TPMS sensor questions

I have a 2007 sport. The batteries in the TPMS sensors died about 3 years ago. I'm finally getting new tires put on this week so now is a good time to replace the sensors. The thing is I removed my spare tire last year. It's the wrong size rim, the rubber is rotting, it's dead weight, blah blah blah. It won't be going back on the truck.

Are all 5 sensors necessary to turn off the dash light? Can just four TPMS be programmed or does the fifth one have to be present?

 

did it have a TPMS sensor in the spare?if so you'll need all 5

 

I think only 4 are required on trucks that had 5 but you have to set the sensor 5 ID to all 0s. I could be wrong on this though.

 

Yep. It has one in the spare. I called a local Toyota service dept. The service writer I spoke to "thinks" they can modify the TPMS to only look for four sensors. His uncertainty was not very confidence inspiring.

 

TPMS sensors are for women.

 

I used these in my 2007 2 years ago when I bought tires. No extra charge to install them at that time. Mine were still working but I knew they would die before I wore out another set of tires.

$50 MORESENSOR Signature Series 315MHz TPMS Tire Pressure Sensor 4-Pack | Preprogrammed for Select 270+ Japanese Brand Models | Replacement for 42607-33011 | Snap-in | NX-S008-SN-4

Amazon.com: MORESENSOR Signature Series 315MHz TPMS Tire Pressure Sensor 4-Pack | Preprogrammed for Select 270+ Japanese Brand Models | Replacement for 42607-33011 | Snap-in | NX-S008-SN-4 : Automotive

You'll need a 5th one for the spare on that model year.

$20 MORESENSOR Signature Series 315MHz TPMS Tire Pressure Sensor | Preprogrammed for Select 270+ Japanese Brand Models | Replacement for 42607-33011 | Snap-in | NX-S008-SN

Amazon.com: MORESENSOR Signature Series 315MHz TPMS Tire Pressure Sensor | Preprogrammed for Select 270+ Japanese Brand Models | Replacement for 42607-33011 | Snap-in | NX-S008-SN : Automotive

If your spare is 10 years old or older most tire stores won't touch it. I picked up a 4 year old used tire that still had enough tread for a spare. Cost me $30 for the tire and mounting.

BS.

TPMS sensors don't replace an air gauge, especially on older vehicles that don't give you a PSI readout and only alert the driver when tire pressure is low. What they do is alert the driver of a sudden tire deflation while you're driving. Twice I've had the warning light come on while running 70+ on an interstate. Both times I ran over debris that punched a large hole in tires. I had just enough time to get stopped before the tire was completely flat. The alternative was a tire coming apart at 70 mph.

I'll keep working sensors in my vehicles. It just ain't that hard nor expensive. Less than $100 every 7-10 years.

 

You can also buy from https://www.tpmsdirect.com/Default.asp

I put these in my 06 which had the light on for five years. Bought 5 and put one in the spare with the best tire from the four I was replacing. No light and functional system.

 

I would get that in writing before they started.........

 

Too bad the same can't be said for you. Thank you for that insightful grunt. Now go back to your cave paintings. Adults are talking here.

 

I don't care about the price or finding cheaper replacements. I'm concerned about being able to get the new ones programmed without the spare or having to lug it around otherwise the dash light would be on. If I can't avoid the light on without carrying the spare, I won't even bother with replacing them.

 

If you run over debris at 70mph and don't pull over to check your car, you deserve a blowout.

Another option is to stop running over debris.

 

If you end up needing 5 sensors but don't want to carry a spare, I've seen some people put the sensor(s) in a short piece of pipe capped at both ends with a tire valve on it and inflate it to the rated PSI and carry it on the truck.

 

I saw that post. That has potential. I'm going to pick up the Denso replacements from Rockauto and see what the tire shop can do. If they can't get them to work without the 5th sensor, I'll go the pipe route. Thanks.

 

If you want to see if the spare tire sensor is required for your system. Drop your spare, leave it at home, and go for a drive. If you don't get a warning light, IMO it's not required for the system to function properly.

 

I have been curious about this thread because I have a similar issue. When I bought the truck it had a stock spare but 22" rims with 33" tires. I had new tires put on a few months ago and gave the installer all new TPMS to put on (including one for the spare) while installing the tires. When I went to pick the truck up they told me they couldn't install the one in the spare because the tire was too old and their policy wouldn't let them do so. So I went to all the expense of purchasing and installing all-new TPMS for nothing. Sensor still shows error. I was curious what others have done who have upgraded their wheels but not their spare to work around this? Spare is too small to use anyway if I have a flat with my big tires on the truck.
I wouldn't mind getting a larger rim and installing a similar size tire (I kept one of my old tires I just replaced) on it as the rest of the truck but not sure where I could get a cheap 22" rim and even then if the wheel and tire would fit where the spare is normally stored.
Any ideas from the forum here would be appreciated.

 

If my old sensors were still functional, then that would work. One or more of them has died and the dash light has been on for years now.

 

Got the tires installed today. But before going in, I stopped by a Toyota dealer and spoke with two service writers. They confirmed there is no way to reprogram the truck to only look for four sensors. So without the spare, it's a no-go. I had the shop leave the old tpms sensors in there.

 

--You bring up a valid point as to preventing a bad situation when the light pops on.

--I have to share this funny sorry. I was an automotive service advisor at one point in my life. The worst work day was the first fall day here in Denver when the temps would drop overnight. That also meant that atmospheric pressure dropped which in turn would lower tire pressure and cause TPMS lights to come on right and left in cars with marginal tire pressures to begin with. The phones would ring off the hook with people calling to inquire as to why their TPMS light would be on and then subsequently stop by the dealership to have us put air in their tires because they didn't know how to. Now I feel like we were performing a public service.

 

I have an autel and when it asks for the fifth/spare i just hang it off into space and hit enter and it does its magic (probably all zeros or a dead beef code).

I'm surprised the second gen has a spare tpms and the turd gen doesn't. Oh well. Just have them zap a wheel again, i would have to try it but all it does it drop the RFID into it, you could just zap one of the four wheels again. You'd have two monitors on one wheel but oh well. But not sure if there's data validation that you can't use the same RFID twice.




Re usefulness - i have the pressure readouts and have that up when I'm in forest roads, if i pick up a shale "friend" and start to lose pressure, i can see that before the road starts to feel like a flat tire.

 

Why would you leave dead sensors in the wheels vs. new rubber valve stems?

Why do you drive without a spare?