How long is everyone's TPMS batteries lasting and what are you going to do when they die?

A 'scan tool' like the ScanGuage or others does not.

They are talking the proprietary Toyota software run on your own laptop.

I have an SCII in each vehicle. While I've not had any codes pop yet (even on the '04 w/120k) I like them for all the other things that I monitor. And it's already there and working should a code appear.

 

I have been driving since the sixties, we did not have any pain in the ass tire pressure sensors. You just looked at your tire before driving if it bothered you. My work HVAC van would trigger the sensors when it got cold outside, had to adjust the air pressure to stop the damn warning, then when it got hot outside the same BS happened. I know that I could have put nitrogen in the tires, but people got along fine for a long time without the TPMS.

Thank GOD my 05 and my wife's 02 Avalon XLS do not have them.

 

I run techstream on my win 7 laptop and could likely get it to work on win 10 takes a lil fanageling.

 

I bought my truck on 8/27/2007 and it still has the factory sensors with 185,000 miles. When mine go bad I'll buy a set of aftermarket sensors and replace all of them the next time I need tires. I wouldn't pay to break down and remount tires just to replace them.

That ain't what they're made for. They are made to warn you of a sudden high speed tire deflation, not to replace a tire gauge.

I used to think like that, but twice in the last 10 years I've had the warning light come on suddenly at high speed. Once doing 75 mph on an interstate. I pulled over and had the truck stopped within 30 seconds of the light coming on. I hit some unseen object in the road and punched a 3/8" hole in my right rear tire. Without the TPMS I'd have never known about it until the tire failed, and at that speed possibly caused a serious crash.

Lots of dead drivers, passengers, and innocent drivers in other cars prior to TPMS systems because of rapid deflations with no warning.

My only real gripe is that it shouldn't cost nearly as much as it does to buy replacements. Going with factory sensors can get pricy, but I've bought aftermarket sensors off Amazon for 1/3 to 1/4 the price of factory. And felt that was over priced. These things should be selling for $10 each at most to encourage drivers to replace them when they go bad.

 

TPMS has its place. My FIL, also has been driving from the sixties, would drive from NJ to FL without even a care if there’s even enough oil in the engine. Sure TPMS is dumb but so is people.

 

I'd replace them and reprogram them myself, I has all the tools

 

I bought these 2 years ago, and they have been great:

Oro-Tek (OPA-3011A TPMS Sensor

Oro-Tek (OPA-3011A) TPMS Sensor

Discount tire was going to program them for free, but when they got the tool out, the sensors had already programmed themselves! I guess they are truly plug and play. When I bought mine in 2016 they were $28 though

 

My wife's 12 Venza started flashing yesterday. Flash for one minute then stay solid. The light would be on for a few miles then turn off for a few miles. That's annoying when on a 400 mile road trip. From what I read the batteries are low. I told her we will change them when we get new tires on it in March.

My 06 with 182k has come on a few times at season changes and once when I had a small leak.

 

I don't get what the difficulty is to simply make the battery replaceable.

 

When mine eventually die I'll just make a pressurized PVC pipe with a schrader (bike) valve. Throw new sensors in pipe and pressurize it to 30 psi, throw under driver/passenger seat and forget about it. Now I can change between several sets of tires.

 

when mine shit the bed, didnt i see where the dude just unplugged the module above the head liner?? or ill do the light bypass thing i see on here.
my atKO2's are frikin E rated tank tread, so they will hold up pretty well, PLUS in on the beach at least once a month airing down so i do check my tire pressures often enough that i dont need a baby sitter. i have been contemplating not even getting them in the wheel tire combo i get. im so glad i dont wrench on cars any more! not to have to deal with this crap.....worked for lexus for 8 years and i DO NOT miss mounting and balancing the run flats on the sc430's!!!!

 

I'm in the 60+ crowd these days, so I rarely crawl under a vehicle anymore... and I needed the oil change.
Took the Tacoma to the garage that changes my oil and the guy gets the job done in about 15 minutes, cool. Got in the truck and the TPMS light that had been bugging me since November was not lit. I immediately asked them what they did... He said he aired the tires to 38 pounds, then dropped them back to to 35, reset the system button and no light...

I had a tire shop guy tell me that 3 of the 5 sensors showed dead on their reader in December. strange...

 

Picked up denso sensors from rockauto $31ea. Had sams club program for $20. The densos is what my mine came with.

 

wow. bumping a 5.1/2 year old thread to comment on a youtuber.

 

Batteries in the OEM TPMS? I didn't know this? What kind?

 

There are batteries in all of them and they are sealed so you are supposed to replace the whole unit. I did see a video, on utube I think, where a guy cut them open, replaced the batteries and glued them shut again. Not sure it was worth it.

Oh, and to answer OP's question, my light has come on about 6 months ago, went off for a couple of months and then back on last month, so I think mine are done in 8 years. I have 4, the spare didn't come with one. Kind of puts a little kink in a 5 tire rotation.

 

My truck is a '16 and I just had the tires replaced in April. Drove home, no issues. Next time I drove to work, TPMS kicked off. Checked pressures. All dashes. My commute is 49 miles one way. Drove home that afternoon, no issues.

I've noticed that if it is below ~48 degrees +/- 1, 2 degrees, TPMS can kick off on drives > 22 miles, which is the point that TPMS gives up and calls out a problem.

Dealer says "nah, batteries are low, fork over $1200". They've since walked that back to $1k, but still... I do get that at 197k, I'm probably above average mileage for a 2016 daily driver, but I still question the inability to display pressures on all four tires simultaneously.

Currently debating on if I want to deal with it - I've got about 2-3 years more to go before getting a fresh set of treads, and winter is around the corner, which means constant TPMS lights. Dealer has given me a free rotation and tire repair for the life of the set of tires, not sure if they'll void that if I go to another shop for replacement.

Since it's cold this week, I may try the TPMS reset and see if that gets it to talk, since my drive home was less than ten miles, but more than ten minutes with several stop lights.

I think this mirrors the issues some others are having, but also doesn't. Fun stuff.

 

but what about the tpm warning light on the dash?