Dealership scam? Or previous owner?

Given all of the less than thoughtful things I've said about dealers, I really don't see them being the culprit here. What the OP has pointed out would be work. That quickly eliminates a dealer.
Dealer take in cars on trade; then wash/shine them up real pardy. After that, they take the 100 point checklist and a pen and go check-check-check....100 times really fast.

Someone else forked around with the stuff the OP is talking about.

 

PO took it to their "mechanic" for the lights. "Mechanic" couldnt figure it out so he taped it up before giving it back and saying "its all fixed, thats $500".
Mechanic didnt know how to reset maint light and didnt know there was a sensor in the spare which was low on pressure.

 

I had to pull the cluster on mine because of black tape over the tpms light.
It was 3 yrs old and 40k miles from the dealer.
Didn’t need to figure it out until inspection rules required them to be tested last yr.
The cluster comes out pretty quick.

 

Maintenance lights can easily be reset. I can see why they did it to the tpms lights. Mine always blinks but im used to it.

 

I work at a dealership and this used to be quite common actually on trades from fleet turn ins

 

Me too...

How hard is it to get the cluster out and apart? Is it better to address the tpms using the blue wire mod in back of the hvac instead?

 

My state wouldn’t pass it if original equipment isn’t working..

Looks like a lot of work to save about $120 in aftermarket sensors.

 

My TPMS light will come on sometimes when the temperature gets down below 20* or so. Usually it will go out after driving a couple miles and the tires have warmed up and the air has expanded enough to get the pressure right.

 

Was the TPMS light flashing or steady? Airbag light went away? Don't see it on in your pictures.

Maybe the PO thought the Maintenance light was the CEL and wanted to hide it.

Matt

 

No but thats genius.

My Maint Req light has been on for 60k miles. I fucking hate that thing. I’ll want to do the same with the TMPS sensors. Dumbest lights ever invented.

Now I wouldn’t sell it without telling someone I did it.

 

That’s me too. My tpms light came on about a year ago, and I didn’t see the point of repairing the system. Useless imo if you actually check your tire pressures regularly. It’s very easy to take our clusters apart. I used the excuse to remove the maintenance required light as well as the seat belt light when I was in there. If I ever sell the truck, I will simply write up a full disclosure letter of mods that have been done and make the buyer sign it. More honest that way, and it keeps you out of trouble if they ever have an issue in the future.

 

Literally takes 15 seconds to turn it off...

 

Wow What else could be hiding?

 

No it takes like 15 minutes because you can never remember the god damn procedure to do it so you have to look it up and I will not risk losing my trip meter readings for a light.

Youve got to turn the truck on turn it off get out run around the house jump on your left leg four times get back in the truck blink twelve times then hold the rest button.

 

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Whats your value in the tripometer numbers? I reset my light every oil change and have never lost them. But it does take 15 minutes like you said to look up and remember how to reset the thing.

 

For my oil change mileage (10-15k miles not 5) and I have larger tires so I like to try to get exact mileage and multiply by 1.033 just to keep things perfect.
Also I strictly keep track of my fuel economy.

 

Those TPMS systems on Toyota’s from that time frame are awful. I had an 05 Tundra whose TPMS would alarm for no reason and would randomly reset.

 

The more you reset it, the more it’ll get ingrained in your memory.

60K = 12 times. Should be able to do it in your sleep if you were doing it along the way. But then again, maybe you’re going on 60K + oil changes

 

Is that reset method only for 2nd gens? The guy at the dealership reset mine infront of me and he moved around in the truck menu. He did it pretty quickly...IDK if he thought the internet doesnt exist and I would have to comeback to the dealership for oil changes, or he was just in a hurry...