TPMS Light Flashing

I had new Hankooks installed on my truck yesterday at Discount Tire (great price and service FYI), and paid extra for the TPMS rebuild kit. About half an hour after leaving, the TPMS light started flashing. Now when I turn the truck on, the light flashes for about a minute then stays lit. I have read the manual and past threads, and they indicate this means there is a malfunction with the TPMS system, not low tire pressure (which is indicated by a steady light). I have tried resetting the system as described in the manual but the problem persists.

Is there any possible explanation for this other than a broken sensor? I know I am going to have to bring it back to Discount Tire, so the only reason I'm asking is it's an hour away and across a border.

 

Did you fill your spare?

 

It's not the spare 09s didn't have them in the spare.

Did you check the psi? Mine will flash then I air them back up and it stops. Cold air will affect psi

 

On most vehicles with Tpms sensors, if the light stays lit, then there may be a low tire or the cold temps dropping pressures. When they flash, it may be a sensor or module failure. We see this in my shop after tires have been installed by some shop that ended up breaking one or more tpms sensors. Toyota shop can scan your sensors and determine what is up. We just had a car with a bad receiver in the fender... Had the tpms failure lamp on and it wasn't taking signals from the rt front wheel.

 

Flashing is an indicator of a sensor malfunction...Being as you just had it worked on and now this happens....I would say taking it to them is the right way to go...except for the distance/time involved...

 

So is the dealership the only place that can scan the sensors or do tire shops have this ability?

 

Yes, I believe so. I don't think aftermarket shops will have the correct computer equipment. And it's usually brand specific. At our Hyundai shop, we couldn't take care of a jeep we were selling.

 

Flashing means a malfunction. They either broke a sensor, or you have a dead battery(ies). If it was flashing the minute you left, they probably broke a sensor. Holding down the reset button under your dash won't do anything to turn off a MIL(malfunction indicator lamp). You need a TPMS scan tool hooked up to your OBDII to relearn sensors. Average battery life is 5 years or 100k miles in sensors, less if you are in a colder climate. My guess is they broke a sensor. It'd be a big coincidence for a battery to die right after they worked on it.

 

Just an update: I finally had a chance to bring the truck back to Discount Tire today. Sure enough, a sensor was faulty, which they replaced for free. Props to Discount.

 

Same problem with my 06 Prerunner...light started blinking driving one day although tire pressure was fine. Thought the battery might have died in a sensor or something so I went and got them tested. Sensors and tires checked out fine. Weird, but I’ll take it.