I thought the spare tire's pressure was monitored?

Just carry a good portable air compressor (I have a Viair unit). In 11 years of driving I have never needed to put on the spare. I had many punctures and they were all slow leaks. It is certainly easier (and safer on the side of the road) to just pump up the tire and drive to the nearest shop.

 

For on-pavement driving, a matching spare actually isn't necessary. Just stay in 2WD and turn off VSC/Trac by holding down the VSC button for five sec.

 

I also carry a 12V compressor with me whenever I leave town. Options are always a good thing. Unfortunately, I have had a number of tires go completely toast on me that had to be swapped in the field with the available spare. Also had two flats in the same outing once in BF Alaska with no means to repair. Don't care to re-live that joyous experience again so now I'm definitely more prepared.

 

Does anyone know if the earlier TPMS computer can be put into a newer Taco? I spoke with both parts and service at a dealer about this and they don't know. I've found a cheap computer from an '07 and would just swap it out with mine if it would work. Anyone familiar enough with Tacoma electrical systems to know if this is feasible? Probably seems like I'm beating a dead horse on this issue, but it bothers me and I really do want 5-tire monitoring. Especially if it's as simple as swapping one small part.

 

I couldn't help you there. I think at this point you are going to have to spear-head that experiment. Let us know.

 

I'd be interested in the results of this as well... I'm planning to doing a 5 wheel rotation as well.

 

I have a 2011 and my spare is monitored.

 

So my light came on this morning( tire pressure) does it go out by itself once I air it up? sorry if this is a dumb question, its my first experience with this TP sensor.

 

yes the spare tiredoes have the sensor and is monitored on my 2008 DC

 

Bit of an update on this if anyone gives a flying flock-

A month or so after I switched tires/rims, I ordered a spare tire lock. I removed the spare (which had a TPMS sensor) from the truck thinking my lock was arriving that day. It didn't show so I just left the spare sitting in my garage overnight. While it was there I ran to the store, and when I got back I realized that the TPMS idiot light hadn't come on while I was away from a supposedly monitored tire. Later on, I dropped both rears down to 10 psi (for a non TPMS-related reason) and the light still didn't glow.

Knowing the system had been fully functioning before I swapped the tires, I went back to the rubber dealer about this. They hooked up to their diagnostic computer and told me my system was demanding five signals. I let them know that it has never had five because of Toyota discontinuing the spare monitor in '09. They installed a fifth sensor and showed me the readout on their screen that showed my comp was indeed receiving all five signals. They reset the system, then aired-down the new sensor to prove that it was indeed being properly monitored. As I've spent plenty (gobs in fact) of coin with them, they didn't charge me for the labor or the new sensor.

Today I finally got around to doing a complete one-at-a-time check of the whole system. Each of the four mounted wheels set off the idiot light once they lost enough pressure. The spare however, didn't. I tried multiple ways to make it work (rolling it up next to the truck, sliding it underneath the center, airing it up and down each time and resetting the system) and nothing worked.

So to make a long story longer, even though I now know for a fact that my '11 TPMS computer is receiving all five signals, the warning system will only give a damn about four of them. Crap. Guess it's back to still trying to determine if the '07 computer will work on an '11. At least now I have the fifth sensor ready to roll if I find that it will indeed swap out.