Odd TPMS situation on a 2015

[RickC5]

Spent 3.5 hours at Discount Tire yesterday morning. I was there last week to get new tires put on my new-to-me Rock Warrior wheels. I bought new TPMS sensors as part of the deal, but the TPMS system never worked after that.

So I returned yesterday to have them fix it. First I had to buy a new sensor for the spare tire (Low battery?). Still didn't work. Next, they replaced all the sensors in the other four tires. Nope. Finally, after many phone calls by the senior TPMS tech, including one to Toyota, the solution was found.

Our 2015 was built in August of 2014, and apparently some left-over 2014 TPMS sensors were used instead of 2015 sensors. Yep, they're different. Once they installed 2014 sensors in all 5 tires, the TPMS came back to life.

Just a word of warning to anyone else out there with an early 2015. You too may encounter this problem when you buy new tires.

 

[FJ73Texas]

You should have just stuck with the same P/N of sensor that you removed. They are etched on the casing of the sensor body. TPMS sensors can even change in the middle of a production run.

 

[RickC5]

My "original" TPMS sensors are long gone. I pulled off the original wheels & replaced them with some Tundra TRD wheels a year ago. Gave the original wheels/tires to my nephew.

New sensors were installed in these Tundra wheels at that time, and the TPMS worked fine. I'm not sure why Discount didn't use those same sensors this time, but perhaps they don't keep accurate records (?). Whatever. It's working now, and I only lost a bit of time, which I have a lot of as I'm retired.

 

[FJ73Texas]

TPMS sensors randomly undergo software changes and sometimes the P/N will change as well but not always. It is my experience that when the P/N does change, the old P/N will not work and become obsolete so they can not be mixed up.

 

[coleAK]

I have also been told from a good friend that owns a regional tire chain. With Toyota you should only use the OEM TPMS sensors. All the aftermarket ones are unreliable in a Toyota in his experience.

 

[KLF]

Hmm... well that seals that, glad I read this. Mine is a 9/14 build, too close. I have a 5th RW wheel and a new KO2 was delivered today from TireRack, was debating to just buy a new sensor instead of removing the sensor out of my spare, but now I'm gonna use the one out of the spare, since it is working. Thanks!

 

[mcgaskins]

Firestone just jacked up mine as well. I had them install a set of tires, and they broke one of my TPMS sensors and swapped in a junk one. Of course it wouldn’t read and actually none of them will read now, and they literally sent me on my way and said “good luck”. Just took in the truck for brakes, and the dealer has to special order a sensor and reprogram them. Really frustrating that these big tire chains are still pretty clueless about TPMS.

 

[John E Davies]

I have also been told from a good friend that owns a regional tire chain. With Toyota you should only use the OEM TPMS sensors. All the aftermarket ones are unreliable in a Toyota in his experience.

I was also told this by my Discount Tire service guy. He wanted to install Toyota sensors. I insisted on Schrader EZ Sensors with rubber stems, in all the new wheels, cloned to my old factory sensors in the winter wheels. That way I do not have reprogramming issues when I switch sets.

https://www.amazon.com/Schrader-33500-Sensor-Programmable-sensor/dp/B00TPVZNUW

Works great in my 2013, no problems whatsoever. I run five different IDs, two sets of four tires. I swap one snow tire to use as a spare in summer, vice versa in winter. I only need to store THREE wheels and tires off season. Both tires models are the exact same OD.

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[FJ73Texas]

Schrader supplies a lot of, (if not all) of the TPMS components to TRW (ZF), including the nuts and washers so I am not surprised that their programmable aftermarket sensors work in a Toyota.

 

[coleAK]

I was also told this by my Discount Tire service guy. He wanted to install Toyota sensors. I insisted on Schrader EZ Sensors with rubber stems, in all the new wheels, cloned to my old factory sensors in the winter wheels. That way I do not have reprogramming issues when I switch sets.

https://www.amazon.com/Schrader-33500-Sensor-Programmable-sensor/dp/B00TPVZNUW

Works great in my 2013, no problems whatsoever. I run five different IDs, two sets of four tires. I swap one snow tire to use as a spare in summer, vice versa in winter. I only need to store THREE wheels and tires off season. Both tires models are the exact same OD.

John Davies
Spokane WA

Thank you. I’ll ask him about them. So with these you don’t have to get them synched to the car when you change wheels over? I also have a ‘13 (LX) and it’s strange sometimes when I change my wheels over I just press the TPMS reset under the dash and I’m good. Other times I have to go to the dealer to get them re synched.

 

[chilibit]

The 2013 TPMS receiver will permit five transmitter codes. I run four different sets of wheels using cloned sensors. So all four sets have the same set of transmitter IDs. I never have to have anything reset. The only way to confuse things is to mistakenly mix wheel sets. That would lead to multiple wheels with the same ID and that earns you a "tilt." If you jump from LT tire pressures to P pressures or vice versa then you might have to do a reset under the dash. I don't do that so I cannot say for sure.

 

[coleAK]

Thanks. I run LTs on my summer wheels and p on my winter wheels pressure is about 10 psi differnace. I’ll have to look into cloned sensors next time I need to get new tires. Are you using the schrader ones as well?

 

[chilibit]

I don't know the brand of sensors. I am fairly certain it was not Schrader. If you would like I will ask them as I will visit them on Monday next. They have perhaps done 40 wheels on a half dozen vehicles and I have never had a hiccup on anything. Just as it should be IMHO. Frankly, I think it is the people more than hardware. The average grasp of TPMS is shockingly low.

 

[coleAK]

Thanks. You don’t need to check. I’m going to switch to my summe wheels/tires in 4-6 weeks and I’ll see how it goes.

 

[John E Davies]

Thank you. I’ll ask him about them. So with these you don’t have to get them synched to the car when you change wheels over? I also have a ‘13 (LX) and it’s strange sometimes when I change my wheels over I just press the TPMS reset under the dash and I’m good. Other times I have to go to the dealer to get them re synched.

With one OEM and one cloned EZ Sensor, the TPMS computer can't distinguish one wheel from the other. If you replace a winter tire with a summer one with identical coding, there should be no hickups. ... as long as you don’t try mounting or transporting duplicates. Then the system will get mixed up. So if your display is wacky when driving home with newly cloned sensors in the rear, it should settle down when you store the unused set away from the truck.

John Davies
Spokane WA