Dumb Tire Question

We're the greater Charlotte area keeping an eye on the grandkids while my son and Daughter in Law are taking a few days break from said grandkids.

Anyway, I'm driving his 2011 Tacoma and have taken care of some routine maintenance while I have it. Oil change, new wipers (I swear he still has the original blades), topped off a tire that was a bit low.

His TPS light has been on for over a year. That stuff drives me nuts but he's pretty much, no totally ignored it. It occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, he never jacked down the spare to check the tire pressure.

Sure enough, it's down to 15PSI, so needs to be inflated. It's the original spare and the wheel says it's temporary. It's a full sized tire, but I'm not completely sure that the tire pressure is the same as the regular tires at 30PSI. Before I jack down the tire again and put in air, does anyone know what the correct tire pressure is?

I'll also be curious to see if putting air in the tire fixes the TPS light.

 

It won’t fix it if it’s the spare as it’s a spare. The psi will be on the sidewall or if it’s full-size it’s same as others

 

It's a full size tire from what I can see, not a donut tire. On my Tundra the spare was a full size tire with a steel rim. It had a TPMS sensor and I'm pretty sure that my 2019 Tacoma also has a TPMS sensor on the spare. I suppose I'll just drop the spare and look to see if it has a PSI rating on it.

Thanks.

 

Fill all tires up to the PSI you want. Some run 29 which is (should be) listed on the drivers door jam. Some run 33/34 and many variations from there.
Then, reset the TPMS sensor. Should be a small button under the steering wheel column.

Here is a video
https://youtu.be/moOd8qdRRhc

If the light comes back on, most likely time to rebuild/replace batts in TPMS sensors on valve stems. Tire shop... Now go have fun with grandkids.

 

Thanks to everyone for the help.

It's a Dunlop A320 regular tire on a black steel rim. The valve stem looks the same as the four on alloy wheels. I jacked the tire down again this morning and read the tiny print on the tire.

The spare is old, the other tires are new and look fine. I'll tell him that he needs to get a new spare.

It's not the money, he's just short of time between work, kids, kids sports, etc...

The truck is a Pre Runner, which shouldn't make any difference.

I've tried to reset the TPMS sensor to no avail. After I get some air in the spare I'll try again just on the chance there is a sensor in there.

 

They stopped putting sensors in the spare around 2008. The sensors typically last 7-10 years although sometimes longer. His truck is approaching 12 years old and most likely has at least one bad sensor. It isn't hard, nor expensive to replace the sensors. You can order new ones from Amazon for $15-$20 each. That works out to about $7-$8 per year for sensors. You can't get a McDonalds value meal once a year for that.

Any tire store will install them at no additional cost when he buys his next set of tires. Unless the current tires are practically new I'd keep driving with the light on and have new ones installed with new tires. If he doesn't want to wait most tire stores will charge about $10-$15/tire to install and program them.

Since the spare is 10+ years old it needs to go. He could use one of the tires on the ground as his spare next time he buys tires. If he can't wait most tire stores will sell and mount a used, but reasonably recently made tire for around $30.

 

The light bothers me, he really doesn't care. I'm more concerned about the spare being low, so I'll fill that anyway.

Tomorrow's project is the cabin air filter. I might have to post a picture and start a "Show me your disgusting cabin air filter" thread!

 

There is at least one thread here already!

 

I can't wait until I'm retired so a cabin filter can be a all day project

 

The PSI on the side wall is generally the max PSI for a tire. The real number is on the door sticker. The tire doesn't know if it is on a Toyota Tacoma or some other vehicle with different weight properties.

 

You think it's easy? Today is going to be a two filter day. I popped the air filter cover off and that needs replacement too. I'll get that later today at Auto Zone. That will be after the guy comes to install some shades my Daughter In Law ordered. Hopefully he'll actually show up.

Plus a trip to Lowes to find a level for another project.

Later today my Grandson has a middle school football game.

My wife is busy cooking dinner.

Still have to get somewhere to put air in the tire.

I'm going to need a vacation from this vacation.

 

@HisDad you and I seem to be two peas in a pod. Whenever I go visit either one of my two boys it turns into a full on vehicle maintenance Q&A. This includes their off road motorcycles. When they were still living with mom and dad, I made sure they stayed on top on routine maintenance. But alas, one is hundreds of miles, while the other is over a thousand miles away and both are preoccupied with their kids, wife, work and maintaining their sanity in the world they live in today. Notice I said they, because I live in my own world. Just ask my wife.

TPMS; The normal life expectancy is 5 to 10 years, so along with that spare tire, it may be time for some new monitors. RockAuto sells Denso monitors, which are the ones I purchased about 4 years ago. Denso is widely recognized as the major manufacturer of parts for Toyota. In fact Denso was once a part of Toyota Motor Co. If you do check them out, please note there are two styles. One part number for alloy wheels and another part number for steel wheels. Also, any tire store like Discount Tires can check to see if the monitors are still emitting or broadcasting a signal for the ECU.

Tire pressure; I have stock size tires, Michelin Defenders LTX M/S 265/70/16 that has a 44 PSi Max. Since I have a Leer fiberglass cap and carry several totes of gear I run a little more tire pressure than what the sticker on the door indicates. IMO the PSI on the door sticker (29F 32R) is for stock rig and for a smoother ride.

Other routine maintenance items you may want to look at would be the plugs, power steering fluid, brake fluid, trans flluid and coolant. Plugs are recommended to be changed every 30,000. Trans fluid every 60,000 (drain and fill) Coolant 30,000 miles, while the power steering fluid every 50,000 miles. The brake fluid is recommended every 20,000 miles. Of course, some of these would also depends on how one uses their vehicle. At 68 years of age, I still able to take of these maintence items.

I'm sure your son really appreciates all that you (and your wife) do. While at the same time you're spending some quality time with your grandson.

 

So, I got the spare inflated but the TPMS light is still on despite my reset attempt. He'll have to figure what, if anything, he wants to do.

He's probably going to need a set of tires soon, so my suggestion will be that he have whoever does that pick the best tire out and mount it on the spare rim. The spare has early signs of dry rot and even though it's never been mounted will have to be tossed.

I did the engine air filter and the cabin filter should be here soon.

He probably needs plugs, but he doesn't have the tools for that, so I'll just suggest it.

I used to do all of my own maintenance, but have a mechanic do most of it now. If I had a lift I would do more, but I did enough sliding under cars and trucks that needed work while ice and snow melted off of them.

 

The spare doesnt have a TPMS in it. However in one of his main tires, the battery is dead and causing the light. Needs new ones as theyre 12 years old now.