2006 Prius Wheel Problem

[MyPria]

Hi Prius Chatters,
Just thought I would let all you 2006 owners and future owners in on a problem I just encountered. The only wheels you can use on a 2006 Prius are factory 2006 Prius wheels.

I just bought a 2006 Prius and negotiated with the salesman and the general manager to put my snow tires that are currently on my 2005 Prius mounted on their own Prius factory wheels on my new 2006. I was told, no problem. Well I went in to have the switch work done and the Prius tech said, there's a problem. The 2005 wheels don't have a sensor for the new tire pressure monitor on the 2006 and if I tried to use them anyway I would VOID my Toyota warranty. Was I freaked. NO one told me this when I bought the car and made changing out the wheels and tires a requirement of purchase. I paid a lot of money to have a 2nd set of factory wheels for my snow tires because I'm not in to the headache of changing out the rubber at a service station. I want to go out to my garage and just change the wheels and be on my way. Well, to make a long story short the ONLY wheels you can use on the 2006 are factory 2006 Prius wheels, no after market, no 2005 Prius wheels, no NOTHING but 2006 Prius factory.

The dealer was very sorry, but he or no one but the tech knew. I called Toyota and filed a complaint and was told the same thing. Only factory wheels, folks. If you want to have your tire pressure light on all the time and risk voiding your warranty, be my guest.

[Howard]

Did you ask the Toyota service rep, if you could buy a pair of extra tire pressure sensors for your snow tire rims?

[MyPria]

I did. The 05 wheels don't have the groove to mount the sensors, so they can't be added.

[flynz4]

Originally posted by MyPria@Jan 12 2006, 06:10 PM
I did.  The 05 wheels don't have the groove to mount the sensors, so they can't be added.

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I have two sets of wheels for each of my two 2006 Prii. However... I only have 2 total sets of tire pressure sensors (one set for each car). My winter wheels are not stock Toyota wheels.

Currently, Toyota is out of stock for tire pressure sensors... and they are a whopping $106 each. I plan to get 8 more. In the mean time... the tire dealer took the sensors out of my stock wheels, and put them into the aftermarket winter wheels. They work just fine. They are built into the valve stem.

I have seen nothing in the owners manual that would indicate that changing wheels would void a warranty. This sounds very fishy to me.

/Jim

[Three60guy]

My dealer changed the OEMs on my new 06 to Goodyear Assurance Comfortreds. They said nothing about the issues you brought to light. They merely took off the OEM's and put the new ones on. Tire pressure monitor was then merely reset. Case closed.

[MyPria]

I called Toyota customer care after I left the dealership yesterday and was told I could not add sensors to the 2005 wheels because there was a built in groove for them that the 2005 wheels did not have and I would void the warranty (if there was a problem with the sensor light & the computer). It only would void the warranty if something went wrong with the computer because the sensor light was left on (which it will do, if there is no sensor in the rim) Who is putting the sensors on your after market wheels? I'm sick about not being able to use my existing rims with my snow tires. Any help would be appreciated.

[MyPria]

Originally posted by Three60guy@Jan 12 2006, 07:40 PM
My dealer changed the OEMs on my new 06 to Goodyear Assurance Comfortreds.  They said nothing about the issues you brought to light.  They merely took off the OEM's and put the new ones on.  Tire pressure monitor was then merely reset.  Case closed.

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Hi Three60guy

I'm talking about rims not tires.

[flynz4]

Originally posted by MyPria@Jan 12 2006, 06:50 PM
I called Toyota customer care after I left the dealership yesterday and was told I could not add sensors to the 2005 wheels because there was a built in groove for them that the 2005 wheels did not have and I would void the warranty (if there was a problem with the sensor light & the computer).  It only would void the warranty if something went wrong with the computer because the sensor light was left on (which it will do, if there is no sensor in the rim) Who is putting the sensors on your after market wheels?  I'm  sick about not being able to use my existing rims with my snow tires.  Any help would be appreciated.

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MyPria,
My tire dealer is Les Schwab which is a huge tire company here in the pacific northwest. The simply took the sensors from my 2006 standard wheels, and installed them into the aftermarket winter wheels for the cars. The sensors work perfectly.

/Jim

[DocVijay]

Originally posted by flynz4@Jan 12 2006, 08:31 PM
the tire dealer took the sensors out of my stock wheels, and put them into the aftermarket winter wheels.  They work just fine.  They are built into the valve stem.

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There you go.



Toyota CANNOT void your warranty for using aftermarket wheels. It's law. But that shouldn't even be a problem. If you've seen the sensor, it sits flat agains the rim, it doesn't need a groove to fit in. Putting a grove nto the wheel would structurally compromise it. Dealerships are always threatening to void your warranty for one thing or another. The finance manager tried to convince me to get the prepaid maintainance plan, as going to Jiffy Lube or some other shop would void my whole warranty becuase they could not guarantee they did it right. Total and complete BS. He's lucky I didn't walk out then and there. Whenever the dealership says something will void your warranty, don't beleive them. The Magnusson-Moss Warranty act prevents this. Only if Toyota provides free replacement parts, can they void your warranty for using aftermarket. If not, and they charge you for parts (wheels, oil, air filters, whatever) then you as a consumer can go to whomever you want for parts. Only if said part directly causes a failure in another part, then the warranty on ONLY THAT FAILED PART IS VOID, the rest of the car is still under warranty. As for the TPMS, there is no reason the computer would fail by having the indicator on. THe system does not contro any other part of the car or even influence any other part of the car.

I plan on switcing my wheels for aftermarket wheels. The dealership agreed to do it, but only after they made it clear that it would affect my mileage.

I'm taking it to a tire shop on moday though, as they can do it cheaper.

[MyPria]

Originally posted by flynz4@Jan 12 2006, 08:13 PM
MyPria,
My tire dealer is Les Schwab which is a huge tire company here in the pacific northwest.  The simply took the sensors from my 2006 standard wheels, and installed them into the aftermarket winter wheels for the cars.  The sensors work perfectly.

/Jim

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flynz4,

Thanks for the info. I live in Colorado Springs and we don't have Les Schwab tire stores here but I'll see if the dealer can call them tomorrow and and get instructions on how to do the same thing. Hopefully that will work. I wonder why Toyota customer care was so adament about 06 factory rims only. Very frustrating.