# Tire Scanner? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** tires\ **Created:** [April 7, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656 "2008-04-07T17:52:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![steve181](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@steve181](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steve181)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/1 "2008-04-07T17:52:01Z")
Does anyone make a device to hold near my 5 tire valves to determine which is low and hence turning on the light(2008 Lexus RX-350)? This would be a great device to save time. Steve ---
**Author:** ![wizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wizard](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wizard)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/2 "2008-04-07T17:56:29Z")
Not that I know of. Just check the pressure on all tires including the spare when the light comes on or once a month. Somebody will probablycome up with that pretty soon. H will probably the one who does not like getting down on his knees. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/3 "2008-04-07T18:01:40Z")
How much time will it save you???..3 minutes TOPS??? ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/4 "2008-04-07T18:43:44Z")
Would you be willing to pay $200 for such a device? Use it once a year to avoid checking the pressure by hand? I thought not. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/5 "2008-04-07T19:02:06Z")
wait a minute. your car already has a system to tell you when tire pressure is low and needs to be checked. and now you want another gizmo so you don’t have to get down there and actually measure which tire it is? i’ll tell you how to do it. LOOK at the tires. compare the bulge on the sidewalls. as long as the car is on a flat and level ground then the large bulge will tell you which is low. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/6 "2008-04-07T19:08:07Z")
Your car already has a low tire pressure warning system for the tires currently on the pavement. You can buy a pop-up low pressure warning device at a parts store to put on your spare and just check it visually occasionally. You won’t find one that will automatically trip your warning light. ---
**Author:** ![steve181](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@steve181](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steve181)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/7 "2008-04-07T23:39:20Z")
To all commenters. It takes about 3-4 minutes per tire for the 4 tires and about 15 minutes to get at the spare, since in an RX-350 it needs to be cranked down. That is about 30 minutes total about every 3 months or so. I already looked for the bulges - you can’t see a 1-2 lb difference that way. It would be worth around $100 for such a widget - more if it worked on multiple cars. I don’t need it to reset the system since the car has a button for that. I just need it to tell me which of the 5 valve transmitters is in the ‘on’ state. Does anyone know how they work? For example do they detune a tuned circuit which is than accessed from the car? Or are they interrogated via RF like a toll transponder? Thanks, Steve ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/8 "2008-04-07T23:49:10Z")
I don’t know of any devise that would tell you which tire. I still think it is something that is not worth it. Lets say you have to check your tires every 3 months, that is 4 times a year. $100/4=$25. Paying a neighbor kid $20 to check it for you when the light goes on and you will end up ahead and not have to keep track of another expensive single-use gadget. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/9 "2008-04-07T23:50:30Z")
3-4 minutes PER TIRE? I understand the spare, mine’s a pain as well. But, I can check all 4 tires mounted on my cars and trucks inside of 2 minutes per vehicle. And that includes removing and replacing the valve stem caps. If I have to add air, then it takes me 2-4 minutes a tire. I routinely check the tire pressures at least once a month. Now that both the working car and truck have new shoes, I generally finish the pressure check on both in 5 mins. I haven’t had to adjust the pressure yet in the last 2 months with the fresh rubber. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/10 "2008-04-08T00:13:36Z")
I believe you’re thinking of something like this. Watch the demo and it’ll explain how it works. [http://ktipst.com/](http://ktipst.com/) Tester ---
**Author:** ![steve181](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@steve181](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steve181)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/11 "2008-04-08T00:27:17Z")
You forgot about the following years. if you keep the car for 7 years and check 4 x per year, that is 28 times or about $4 per test. If you have a second car that lowers the cost even more. if you split the cost with a neigbor that reduces it again. It looks like the post at the end found a device. Steve ---
**Author:** ![steve181](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@steve181](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steve181)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/12 "2008-04-08T00:28:57Z")
You are very fast, and at age 65 I can’t compete. 4 tires in 2 minutes is 30 seconds per tire. I’m impressed! Steve ---
**Author:** ![BarryNNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BarryNNJ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BarryNNJ)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/13 "2008-04-08T00:30:46Z")
Well, someone should answer your question, however strange it may seem. You can go to Ateq tools at (hope the link works): [http://www.ateq.com/T.P.M.S/ATEQ\_TPMS\_Home.html?gclid=CLvikfqXypICFQ1aQAodIiSaYA](http://www.ateq.com/T.P.M.S/ATEQ_TPMS_Home.html?gclid=CLvikfqXypICFQ1aQAodIiSaYA) for example. Or you can do a web search on tpms diagnostic tools and find another brand. Look at the linked tool and don’t listen to these technophobes, late adopters, and other generally practical people [insert smilies here]. Very cool tool and way cooler than a mechanical tire valve gauge. Point it at the tire and push to activate and read. All for under $200! ---
**Author:** ![steve181](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@steve181](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steve181)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/14 "2008-04-08T00:31:15Z")
Thanks Tester. That looks like the right gadget. I’ll check pricing, but I’m afraid its priced for the service shop market. I note that its made in Wixim Mi. That was where my first new car - a 63 T bird Conv. came from. Hopefully the tester is a better design than that car. Steve ---
**Author:** ![steve181](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@steve181](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steve181)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/15 "2008-04-08T00:52:04Z")
Thanks Barry. The VT10 looks like it might do. I’ll check on it. Steve ---
**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/16 "2008-04-08T01:00:46Z")
I over inflate spares that take a long time to get to and I don’t check them that often. I plan on checking the inflation before I drive significantly if I have to put it on. I put note on them in case someone borrows my car. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/17 "2008-04-08T01:02:01Z")
OK, at $189+$30.33(S&H)=$219.33 for the cheapest scanner: $219.33/$20=10.9665. You would need to do pay some kid 11 times at $20 a time to be in the black. You could probably get the kid to add air to the low tire as well, further reducing time needed. The $20 was a high number as well, I worked at a gas station before and if someone came in and told me he would give me $5 to check their tire pressure and add air to a tire I would have done it in a heartbeat; 1/2 an hours pay made in 10 minutes or less. It probably doesn’t always take 1/2 hour for you to check, unless it is always the spare and you check it last. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/18 "2008-04-08T13:25:58Z")
Well you’re only 10 years older then I am and I easily do all 4 tires in 2-3 minutes…4 minutes per tire means it takes you 15 minutes to check the tires. What do you do…check one tire then rest for 3 minutes?? Then check the other tire??? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/19 "2008-04-08T19:44:39Z")
Cool, but you need to check what system your car uses. Most now, including the Toyotas I’ve seen, are using the wheel speed sensors and tripping when a sigificant wheel speed difference is detected. They don’t use pressure sensors. The sensor Tester linked to will not trigger these systems. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-scanner/12656/20 "2008-04-08T19:51:41Z")
Cool. This is the first autonomous units I’ve seen.