New tires on a 2006 Highlander/tire pressure

[Zack1978]

Hi everyone,
The original tires on my mothers 2006 Highlander are total garbage after only 20,000 miles. I think I am going to have her get a set of BFG at's, however how much more difficult is it to mount the tires since the Highlander has the tire pressure monitor system?

Thanks,
Zack

[Hank]

It is not more difficult but it does require more care. It is easy for joe tire moron to break the sensor taking the old tire off or putting the new one on. Keep the rims in the same position on the car (RF on RF, LF ON LF etc) and set the tire pressure to what the door states and you should have no TPMS light. However, with your selection of the BFG AT you may have an issue with specified system pressure VS. desired pressure specified by the tire manufacturer. IIRC the Highlanders still come with a Bridgestone Rag of a car tire. Putting a light truck tire on it though passenger rated will change the dynamics of the car entirely. Please keep that in mind for her safety.

[Zack1978]

Originally Posted by Hank

It is not more difficult but it does require more care. It is easy for joe tire moron to break the sensor taking the old tire off or putting the new one on. Keep the rims in the same position on the car (RF on RF, LF ON LF etc) and set the tire pressure to what the door states and you should have no TPMS light. However, with your selection of the BFG AT you may have an issue with specified system pressure VS. desired pressure specified by the tire manufacturer. IIRC the Highlanders still come with a Bridgestone Rag of a car tire. Putting a light truck tire on it though passenger rated will change the dynamics of the car entirely. Please keep that in mind for her safety.

CAn you explain your post a bit more with respect to the tire choice? I think the tires on it now are Toyo's and they are trash, again after only 20,000 miles on it. During this past winter she hated driving the Highlander because she felt it was sliding all over the place and it made her nervous! It was totally the fault of the tires. What do you think of the BFG AT's? I have them on my fj60 and my Pathfinder and they are great, but I know the Highlander is different.


Zack

[Hank]

I like BFG's well enough, I have them on my FJ62 also. Our trucks are heavy and act differently than a Highlander. One caveat of putting AT's on her car is size, does she have the 16" package or the 17" package? This could rule out the availability of the AT all together. BFG does make an LT225/70r16 in the AT (stock size for an AWD 16" package in 06) The fact is that is a truck tire. The Highlander IMHO is a car. Truck tires would not lend themselves well to perform properly on a car and vice versa. Just because the size fits doesn't necessarily mean that a tire is a good match. I have some seat time in a Highlander and they are nice little car/suv's. I would suggest a Cooper Discoverer M&S, it is a fun winter tire but a good safe all season tire. Other suggestions would be the Michelin Cross Terrain or the Firestone Destination LE. All of those tires are a great ride and give sure footedness in the snow. I would think with the proper tire a Highlander would be fun in the snow, not scary.

[Zack1978]

Originally Posted by Hank

I like BFG's well enough, I have them on my FJ62 also. Our trucks are heavy and act differently than a Highlander. One caveat of putting AT's on her car is size, does she have the 16" package or the 17" package? This could rule out the availability of the AT all together. BFG does make an LT225/70r16 in the AT (stock size for an AWD 16" package in 06) The fact is that is a truck tire. The Highlander IMHO is a car. Truck tires would not lend themselves well to perform properly on a car and vice versa. Just because the size fits doesn't necessarily mean that a tire is a good match. I have some seat time in a Highlander and they are nice little car/suv's. I would suggest a Cooper Discoverer M&S, it is a fun winter tire but a good safe all season tire. Other suggestions would be the Michelin Cross Terrain or the Firestone Destination LE. All of those tires are a great ride and give sure footedness in the snow. I would think with the proper tire a Highlander would be fun in the snow, not scary.

Thank you! Yes her Highlander has the 225/70/16 tires on it. Ok so I guess the BFG at's are out!


Zack

[ToyotaDon]

Clarification: The rims do not have to be left in the same position for the TPWS to work properly. The signal can be picked up even when the tires are off the car and still close enough. After replacing the tires or even changing the air pressure, the tire reset button needs to be held down until the tire light blinks 3 times.
Care does need to be taken when replacing tires or "someone" will have to replace a broken sensor. The recommended procedure is to remove the nut from the sensor and let it drop into the tire before dismounting. The sensor is reinstalled before mounting, but the rim has to be turned to a certain position when installing the outer bead.
Hope this helps.

[Hank]

This is how it was presented to me also. We did several that way. I maybe works 1/2 of the time to change the sensors from their original position. Therefore we have adapted the strict policy of putting them where they came from. If the original way works. Go for it by all means.