TPMS Issue In Cold

2017 Tacoma -

It's been pretty chilly here lately in Clarksville, TN with temps hovering right around 32 or below since 01.15.24.

I have noticed that it's been taking some time for the TPMS screen on the dash to register any pressure at all.

Recently though, the tire pressure warning light would blink on/off a few times and then just stay on, without the screen registering any pressure still.

Thoughts? Someone told me it's the batteries. Easy fix with YouTube University or take it to a shop?

Thanks!

 

Buy a tire gauge and check. Pressure is listed on drivers door. Dont rely on sensors to be accurate.

 

I just went through this. It means at least one sensor is on the cusp of breathing its last.

The way sensors are built, there's no replacing batteries. You have to replace the sensor. And, more bad news, sensors are like lights. Don't just replace one, you really should replace all four.

Here's my advice. Check your tire tread. If you're below 6/32 (i.e. they aren't going to see next winter), wait. Buy new sensors when you buy tires.

If your tires still have years of life left in them, do sensors now. Discount Tire has them at 60 bucks a pop, multiply that by 4, and there might be a mounting/balancing charge on top of that. (Hence, the benefit of changing sensors when tires are due.) Or, if you know how to partially break a bead, you can get the programming tool plus four sensors off Amazon for about 350-400 bucks.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Cold temps, six+ years old, one or more sensor batteries are near dead

 

Below freezing temperatures here and mine comes on when I crank it up but after about 10 minutes of driving it goes away.

 

I always use a dial gauge. I only use the sensor as an indicator and assume it can be +-2PSI at any given time.

 

Yeah, I have a tire guage and will check them in a bit...but the issue I was having wasn't related to me NOT being able to check the pressure, the issue was wondering WHY they would not register ANYTHING at all and then the tire pressure warning light itself coming on.

 

You need new sensors, batteries are nearly dead.

 

Batteries lose performance in the cold so they are end of life. Time for new sensors. If your tires have life left get new ones at the same time. If not pay for a tire service or just wait and check them manually while ignoring the warnings.

 

Could be batteries, but like someone above said I'm in Mass, when its cold they don't adjust/read the right psi until a few minutes of driving.

 

Yeah, they've been doing that recently. Not showing the pressure when I turn the truck on, but after a few minutes of driving, the pressure is shown. Now, not at all.

Looks like I'll be getting new sensors when I get some new tires in the spring.

 

I have brand new sensors and tires , and mine are still doing it in this freezing weather here. I’ve also started warming mine up for about 10 minutes before I leave and they show pressure after I start driving.

 

Does the spare tire have a tpms sensor?

 

If you are going to wait until you get new tires, some on TW have put black electrical tape over the warning light if it bothers you.

 

I had the same thing happen on a really cold day after my truck sat for a week or so, once it warmed up the flashing dash light went back to normal.

 

7 year old sensors

 

you cant have 5

 

No. If you want to do a 5 tire rotation you have to remove the new spare and add the old spare TPMS sensor ID into the ECU every rotation. Button under the dash will learn location of the four sensors programmed, in order to display them correctly on the display

 

Not sure about the 3G but my 2G has had 2 sensors replaced, at 12 and 14 yrs old. My wife's old Rav4 never needed any and it was 14 yrs old. We live in MA so it does get pretty cold here.