In January, my TPMS light on my 2007 Prius started flashing and went to solid. This went away after a couple of weeks. This again happened a couple of months ago, and this time it didn't go away. Eventually I got annoyed enough with the light to try to fix it, and this set me upon my saga. Here is a step by step of my saga: 1. Went to Discount Tire to see which sensors were bad, they were all dead. Price quoted to replace was $250, basically cost was $60 each, labor included. 2. Asked a few places for their cost. Firestone was $60 plus $25 installation per tire, dealer was $95 for the part and I didn't even bother to ask for the labor cost, NTB was similar to Firestone. 3. Found out from here that TPMS available on Amazon, Denso brand, $32 each with no tax. Ordered 4. 4. Went to my local tire shop and had the 4 installed for $40. At the end, the tech said they didn't have a machine, so I should go back to Discount Tire and ask them to program. 5. Discount tire says only 3 of 4 sensors work. Either one was defective, or the tech broke one while installing. I tend to think the latter happened. 6. Ordered another Denso sensor. 7. Had the bad Denso replaced at the same tire shop. Noted that one of the front tires was put on the back, so had to wait longer for them to be put back in the right place. 8. Went back to Discount Tire, all sensors were reading, but light still flashing and solid, tech was clueless. ID error of some sort. 9. Asked dealer cost to reprogram new IDs, cost $180. What a joke. 10. Did some researching on Google, and bought the Schrader 21250 Toyota TPMS reset tool, as a last ditch effort. 11. Plugged the tool into the OBD, held the button for 30 seconds, and the screen turned white and many lights started blinking wildly. 12. Went back to Discount Tire, and asked to reprogram again. Light finally OFF! In the end, what happened is the tire shop that I went to pushed the TPMS reset button in the car before I went to Discount Tire before I had the TPMS reprogrammed. This created an endless TPMS loop which could only be fixed with the reset tool. Honestly, if I could go back and do it again, I would have just gone to Sam's (or Costco) and had them replace the TPMS. Their cost was $34 for each sensor and $15 for each installation. They don't use factory but it still would have been worth the lack of headache. I didn't know about it until I was in the process though. I wouldn't advise buying Denso unless you know of a tire shop that will do the process beginning to end with the correct machine and procedure. Denso sensors: TPMS reset tool:
Holy crap I didn't even think of Costco for TPMS sensors. Thanks man, I'm going to get this light turned off this week.
Costco definitely sounds like the best deal. Coincidentally, I had to deal with my TPMS stuff today. I was due for a tire rotation and my TPMS light started flashing a couple of weeks ago. I had them them replaced 2 1/2 years ago when I put on new tires so I had America's Tire (Discount Tire) check the sensors this morning as part of the free rotation. Turns out 3 of the four had failed prematurely. Without even asking for a break the guy at the counter informed me they have switched to a new supplier because of the high failure rate of the ones they used to install. They put in four new ones for $47.50 each and waived any labor charge. The new ones also carry a 5 year warranty. Next time I'm down that way I'll have to ask what this brand is they're installing now.
Costco left me with a flat tie after installing a new set of tires and did the rebuild kit for the TPMS. They installed it wrong.
@slickvik I would do nothing, until the tires were coming off, say for replacement. Is there some sort of annual inspection in your area, you had to do this? And BTW, where are you, what general area?
I agree. The only reason I did mine now was because they offered to waive the labor charges. Otherwise I would have just waited until the tires get replaced late next spring. I check the tire pressure every weekend or two along with "eyeballing" the tires daily (I know, it's not good for spotting low tires but you will be able to spot severely low or flat tires). But, I have the money now and this offer makes the tire replacement that much cheaper come the new year.
I feel your pain. I have gone through 7 TPMS on my old Civic Hybrid after it was 7 years old. 5 of which were fixed, costing me a total of over $800. Two remained unfixed in the car resulting in constant TPMS light on.
I "fixed" mine with black electrical tape on the dash. A quick way to check your tires is to kick them with boots on. You can feel a flat or low tire. This is how we survived before the invention of tpms anyway.
With snow tires (without tpms) on every winter, then the stock tires (with tpms) back on every spring, I don't bother to do anything. There's plenty of little icons glowing on the dash regardless, I wouldn't gum it up with tape residue.
If our driving was all pretty local we'd probably just cover up the light too. Taking multiple trips cross country ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 miles each year it's a little extra security to have the system working, though. It will alert us if we happen to pick up a nail or screw at higher speeds on the open highway. Better to catch it while the tire is going down and can still be repaired instead of finding it damaged beyond repair from running it flat when we stop somewhere. As it is we carry an air compressor with us and can keep inflating as needed to get to the next Discount Tire/America's Tire for the free tire fix.
Look into plug repair kits too. Some punctures will deflate too fast. Number one in the arsenal is always the temp spare.
