TPMS trick after removing spare

my first thread...
This seems to be a problem a lot of people experience and I feel like I’ve found a very elegant solution.

I have a pre ‘09 second gen, which has 5 ID numbers in the ECU for TPMS. I recently decided to remove the spare (I have OBA and a good plug kit; also helps with weight and clearance). Problem is, you will then get a flashing TPMS light on your dash. Entering the ID of “FFFFF” or “00000” into tech stream only tricks it for about 15 minutes, then the light comes back. Many have made PVC pipe bombs. I didn’t want to deal with the hassle, and I only have 1 sensor I’m working with.
So I wedged it between the bottle jack and bracket under the seat! On the back of the sensor, there is a square outlined on the plate. This is where pressure is read. You can squeeze it with your hand and watch the light disappear. Since that would get old fast, back your jack off the bracket, place a coin, grommet, washer, whatever - something about the size of that square - onto that area (I used double sided tape to hold it) to focus the pressure, then tighten the jack slowly until you see the light disappear.
It’ll only come back on if you have a flat and remove the jack!

 

Nice

 

interesting

 

Interesting idea. How long has that been working for you?

 

Nice . Also couldn’t you use a small c clamp and squeeze it and throw it in the back under the seat

 

I like it. I hate the TPM system.

I deleted mine thru the ECU. No more light...ever.

 

Why do people hate the TPS so much?? I mean, it’s there to help you out and make life a little easier lol. Use mine all the time. When airing back up, I don’t need a pressure gauge, I just look at my dash. After wheeling and airing back up I keep it on the TPM screen so I can see if I have any slow leaks.

 

Since when do our spares have sensors?

Mine doesn't.

 

That is not the function of a TMPS sensor.

For real you don't actually measure your tire pressure when filing up? You just carelessly put what ever PSI into what ever tire?
What happens when it breaks and you don't know?


The TMPS sensor is an idiot light. For people who don't pay attention to their vehicle it lets them know "hey idiot look at your tires"

 

I believe 3rd gens display the pressure for each individual tire rather than just a light like 2nd gens. I would love to have that feature for the same reason @PvilleJohn said.

 

2009 was the last year the spare had a sensor.

You will never convince me that the TPM system is a safety feature.

It's there to remind people to properly inflate their tires to ensure the maximum fuel efficiency for that vehicle.

The safety feature is just a byproduct of the system and a great marketing tool. Everyone agrees that safety of a vehicle is important.

 

Its interesting to have that information while off roading or driving around.. however to have to stop filling up my tires and walk all the way to my drivers seat to check the pressure when I can have a pressure gauge right there is highly inconvenient.

But this isn't the 3rd Gen side. We don't have read outs just idiot lights. The only reason to have TMPS sensors is if they give you a specific PSI for all tires. That is handy. The shit we have in the 2nd Gens is useless technology.

 

True, the newer vehicles will tell you which tire is low...as long as you told the TPM system to "learn" the new location of the tires after a rotation. I don't have this feature, but I have done an informal servey of people I work with. Only about 25 percent actually bother to reprogram after a rotation.

 

I wouldn't say safety is a byproduct. I think that's giving it too much credit.

I'm not sure if you have ever had your light come on after hitting something but it's quite a delayed response. The design of the system is really just to warn against slow leaks (and as you said ideal tire pressure according to Toyota and EPA) but not against major air loss at one time. It scares me when I see people say they like it because they hit something one time and the light came on and they knew they had to pull over before the tire exploded and killed their whole family. If you hit something hard enough to question your tire health... you should pull over immediately, not 60 seconds later when a light tells you to.

I'm 28 and I feel like I'm 60 years old in expecting people to use common sense and not rely on stupid technology. Use your brain, it's there for a reason.

 

I think we may have been twins separated at birth. I can prolly finish your sentences.m

 

Yes you could use a C clamp - I just didn’t want to waste a clamp.
I have a pioneer deck that displays the pressure at each tire, so I didn’t want to disable the system completely; that’s a separate discussion anyway.

 

You think near-instant notification of any drop in tire pressure while driving down the road is "useless technology"? I don't see how you've convinced yourself that MORE information about the status of what is potentially the most vital system on your vehicle is somehow bad. I don't believe that you get down on your knees with a pressure checker multiple times per day, every single day continuously checking for the possibility of slow leaks. Because that's the only way you'll get close to touching the effectiveness of the TPMS at giving you the slightest bit of warning before it becomes an emergency.

Also for the record unless OP is 100% a city driver with roadside assistance on speed dial and never off roads (which I doubt because he has OBA) I think replacing the spare with OBA and a plug kit is a bad idea. I've ruined my fair share of tires off the grid and not a single one of them would have been fixable with a plug kit and OBA.

 

If you have ever had this light on you’d realize that you notice the tire is going flat before the computer does.
Now the new tech may be better but this is a discussion about 2nd Gens.

I’ve popped a bead seal on a tire and got it 1.0 miles to school to park in the parking lot before my Fords light came on.

I was rolling in on the wheel...
Its useless tech lol

I check my tires regularly. Almost any time I approach the vehicle I’m looking at my tires to check their condition.
If its getting low I notice. Its not necessary to put the tire gauge on it. Thats being a bit compulsive.

I’ve caught a slow leak in my Tacoma with a nail in my tire... I’ve never seen my dash light come on.

 

You can get individual tire info on the 2nd gen, we just don't have the hardware from the factory to display it (ignore the low tire....it is my spare).