2009 Lexus ES
Just put my summer tires/wheels back on and how do I make the low tire pressure light to go off? These wheels have sensors that were registered at the dealer when purchased. Do I have reset the system by deflating to the trigger point or should the computer remember the data from last fall when I took them off?
The button to switch from the main set of transmitters to 2nd set is located below the glove box (above the passengers toes). Set the button back to “main” and inflate all five tires to the proper pressure (30 PSI cold).
You mean I don’t have to first reset by deflating them to low setting which will trigger the warning light?
If the transmitters are still registered, not overwritten when the winter tires were installed the receiver will recognize the transmitters when the button is switched to main. The low pressure thresholds will remain as they were before. You can “initialize” the TPM system if you wish, this will reset the low pressure thresholds. The instructions are in the owners manual.
Winter set didn’t have the TPMS so the warning light was always on. Button is on main and I set the PSI at 30 but the light’s still on. Do I have to drive it for a while?
Yes, you have to drive for a few minutes for the light to extinguish
That is how Toyota does things
As others have said, read the owner’s manual for the exact procedure
But the car must be driven for the light to go away
The car may need to be moved to “wake-up” the transmitters. If the car has been driven and the warning light is still on the low pressure thresholds might be set above 30 PSI. Performing the initialization procedure will reset the the low pressure thresholds (to 6 PSI below current pressure).
Sometimes people initialize the system with 45PSI in the spare tire, then the warning light will be on at 39PSI and lower making it difficult to find the cause.
I forgot to check the PSI of spare tire. Would that be the possible cause as well?
Yup. Your spare most likely has a sensor in it, and the module is probably looking at all 5 sensors
So I’d have to drive with low PSI until the light goes off then inflate to proper setting?
There is no need to drive on under inflated tires. Did you inflate the spare tire ?
They were all at 34psi and I drove this morning for 45mins. Light never went off.
If the light is flashing there is a fault detected by the module. Be sure the switch is set to “main”.
The following is from the owners manual. Initialize the TPM system with cold tires set to pressure.
How to initialize the tire pressure warning system
Park the vehicle in safe place and turn the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch OFF.
While the vehicle is moving, initialization is not performed.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire inflation
pressure level. (→P. 429)
Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire inflation
pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will operate based on
this pressure level.
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to IGNITION ON
mode.
Push and hold the tire pressure
warning reset switch until the tire
pressure warning light blinks
slowly 3 times.
Wait for a few minutes with the IGNITION ON mode, and then
turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch OFF.
Yes it’s flashes for a min when I turn the car on then stays on steadily. Switch is on main and I set the psi to 30 like the manual says. I will follow this instruction again after driving home and hopefully it’ll go off. Thank you for trying so hard to help!
Nevada has posted the exact protocol, it’s the same as in my 2005 Scion and is Toyota’s protocol for reinitializing their vehicles of that vintage.
Do NOT turn the engine on… only turn the key to the ON position. The push and hold the reset switch in the glove compartment until t he TPMS switch blinks three times.
Then let go, turn the key to OFF, and the system will reestablish its baselines on your next trip.
"and the system will reestablish its baselines on your next trip. "
If there’s no problem with any of the sensors, and if the spare is correctly inflated
A lot of ifs
You have a fault in the system when the light flashes then comes on steady. Most likely a sensor is in sleep mode or its battery has died. The life of the sensor battery is roughly 10 years on a car where the tires are kept properly inflated. The sensor battery life is reduced dramatically if the tires are run low or left flat. To check if your sensors are in sleep mode you will need to deflate each tire for 15 seconds and then re-inflate the tires to the proper pressure. This will take the sensor out of sleep mode. If after doing this the light still will not reset you most likely have a failed sensor. You will need to find a shop at that point that can diagnose the sensors.