TPMS light flashing

Anyone have any idea why my TPMS light is flashing? All 5 tires are at the same/correct pressure. I called a local dealership thinking maybe the batteries in the sensors are bad and need to be replaced, but they seemed to think there weren't batteries in them. Can anyone confirm that? Or give me an idea what the problem is? I tried the reset switch, but that didn't help. I haven't changed wheels or tires recently, or even had them worked on. The battery did die a couple times though and needed to be recharged (dead as in NONE of the lights worked).

 

I have absolutely no knowledge in this area but I wonder if one of the sensors broke loose in the tire.

 

I have a brochure from my local tire warehouse on TPMS on my desk. One of things written in the "Things you should know about your TPMS unit" is

"Each sensor has an internal battery designed for up to 10 years of service. In the future, the TPMS sensor may require replacement when the battery life expires."

It also said something about the sensors may experience internal corrosion buildup that will ruin the valve core.

"Frozen valve cores may require complete sensor replacement. Do not expose internal valve stems to any corrosion or moisture to protect your valve stem sensors."


Hmmm, corrosion? moisture? vermont? My TPMS is toast at some point! Maybe this helps.

 

I doubt it... We haven't really been driving it that much let alone off roading, or anything else that could damage it. I just assumed after 2 years the batteries needed to be replaced, but the service department told me no. They use radio waves. That would make more sense than batteries I suppose. Now I'm wondering if the battery dieing cause the system to reset and now need to be reprogrammed at the dealer (sensor serial numbers, etc).

 

If your TPMS light blinks for 5 seconds and then lights steady, one or more of the tire pressures are out of spec.
If the light blinks contineously, you have a malfunction in the system. Either the RF receiver is bad or one of the sensors is broken.
You need to go to a Toyota dealer because they are the only ones that have the $$$ equipment to troubleshoot the system. New sensors are about U$120 each.

The sensors have batteries. The system will illuminate the light whenever one of the sensors reports a tire pressure +/- 4 psi from the set value. You set the value with the reset button.

Fritz

 

I have this issue. Toyota has already replaced one sensore, and they are about to do the same for another. The thing is only 3 months old with 10,000 miles on it. WTF?

 

do you think this can be related to changing your stock tires or something???

 

No, because they told me that if it was the changing of the tires, then they wouldn't pay for it. They said that the sensor had just stopped responding.

 

Thanks. I figured there was a battery in each valve stem. Really makes me wonder if I should go to that dealer or not... They couldn't even tell me how much it cost to replace the valve stems. Only that it was $91/hr to look at it.

 

Crap! 120 f'n dollars for these damn things!! I liked having the system, but hell, disabling it's beginning to look like a better option.

 

Had the same thing happen to my truck. I bought the TRD Ivan Stewart rims and some new tires but I was able to have the tire shop move my sensors to the new rims. worked fine for months then I was on deployment while in the Navy and my friend slacked off on driving the truck around periodically and let the battery die. When i got back the sensor light kept flashing. All my tire pressures were about the same and since I've got the URD supercharger on my truck I couldnt just take it into a dealer to have them look at it. I know you can do some wiring snipping to disable it but i've just ignored the flashing for about a year now.

 

Yeah, I just can't justify $91/hr to find out the sensors need to be programmed back into the system plus whatever the f*&K that is gonna cost me.

 

After driving home when the temp dropped to the teens and snowing my light starting blinking and wouldn't go out. I checked the tires and all were really low due to a sudden temp drop. Two days later I had them all filled including the spare and the light went out. It's my conclusion that blinking can also mean multiple sensors are reporting a malfunction. So fill all tires including spare, wait a few minutes and see if the light goes out.

 

Same thing happened to me during this latest deep freeze here

 

They told me $600. for new sensors (as they don't know how many are defective) and then some additional charge that I forget for programing them to play nice with my truck. I have owned more than fifty vehicles in my life so far and only one other one has had a tire pressure monitoring system. So, all things considered; the better part of $1000. to have some tire-nanny thing which does what I have quite successfully done myself for decades seems pretty darned silly to me. Taking the warning light bulb out of the dash seems more like The Way Of A Reasonable Man. <g>

 

Isn't it frustrating to see that you could, if you wanted to, replace the entire damn system with one that has more functions for a FRACTION of that price?

ORO TECHNOLOGY W403 (Rearview Mirror Display) Complete Retrofit TPMS Kit for Passenger Car or Light Truck

http://www.amazon.com/ORO-Technolog...bs_auto_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=04TYHJHMRHN84JS8YVCV

 

2007 base w/2.7

Did my factory TPMS system have a display like that in the mirror?

I have a cap on my truck bed and the white lines on the road some how reflected around between the rear window on the cab and the rearview mirror in some way which made me crazy distracted so I took the inside mirror off long ago. I doubt I could even find it now

Did the factory TPMS system have a rearview mirror display? Like the one you posted a link to has? Or is that aftermarket TPMS both cheaper And better? <g>

PHM
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Yeah, that's my point. You could rip the whole factory setup out and replace it with a BETTER system (most show actual tire PSI, per tire and some show tire temperature too) for what it would cost to have the dealer replace ONE sensor!

So with that in mind, why the hell is it so damn expensive for the dealer to fix this shit?

 

Those darned TM shareholders keep demanding profits. <g>

"(TM) operating profits during the quarter were stronger than expected. This allowed share net to come in $0.85 above our projection, at $3.15.
2013 consolidated vehicle sales forecast of 9.1 million units - but this ought to be fully offset by lower sales in overseas markets. Nevertheless, management raised its earnings forecast for the year. As a result, we have raised our fiscal 2013 bottom-line forecast by $0.85 per share, to $12.60.
Shares of Toyota are ranked to out-perform the broader market averages in the coming 6 to 12 months. Solid demand trends in most regions, along with the aforementioned benefits to the bottom line, ought to allow for near record earnings for the year. Over the 3 to 5 year period, Toyota shares offer wide appreciation potential at the recent quotation . . . . "

And the service department plays a big part in achieving the goal apparently. <g>

PHM
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Where do I find this TPMS reset button you all speak of?