TPMS Riddle?

Last year I put on new wheels and tires and tire shop installed 4 new aftermarket tpms sensors, and kept 1 original oem tpms sensor in the spare. This combo worked great, no Light on!

Then I recently ordered installed a new spare wheel/tire/aftermarket tpms sensors from Amazon: IM1001-R TPMS Sensor 315MHz | OE...

$25 IM1001 TPMS Sensor 315MHz – Rubber Stem Tire Pressure Sensors - Pre-Programmed Tire Sensor for Cars - Ready to Install Tpms Sensors Compatible for Chrysler, Dodge, Chevrolet, & More - Pack of 1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KG3R9S9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Now the Light will not turn off! Is this sensor compatible? Says it’s pre programmed to work. All 5 tires have identical pressure, exact wheel and tire combinations. I followed the reset procedure, and still light wouldn’t go off. Do they need to be re-programmed? Any ideas TW?! Thanks..

 

What 'reset procedure' did you do? You have to either let the ECU know the new sensor ID, or clone the new sensor to the old ID (if you get a clone-able sensor) with a tool. I didn't think there was a way to program a new sensor without a scanner or TPMS tool on a 2nd gen, unless that's something that changed between '06 and my '11.

I borrowed a Bartec from a friend/tire shop, it made it a 5 minute job, and I'd never used that tool before. Just select the vehicle, tone the sensors in order, and plug it into the ODB2 port, and it writes the IDs. There are other ways, like editing the correct sensor ID with a capable scan tool, but a professional TPMS tool is easier.

 

I believe you have to have the special tool to train the sensor to the vehicle. I think most tire shops chains have the tool but dont hold me to it, dealer probably won't do it since they dont want to be blamed for a bad aftermarket sensor

 

You bought a sensor that needs to be trained to the vehicle by means of a tpms scam tool.

 

You’re like going to have to sync the sensor to the truck ECM.
IIRC, the ECM can hold up to 5 different sensors.
I’ve not seen a self learning sensor. Only ones I’ve seen had to be set via software and scan tool.
If your ECM currently has all 5 TPMS spots full, maybe it can’t accept the new sensor.

Since I’ve never dealt with a “self learning” TPMS, I honestly don’t know?

 

There are sensors that can be cloned to your existing IDs, you still need a tool (I think some can use a cheapo USB dock thingy) but it's cheaper in most cases than buying even a basic TPMS tool.

I've also heard/read that some systems will after some amount of time pick up on the fact that they're not seeing one or more programmed ID, and are consistently seeing the same unprogrammed ID(s), and will put 2 and 2 together... but I've never had the patience to try with anything I've worked on.

Most domestics also have a method of entering a programming mode through a series of actions (turning the key, opening the door, pedal presses, jumping on your right foot while turning counterclockwise) and then you can activate the sensors either with a TPMS tool or by adjusting each tire 3+ psi. But I don't recall seeing any Japanese makes that have such a feature, off the top of my head.

 

Ok Thanks for all the input! Bottom line I am probably going to have to go to a tire shop or find someone with a tpms programming machine. I was silly to think that the tire shop cloned the 4 new sensors to match the oem spare. And even more silly to think this “pre programmed” sensor from Amazon would match!

 

Take it to a local tire shop and play dumb. Tell them Walmart installed a new sensor and couldn't program it to your truck. They'll roll their eyes and do it for you in 5 minutes for free. Throw the tech $5 "for lunch" and be on your way.

(Ask me how I know)

 

Yeah, honestly that would probably work on me. Traded a free throttle body cleaning for the customer getting a pizza delivered while i worked on his truck through my lunch break.

 

I would have been scared you would of got anchovies all over my engine bay.

 

Dear sir I do not eat anchovies.

 

Intentional?

Either way, funny and true at the same time

 

Intentional. As much as I paid for mine, I’m suppose to get .5 to reset a system but they always want me to do it for free. So I have a useless tool.

 

My 2015 DCSB has a tire pressure reset button down near the hood release. Will that ID the TPMS?

 

No. That just initializes the baseline pressure that the system uses to determine what pressure it considers lower than normal.

 

Here is something I wrote a while back about how the TPMS system works.

Here's how it works. The sensors are 1 way communication. The truck listens to the information being sent to it by the sensors. The truck only listens to sensors it's been programmed to listen to. Let's call them Bob, Jake, Johnny, and Rafael. So, each sensor tells the truck what presure is in the tire. Let's say they're all at 32. When you push the button, the truck learns that 32 is normal pressure keeps the light off. Now, 1 morning Johnny is on a bad hangover and tells the truck he's only at 25PSI. The truck turns on the light to let you know. You give Johnny some pepto bismal(air), the truck is happy and turns out the light. On your way to work, there's a Tacoma beside you at the light with a low tire. That sensor is named Brittany. Your trucks light doesn't come on because your truck doesn't listen to Brittany.

So, when you get new sensors, there's 2 ways to make the truck happy.
1. Pull new OEM or aftermarket OEM type sensors off the shelf and program the truck to listen to them. Now the truck only listens to George, Paul, John, and Ringo. This programming can only be done by plugging into the truck OBD2 connector.

2. There are aftermarket sensors that have no name. It's like adopting a puppy at the shelter. Your dog Bob crosses over the rainbow bridge. You go to the shelter and adopt a new puppy and name him Bob. (The tire shop programs the nameless sensor to say, "Hi, my name is Bob") Now your truck still listens to Bob. Your truck isn't smart enough to realize it's a different Bob. He thinks it's the same old Bob, and is content and patiently waiting for Bob to go on a drinking binge.

 

That was a very good explanation. Thank You!

 

I asked this question a few years ago and never got an answer, so here’s hoping you can give me one. Since the truck doesn't actively poll the sensors and just sits there listening for a problem, can the TPMS sensors be coded to the same name?

The reason I ask is that my 2012 only monitors 4 of the 5 wheels, the spare doesn’t have a sensor as it comes from the factory. I think this was kind of a dumb move on Toyota’s part since the one tire that’s difficult to keep an eye on is the one the truck doesn’t monitor. Anyway, I have the spare mounted on a matching wheel and do a 5 wheel rotation so in my case, most of the time I have a wheel on the road that’s not being monitored. If I could buy a sensor and clone it with one already being monitored it would fix the problem.

 

I don't know, but I'm gonna guess that it won't work. It's not simply a good, not good signal. When you have Techstream hooked up, you can see what the pressure is for each tire. So if the truck were seeing a 35PSI signal and a 40PSI signal, for the same tire, it seems like it would go, WTF? That's just a guess though.

 

You might be right... but I'm thinking it wouldn't care, as long as "both" of them were within spec.