TPMS: Is it Really All or Nothing? and Caster (1 Viewer)

[Goldbug]

I just did a lift and got new tires. My TPMS was having intermittent issues reading the spare about 6 months ago and then went to consistently just showing a fault.

I asked the tire shop to check the TPMS and likely replace the one in the spare. They did and said the old one was loose inside the spare, but it still shows an error. I brought it back in today and they’re going to try again.

I’ve read on here you have to replace all of them? Is that true? Seems like something BMW would require, not Toyota. It’s a 2011 with 196k miles on it but generally in excellent condition.

 

[TheBussman]

no you don't have to replace all however it's very common that when one sensor has a low battery then the other sensors on the car probably also have low batteries and it can make the most since to replace them all.

 

[Goldbug]

no you don't have to replace all however it's very common that when one sensor has a low battery then the other sensors on the car probably also have low batteries and it can make the most since to replace them all.

Thanks. Since they said the one in the spare was busted up, I'm hoping they can get it working. They said something about it showing a duplicate when they first replaced it on Saturday. Wondering if that's because the old one was nearby and perhaps still reading somehow.

 

[rlynch356]

No you can just replace the one, and via tech stream (and probably tire shop tools) recode the sensor. They are pretty cheap, I bought a full OEM set of 5 on eBay. when I did my wheel swap and just recoded them at home.
the old one needs to be away from the truck, for instance mine was still picking up my spare tire and throwing a fault when I would drive off./ The spare sitting in the garage while I was doing the rear bumper, all 5 would read when it was close to it. If you cloned the sensor it would be reading 2 of them I imagine.

 

[TheBussman]

If it's been to a shop that doesn't know that there is a sensor in the spare sometimes they can code in the new sensor wrong and make a duplicate on accident. I've seen it a few times.

 

[thabruiser]

Like someone said earlier, the main reason it is recommended to do all, if one fails, is that all your sensors are the same age. Kind of like replacing all your tires due to age, even if they have good tread. I will say that often replacing the failing sensor alone is all that is needed. But there is a PID on Techstream and our TPMS scanner that tells you whether or not the battery is good (I assume based on signal strength). When I am replacing one or more sensors for a customer, I will usually advise replacement (or not) of additional tire sensors based on what that read-out says.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

You certainly do not need to replace all of them. However, on my LX, if even one sensor is acting up and is unreadable, I don't get information from ANY sensors, and instead the LX shows a TPMS error.

I literally had this with my current (winter) set of tires a few months ago. One sensor died, so I went on Amazon, got a ~$45 aftermarket Autel MX sensor, programmed it with my own Autel TPMS programming tool, had a shop install it in the tire, and drove off.

It's also important that all FIVE TPMS IDs are correctly programmed in your vehicle. Many tire shops' tools don't allow them to program five IDs, so they only program the four, and that results in a yellow caution light and non-functioning TPMS. When they program the first four IDs, their tools ERASE the fifth, resulting in this problem. Don't ask me how I know that.

If you want to re-program the vehicle with all five IDs you have to have either Toyota/Lexus do it, or get a bootleg copy of Techstream and the appropriate cables (not all cables can do it!). It's a headache.

 

[Goldbug]

Thanks very much everyone, super helpful. Supposedly they got them all working, will pick it up on a few hours.

Sounds like caster is off though and they can’t fix it. So that’s next…

 

[NikP]

Not sure how they showed a duplicate... I know Techstream won't let you save one ID to two sensor slots. I'm not sure if the duplication check is a TPMS control module feature or a Techstream check.

 

[bloc]

with all five IDs you have to have either Toyota/Lexus do it, or get a bootleg copy of Techstream and the appropriate cables (not all cables can do it!). It's a headache.

Or a cheap Carista Bluetooth OBD module and temporary subscription to their pro level software. Quite simple and affordable.

Though yes techstream is a better option opening much more avenues for vehicle diagnostics & programming.

 

[TheBussman]

The aftermarket sensors can have the original IDs cloned. That's what most tire shops use and that's also what I use in most cases. It is possible to clone the same sensor twice. let me guess the adjustment cams are seized in the bushings and they cant turn them to fix the castor?

 

[bloc]

Note that the aftermarket clones are widely regarded as not nearly as high quality as the originals or Denso/Pacific Industry sensors that are made for Toyota.

What you gain in convenience you pay for in longevity/reliabiltiy.

 

[Goldbug]

The aftermarket sensors can have the original IDs cloned. That's what most tire shops use and that's also what I use in most cases. It is possible to clone the same sensor twice. let me guess the adjustment cams are seized in the bushings and they cant turn them to fix the castor?

I suspect that could be. I was unable to get one of the bolts/nuts on the drivers LCA loose at all. Broke a breaker bar in fact. Would that account for it wanting to pull hard left? Shop said "we can't adjust caster, tech says they don't have the right wrench" which seems really odd to me. I would think they have all the wrenches.

 

[chriscosta416]

Deno/Pacific industries are available and are about 25$ a piece.

 

[Goldbug]

Deno/Pacific industries are available and are about 25$ a piece.

The manager of the shop felt bad that I had to come back more than once, so she gave me the alignment, mounting, balancing and TPMS for free. It's definitely aftermarket, but it was free. Now I have to figure out the caster though, if that's what the remaining problem is. Hoping I don't have to get new UCAs just because the lift came in more like 3" than 2".

 

[TheBussman]

possible that it's making it pull depends on what the numbers are. If your lower control arm adjustments are seized i would replace the cams and bushings first before thinking about upper arms.

 

[bloc]

The manager of the shop felt bad that I had to come back more than once, so she gave me the alignment, mounting, balancing and TPMS for free. It's definitely aftermarket, but it was free. Now I have to figure out the caster though, if that's what the remaining problem is. Hoping I don't have to get new UCAs just because the lift came in more like 3" than 2".

2" lift on stock UCA's is pushing it.