel. The Prius and current Corvettes have the valve stem mounted sensor/transmitter. In either case, they do not need to be replaced unless they are damaged by tire removal idiots that were used by the tire dealer instead of tire removal experts, or in the case of Prius and others' sensors, when the non-rechargeable battery is exhausted. Occasionally, the o-ring or valve seal will need to be replaced on the valve stem sensor/transmitter types.

 

The Prius TPMS system runs on Li-ion batteries that lasts about 10 years, unless something has changed since the tech manual was published.

Tom

 

Anyone know of a good way to utilize two sets of rims on the Prius?

I changed out the stock tires for dedicated winter tires this past winter and it is starting to get to the point where I would like to switch them out for "summer" or all season tires but would rather not keep roughing up the rims every time I need to swap tires. I had thought that getting separate rims was the ticket but after talking with the local toyota service manager, it would be an $85 charge every time I swap the rim set from one to another to reprogram the car to recognize the "new" sensors on the now current rims.

Anyone know of a better way? Other than covering the Tire pressure warning light on the dash with electrical tape or a photo, of course.
Apparently, the car needs to know which sensors are there. I'm assuming this is in case you park next to another vehicle that also has TPMS and this is so that the car doesn't listen the wrong sensors.

 

Here's a web site that tells everything you ever wanted to know about Toyota Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS): Toyota TPMS - Toyota TPMS & TPWS Tools & Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

Please note that the 2007 Prius (subject of this discussion) uses the Pacific Industrial Corp. sensor (not TRW Automotive).

I have no involvement whatsoever with Bartec USA, the company whose instruments are advertised on the site linked above, and thus I have no financial incentive to post the above link. In other words, this post is not spam, but posted solely in the spirit of one Prius driver trying to help others.

I hope this helps!

- Rich

 

yeah i posted about bartec before,

its basically Toyota's fault. practically all other cars that are not toyotas can self register their own sensors. some require a magnet.

their are third party tools available to shops to set prius sensors or set prius keys, anyone who posts you have to go to the dealer is posting obsolete information.

in california, its the law that toyota dealerships MUST share their security codes with licensed locksmiths.

 

I wonder is the TPS tire will leak 'faster' than normal tires. On my old car, I rarely need to fill the tires. Maybe only once every 6 months because it lost a few psi.

But on my prius, in about 2-3 months (from my last 'pump up' at the gas station) the front tires already lost 8-10psi. And the funny thing is I just had my first oil change (about 1 week ago) at the Toyota dealer where I got the car from. And the invoice claims they did check tire pressure as part of the regular oil change maintenance which I don' think they ever did.

BTW, service at Toyota dealership sucks compare to Saturn (GM) dealership I used to visit. For the same oil change service, not even tire rotation, it was like C$12-15 cheaper than Toyota, plus I always get free car wash. Toyota dealership, the only thing that's good is fast, real fast. From the time I drop off the key and the keys return to me is less than 30 minutes. (Which I also wonder if they did check the breaks etc as part of the 'regular' maintenance)

So far I am not impress with the people at Toyota at all. I miss my Saturn (and the service).

 

Try a different dealer. My dealer, Toyota of Richardson (Texas) is great. I get email coupons monthly, their prices are competitive, and I always get a free car wash.

 

I recently had a bolt through the center tread of my front tire patched at a tire dealer. They patched it from the inside, so they had to remove the tire. They installed a tire valve repair kit (new o rings) before remounting and balancing the tire. If you are replacing tires, my advice would be to keep your tire pressure sensors, but have them rebuilt with new o rings.

 

The local Toyota service manager is not clear about the pressure sensing limits. First he said the warning light comes on when tire pressure drops below the pressure indicated on the door post. Then he said it came on below 32 psi. He is spinning this or full of BS -- he doesn't know.
The 2009 Owner's Manual (beginning on pg 375 to 387) reads that after making a change in tire pressures, or rotating tires, that the system must be re-initialized as described on pg 377. No where does it indicate at what pressure below the initialized set point does the warning light come on.
What is the point/pressure when the warning light comes on?

Carleff
01-05-09

 

I have snow tires on non-TPMS rims, and the only drawback is that after a long drive (more than 1 hour) with the non-TPMS tires the tire pressure warning light comes on, and then stays on for a few days before turning off again. I don't know if it cancels itself or if my car eventually reads the sensors on the TPMS wheels in the shed near where the car is parked.

I'd not worry about TPMS in the snow tires, and just keep watch on inflation the old-fashioned way. There is a TPMS readout device I've seen on ebay, it comes with valve caps that transmit to it so you could use that on a non-TPMS wheel to monitor your tire pressures. I've been thinking about getting one of them, but haven't made up my mind yet.

Walt Morris