Toyota trouble light

[Rick Potter]

Really off topic, and I am NOT talking about the gas pedal problem Toyota is dealing with.

We had a flat with our 04 Toyota Sienna minivan. This caused the light showing a pic of a tire to come on. After changing the tire, the tire dealer said he took care of the light, but it comes on after driving a few miles.

Anybody know the secret handshake for getting the light reset. Something like honk the horn twice, step on the brake 23 times and whistle Dixie backwards, I suppose.

I hate to think about going to the Toyota service dept right now, I am sure they are swamped.

This one is a real test of the Creeks knowlege base.

Rick Potter

[Mike Cutler]

Rick

2004 is a little early, but you don't by chance have any type of a TPMS(Tire Pressure Monitor System) do you, that needs to be reset? According to Google some models came with it. If so you need to check all four tire pressures and make sure that they are equal, and within the pressure outlined in your owners manual, then reset the system per your owners manual. According to the Toyota Forum, you have a reset on your steering column if you have the system.

If you don't feel like taking it back to the dealer, see if you can find someone with an OBD, Car diagnostic device, and see what code is being kept. I would just call the dealer. Given a heads up they can have a tech check the codes and reset it for you if that is how the indicator light is generated.

[Robert Parrish]

Rick, I have a 2007 Tacoma and get the TPMS light occasionally which indicates that a tire is low. In my case it is always the spare. There is a button on the left side of the steering column under the dash to turn it off. Also the tire dealer could have messed up the sensor in the tire.

[Mike Morgan]

I have an "04 Sienna with tire pressure sensor. To reset it, turn the ignition on but don't start it. Press and hold the "set" button located in the left lower dash panel next to the door switches until the light goes out.
The sensor detects differences in wheel speed rotation on each axle, so tires on front or rear must be the same type and have the same amount of wear and have the same inflation. I hope this helps.

[Mitchell Andrus]

The sensor detects differences in wheel speed rotation on each axle,

You're kidding me.
.

[Mike Cutler]

You're kidding me.
.

Nope.
Mid year 2007 all cars had to have a direct pressure tire sensor. Prior to that it measured the time it took the wheel to come around and compared it to the other wheels. The faster the wheel sensor makes a rotation when compared to the others is determined to be a fault or flat.

New cars have a transmitter at the valve stem, internal to the tire, mounted on the wheel. The valve stem is actually the antenna.

[George Lesniak]

You're kidding me.
.

Mitchell,

Mike is correct. The tire pressure monitoring system in your vehicle does not use pressure sensors in each tire like newer vehicles. It's a little more complicated than just measuring rotational speed from the anti-lock brake wheel speed sensors but that is the general idea.

George

[Dave Johnson29]

You're kidding me.
.

Nope, that's what the stability control also monitors. Check the User's manual and it will tell you to replace all 4 tires at the same time otherwise the stability control will disable itself. It uses the pulse modulator for the ABS system to monitor rotational speed.

Ain't technology grand?

[Matt Meiser]

Black tape over the light?

From what I understand, at least on some brands, the wheel mounted pressure sensors have a non-replaceable battery too. So when the battery dies you have to replace the whole thing which you can bet won't be cheap. I can imagine that part of the reason is that the extreme temperature cycles, a life of spinning in circles while hitting potholes, and other factors probably limit the life of the device and this is a good way to force replacement.

All because people are too lazy to use a $2.99 tire pressure gauge, but more than happy to sue when they fail to do so.

[Mike Cutler]

Black tape over the light?

From what I understand, at least on some brands, the wheel mounted pressure sensors have a non-replaceable battery too. So when the battery dies you have to replace the whole thing which you can bet won't be cheap. I can imagine that part of the reason is that the extreme temperature cycles, a life of spinning in circles while hitting potholes, and other factors probably limit the life of the device and this is a good way to force replacement.

All because people are too lazy to use a $2.99 tire pressure gauge, but more than happy to sue when they fail to do so.

Matt

There's a little more to it than simply being lazy, but that is a good point. They are also not cheap. I think about $38.00 each for the ones on my car.
With the newer run flat tires you can't visually detect a flat quite as easily as a traditional tire. The side walls are much more rigid. The TPMS picks it up quickly.
The TPMS detects a lower pressure condition much earlier than you would feel the flat through a change in handling, thus alerting you that you have a problem. If a person doesn't pull over to investigate, well that's on them, but you better believe that the little black box on the car is going to store that data.
I see it both ways, as an intrusion and as a valid safety feature. I like it on our car that has it. It's only gone off once on me, when all 4 tires were running about 4-6 psi cold low. That car has run flats.

[Scott Donley]

All because people are too lazy to use a $2.99 tire pressure gauge,

I have 4 of these and they all give a different reading ! My light came on once on my 09 after a week of sub 32 temps. Checked all the tires with the gauge that I thought was the best one, had to put air in one, still had the light. Took it to a tire dealer and had them check them. 5 pounds low on all 4. Filled them up and no more light. He did tell me to expect 5 to 7 years from the sensors and cost about 100 apiece to replace ! I really need to find a good gauge.

[Paul Ryan]

You can thank the Kerfuffel with tire pressure on our friends at Ford and Firestone. After the disaster between those 2 companies over the tires that failed due to low tire pressure. Uncle Sam though it would be a good idea if every car made 2007 or later would have a system to monitor tire pressures. Personally I think it is a valuable system. Instead of driving too long on a punctured tire causing side wall damage, you no soon enough to have the leak repaired, instead of having to buy a new tire. But it is another item that adds cost to the vehicles. Higher end vehicles will tell you what tire is low, the lower end systems just tell you A tire is low.

[Rick Moyer]

Ain't technology grand?

Yeah, usually several grand!!

[Jeff Monson]

Tire pressure monitor systems are a great thing, you guys must realize the vast majority of the population doesnt know how to check tire pressures let alone fill them. Driving on a partial flat is a hazard, its mandated by the gov. to be standard equipment on vehicles today. I've personally seen very few failures on these systems other than low tire psi. My only complaint is that the warning indicator on some cars doesnt give the driver a clear picture of what the light means. I think "LOW TIRE PRESSURE" would be more appropriate.

[Rick Potter]

Mike Morgan, who has a van just like mine and showed me buttons I never new I had.

Thanks all, The Creek hits another home run. Someday I will find something I can stump you guys on.

Rick Potter