tpms query

[bluerav4]

A few months ago my TPMS light came on. Checked the pressures and all were ok. I took the car into Toyota and they said that one of the sensors was not recognised and they ha e reprogrammed it and that's £54 thank you and didn't think much of it.

i do have an extended warranty and assumed they were not covered. Talking to a friend yesterday and he had one of his TPMS sensors replaced under his extended warranty. So I've rang My Toyota dealer and he says they are not covered. So I called Toyota warranty and they are saying they are covered but not any software updates.

has anyone had this issue as my light is blinking like mad and according to the manual it means one or more sensors are faulty and there is no way I'm paying £130 for each sensor to programmed and fitted. The cost is shocking £54 to recode each sensor and the sensor cost is just over £80 each. 

 

[Devon Aygo]

Toyota's extended warranty covers an actual failure of a part it does not cover adjustments, software updates or reprogramming. If however as it sounds you do have a faulty part and it is the same one as you paid to be reprogrammed then speak to your dealer get them to authorise the new sensor under warranty and ask them to refund the reprogramming cost as they misdiagnosed the initial fault.

[Mark O]

You could consider simply disabling the system altogether - see technical guides sticky by anchorman  - cutting the pink wire.

If you have run flats fitted and you can read a tyre pressure gauge every month or so, then why do you need it?

I went the whole hog and replaced the run flats altogether for a far superior ride and cheaper replacement tyres - though you do need to ensure either your breakdown cover includes punctures or carry a spare in the boot. My TPMS still seems to function, but if it packs in, I will be cutting that pink wire. 

 

  

[bluerav4]

Thanks for the replies. The sensor is definitely faulty. They did say if the light came on it'll have to be replaced. 

I wonder if they'll make an issue about not having run flat tyres as it has been modified to non standard tyres? 

i dont want to disable the light I have seen the articles. I removed the run flats as the drive was awful a lot better since they were replaced with normal tyres made a hell of a difference. The light is a good indicator if they have dropped pressure.

not sure but on another post someone mentioned that the TPMS light will become part of the MOT so needs to be working.

i can't pump the tyres myself due to health reasons and usually get assistance from my local Shell petrol station when I fill up with diesel.

 

[philip42h]

Google tells me that "the lithium ion batteries inside TPMS sensors may last anywhere from five to 10 years" so, unless they have already been changed, it is quite possible that the batteries in the TPMS sensors on a car registered in 2006 are simply running out of juice?

As I understand, the functioning of a TPMS system where fitted, is now checked within the MoT - "cutting the pink wire" might now constitute a 'fail' if spotted by the tester.

[Mark O]

I would say they will make an issue of having non run flats, even though they do not affect the operation of the TPMS. They will doubtless state that you have deviated from the original design intent, and thus voided any warranty etc. - or some such - despite the fact that you have actually improved matters. It is a very simple procedure to snip the wire, and a very simple procedure to check tyre pressures with a gauge every month or so. You are to consider that the vast majority of cars do not have them simply because they are somewhat superfluous, and as you have discovered, invariably another electrical thing to go wrong..  

As regards the MoT, I would seriously doubt whether any tester would pick up the snipped wire as there is nothing obvious to indicate that it the TPMS is disabled. You are also to consider that in its present state, it would definitely be an MoT fail - as there is failure indication. 

[bluerav4]

A the sensors have been replaced within the last 2 years by Toyota. When I originally decided to ha e them horrible things removed I asked the guy at Toyota who was dealing with my service at the time  about having them removed and I quote "your not alone even we hate them, as long as you've got the same size tyres and the speed ratings just make sure you that you let your insurance company know" at that time it was insured with Toyota insurance and they were happy with it didn't cost anything extra.

im sure he wouldn't admit to it now as they'll try and get out of claiming under the warranty.

I'm thinking of just getting these guys to replace them  I have all the sensor ID's on the receipt when they reprogrammed the last sensor and they can use the same ID's on the new ones so no need for reprogramming them all from Toyota. 

https://www.tpmswarehouse.co.uk/

the car was MOT'd a few weeks ago from Toyota so got a while to get it sorted. It's just annoying having it constantly blinking. I saw a post about fitting a switch I'm not good with stuff like that might see if a local garage can help with that.

appreciate all the advice given thank you!! 

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, Mark O said:

You are to consider that the vast majority of cars do not have them simply because they are somewhat superfluous, and as you have discovered, invariably another electrical thing to go wrong..  

Currently that is the situation. However, with EU legislation dictating that cars with new Type Approval from 1st November 2012 and all new cars first registered from 1st November 2014, have tyre pressure monitoring systems as a mandatory fitment, eventually the reverse will be the case

[Mark O]

Blue - Indeed you can certainly fit a switch, but not sure why you would want to. Whilst de-energizing the circuit and thus removing the blinking light by flicking the switch at  MoT time would negate a fail, come the time you energize again by flicking the switch over, you will still have the blinking light and - presumably - a non functioning TPMS. 

I guess it may be useful if you wished to reinstate the TPMS at some later date.

However you seem to have decided to reinstate the TPMS. Personally I simply feel the TPMS is a very expensive tyre pressure gauge, and the whole thing is simply overkill.

Frosty - Madness. Another costly and unnecessary piece of legislation from the EU.    

[bluerav4]

Agree with you totally the cost is unnecessary and I am sort of "OCD" and like to have everything working as it should be. I think 

 https://www.tpmswarehouse.co.uk/ will be the cheapest option so I can have them working and hopefully that should be the end of it for a few years and possibly have upgraded to a newer Rav.

 

[Mark O]

Blue - Fair enough and I appreciate the sentiment. I am of a similar mind - usually - but for me the cost outweighs the benefit, the risk is low, and there is a very simple alternative method of monitoring tyre pressures.. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

6 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Currently that is the situation. However, with EU legislation dictating that cars with new Type Approval from 1st November 2012 and all new cars first registered from 1st November 2014, have tyre pressure monitoring systems as a mandatory fitment, eventually the reverse will be the case

 

4 hours ago, Mark O said:

Frosty - Madness. Another costly and unnecessary piece of legislation from the EU.    

I would imagine that the UK will keep this type of legislation, as, both for imports and exports, it would be easier for the industry to comply with one set of legislation.

[Mark O]

Frosty - No doubt, and I suppose the question whether it is at all sensible, or even desired by motorists or the trade, is somewhat irrelevant. 

[bluerav4]

What l don't understand is why none of these independent tyre places and garages don't have systems in place to reprogram these. Had a puncture last year and ATS was the closest place to get a new tyre. Not sure how they did it but he damaged the valve and it snapped. They agreed to pay for a new one but the machine they had wasn't able to program the sensor and ended up getting it programmed from Toyota.

maybe it's not worth them buying the equipment to reprogram them or is it Toyota are just a pain for their software! 

[Mark O]

I would imagine both. I had similar issues when removing the horrendous run flats and swapping them over to "normal" tyres. Due to the specialized machinery required for the reinforcement ring removal - which incidentally are incredibly heavy and cannot do much good for the suspension - no-one but Toyota themselves would touch them. In addition, I was very fortunate that my local dealership had the necessary machinery - not all of them do. 

[bluerav4]

Same issue here our local branch didn't have the machine either.

the drive was awful and didn't do any favours to the suspension .

dread to think what it would've been like if you had back problems.