2nd set of Tires and Rims - TPMS Question

... as various U.S. and European brands have already done.

 

Yup. And Mazda, judging from the Owner's Manual for our son's CX-5. I'm nut sure, but I think the dealership might have to do the intitial "handshake" procedure, but from then on, owners only need to swap wheels, turn the car on, turn it off, wait 15 minutes, then do a few minutes of steady driving, and the car fiinds the new sensors, no problems.

 

I avoid tire shops at all costs (unless I need tires).

And even if it were free, fast, and convenient to have a shop do it, I'd rather do it myself anyway.

 

I guess 30-40 years ago I “enjoyed” changing the plugs, points, condenser. Set the timing and adjust the valves. Heck, I probably still have a dwell meter and timing light somewhere in the garage. At 75 years old I guess I’m beyond all that, unless I get a real classic!

 

I just wanted to give you a heads up information on TS508 TPMS tool. I just purchased 2020 PRIME LE and tested TS508 on it. The software that came with the tool (Sys Sofware Version: V1.20, Sensor Version; V5.51, Vehicle Version: V1.52)only covered the first year of PRIME in production but it worked on my previous 2017 PRIME before. This software did not have 2020 PRIME listed and did not work on my new 2020 PRIME. I did a software update to the newest version (Sys Software Version: V1.25, Sensor Version: V6.10 and Vehicle Version: V1.64). Autel supports free lifetime software update on this tool. But even with the most up to date software, the tool did not cover 2020 PRIME. The supported vehecle list stopped at 2018 PRIME. Currently, I do not have winter set tires with TPMS sensors inside, so I don't really need to use this tool on my PRIME. But as of date, the tool does not work on the 2019 or 2020 PRIME. I have written to the Autel support to see if they could help me with the problem, but no reply yet.

As far as I know, the 2020 PRIME has the same TPMS sensors as earlier models. It may be a very simple fix for them to add the 2019 and 2020 PRIME. I also tried using several different Toyota models and using the tool with 2020 PRIUS as a vehicle did recognize the OEM sensors on my 2020 PRIME. However, I don't think using 2020 Prius will work on OBD2 relearning procedure.

 

How are tire shops supposed to deal with this? This whole system is so stupid.

 

When I tried to have a tire shop flash new TPMS codes of my Tirerack snow tires to my new 2014 Forester, they initially said sure, for their usual nominal fee. But when the actual time came, they declined because their software update covered only up to 2013, never mind that the 2014 had been out almost a year. I had to go pay the much higher price at the Subaru dealership.

By the next seasonal swap time, I had the ATEQ tools, and haven't paid anyone anything since.

 

UPDATE:
I got a response from Autel this morning. Their tech support is not 24/7, but if you call them during a business hour they do answer calls and help you right then. No holding or transferring. My email inquiry sent after hour was answered following business day promptly. According to the support, they are currently working to add 2019-2020 Prius PRIME on their list of supported cars for a future release of update, but in a mean time as a work around, I was directed to use 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback as a selection of the car to work on 2020 PRIUS PRIME. This should work all functionality of the TS508 tool for TPMS triggering, status diagnosis, OBDII relearning. I am at work now so I can't test it, but when I get back home I will give a try for this work around and report if it works.

All that being said, yeah, this whole TPMS system is a huge mess. It makes more difficult to own a newer cars.

 

OK, it is now confirmed that with a current version of the software (Sys Software Version: V1.25, Sensor Version: V6.10 and Vehicle Version: V1.64) TS508 can still program ECU of 2020 PRIUS PRIME by using 2019 Corolla Hatchback as vehicle selection. Caveat is that Corolla Hatch selection will makes you to check the 5th TPMS sensor in the spare tire (although I believe Corolla does not come with the 5the TPMS sensor in the spare). You have to perform a trigger on the non-existing spare tire (do it away from any of 4 tires on the car), and cancel the reading to pass the sensor check to go to the next OBDII relearning step. The whole process, after installing the tires on your car, takes less than a minute.

 

Yeah, an insane amount of cargo cult, a solution that's far eclipsed the problem.

Toyota should take a cue from Mazda: they manage to register two sets of sensors, and owners can do swaps without extra equipment: just swap, turn the car on/off, wait 15 minutes, drive a bit.

And their sensors retail up here for $30 CDN apiece.

Toyota should take a break from their goofy styling excercises and excess dreck, tend to the basics that are ticking current (and potential future) customers off.

 

While Mazda's implementation of Automatic TPMS relearn procedure is much more convenient than Toyota's OBDII method, the vast majority of Japanese and Korean cars, most of Honda and all of Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Kia, and Hyundai still use OBDII method. We have Toyota, Nissan, and Honda in our household, and all three require OBDII relearn tool to reprogram ECU with a new set of TPMS sensors.

I had an older 2005 Toyota Sienna that had indirect TPMS. This method is now used by newer Honda Civic, Accord, CRV, and Clarity. They moved away from using TPMS sensors inside of tires, instead, they use reading off from ABS sensors to detect deflated tire on one side of the axile. The advantage of indirect TPMS is that you don't have to buy and install the TPMS sensor for each tire. Good old rubber stems are all you need to have functional TPMS. The disadvantage is that indirect TPMS will not show actual psi, the car has to be moving in order for the TPMS to detect the lower presser, and in a rare occasion when both right and left side of axile lose the same pressure, the indirect TPMS will not detect the deflated tires. But for a dumb direct TPMS system like found in PRIUS, indirect TPMS would be easier and cheaper.

Here is the list of all the cars in US with three different TPMS relearn methods, Automatic, Stationary, and OBDII or copy. Look how many are still using OBDII method.

 

I have to calm down, ominous vein pulsing on forehead, lol.