My wife and I just bought a used '07 Toyota Sienna. We live in Maine and I like to run different tires in the winter. For previous cars I’ve bought Tires and wheels so I can change the tires myself. However, this is the first vehicle I’ve owned with a tire pressure sensing system in it. What I’m wondering is can I just buy a second set of steel wheels (OEM’s are steel right now) from anyplace, or do I need to look for something special so the tire pressure system still works properly.
My understanding that the active part of a tire pressure monitoring system is in the valve stems. Price out valve stems and see if you want to continue.
Here’s a good posting on the subject from a Sienna forum. My 2006 Sienna measures tire rotation to determine indirectly if a tire pressure is low, however the 2007+ models went to a direct pressure measurement using a sensor in each rim.
http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=18227&hl=tire+pressure+monitoring
Ed B.
Check tirerack.com for competitive prices on rims and tires delivered mounted balanced. They also have info & sell TPMS related items.
Thanks for the info guys. It looks like each tire has a pressure sensor at each valve stem as you had mentioned. I would be able to purchase new sensors, however I would need to get Toyota to key in a code for the new sensors each time I swap out the tires and rims. Ugh, I can only image what this would cost twice a year. Also there is the initial investment of the sensors which seem to cost more then the $55 I would spend on the rims. So right now I’m debating between two options.
Option 1: Spend an extra $350 to $400 to get these sensors, and God knows how much each year to "change tires"
Option 2: Just buy new tires, no rims and get these put on the old rims (twice a year)
Option 3: Don’t buy the sensors and invest in a $0.50 of black electrical tape to cover the flashing warning light on the dash.
hmmmm… I leaning towards option 3 right now.
Brad
Hahahaha, dub… I say I debate between 2 options, yet I post 3 options… DOAH!!!
For Corvette in 1999 we set the driver information center to one of the tire pressure options(there was a menu) and then held a magnet to the valve stem. A horn honk verified system was reading that tire. Took 5 min.Did Toyota muck-up the process? I dont think this process was in the owners manual,but it was in the factory service manual.With Toyota does the vehicle need to be hooked to some type of programing device? Iam trying to justify the cost. I dont think its right for the dealer to with hold these simple programing procedures and then charge for them. But to give Toyota the benifit of the doubt,is the procedure in the owners manual? does it require a scanner hook-up or can it be done with the vehicles on-board capabilites?
That’s a really good question. I hadn’t thought to look in the owner’s manual. I was also thinking of buying a service manual (the Haynes or Chilton’s version). If I am able to program them myself, that I will totally buy the sensors. I just hate the recurring costs. So if for $1000 I’m all set for 3 or 4 years, I’m happy.
I’ll keep you posted if I find anything out. Thanks for the tip!
Brad