thinking ahead to winter (wheels and tires)

Has anyone tried programmable TPMS senors? It probably only makes send if you can keep your winter and summer tires awhile. I guess there would be the convenience of being able to wait until you truly need snow tires to put on the snow tires, and the years where winter never shows up you just won't use snow tires.

 

Now that you mention: I believe someone here, sorry can't remember precisely and there's a slew of threads: I believe he programmed TPMS on TWO sets of rims, so that subsequently either could be mounted and the car recognized them, without further intervention. If true: Nirvana, lol.

 

Plus Toyota is not easy to reprogram, you have to buy $150 tool to do it. Aftermarket TPMS are ~$30-35ea, so you looking at $300 for sensors on top of the rims. Plus tires

 

So you invested the $150 in the tool. But once you use it, you should not need it for awhile if ever. But there are likely people who live near you that have yet to pay $150 for the same device. Have you thought about reprogramming TPMS devices for $30 for a set of tires. It probably won't take long to break even and probably make a profit.

 

Probably no. If someone needs it on regular bases for winter tires, they would get a tool, and if you need it b/c sensor went dead you're probably paying someone to do the fix.

Your best bet is a group buy, you buy a share in tool.

BTW if you need to use it you are welcome to, but I am likely not in your area.

 

You are probably not in southwestern Pennsylvania, but if enough people made the investment and
let people know that they have the device. They could perhaps go to a site where people all own the
same car and find someone in their area who made the investment or someone who wants to use the
tool but not own it.

 

Hmm, is the greatest US to Canada stampede since the Vietnam war era set to start? Just read this delightful news from Transport Canada:

Ask TC Road Safety - Transport Canada

There's some "hand off" to the provinces in the above articles, regarding regulations for TPMS on snow tires. BC at least, appears to be in line with the fed's, TPMS not mandatory:

Tire Pressure Management Systems | DriveSmartBC

 

Surprisingly I am close enough Wash DC area. And I have the tool which I got a couple years ago.

 

Does the tool allow the car to recognize both sets of tpms, without further intervention? Or does it need to be re-used, with every swap: regular, to snows, to regular, and so on.

Still, you guy's are just enabling Toyota, to foist an onerous system on customers. Stop being so cheerful and upbeat.

 

You have to re-write sensor serial numbers every time you change.

 

I guess I was under the impression that you could clone one set onto another and not need the tool every time you change your tires. If Toyota loved us they would retroactively add the TPMS tool as a feature in every car, instead on yet another gizmo that we can buy...

 

Shrader EZ-sensor allows you to duplicate your OEM code, but the sensor is $50 and the TECH400SD programming tool is $1,600. You use it once and then have the set you can take off and put on any time. I suppose you can find a shop to do it for you, it is doubtful they will charge less then $100 to do all 4 sensors. At $100 + 4 * $50 you have the same $300. And what are you going to do if your OEM sensor is damaged and cannot be copied?

EZ-sensor programming: Programming EZ-sensor® - Schrader USA

I've used $150 ATEQ QuickSet TPMS Reset Tool. It allows to read and re-write codes in ECU. Replacement for broken sensor was $30-35 from RockAuto.

 

I think Yaris rims are the same and should fit. Used ones ~$50 check craiglist, local junkyard or fleeBay. But then TireRack sells 15" AL hoops for ~$75

 

I own a Prius c One and my VIN is xxxxxxb3xxxxxxxxx. I am taking this from my California Certificate of Title ("pink slip"), so I believe this to be correct.

B3 in positions 7 and 8 most probably means a Prius c (ANY trim level ... One, Two, Three or Four).

I would suggest buying new or new-ish rims from the owner of a lower trim level c who has recently upgraded to performance tires.

I live in California, and we haven't had rain, much less snow, in years, so I'm not likely to upgrade. Really no need to.

 

there are a couple discussions on Yaris, Fit and Saturn steel wheel fit:
Test Fit of Wheels on a Prius c | Page 2 | PriusChat
Rim for Prius C | PriusChat

I think at 6" they might be 0.5" wider than OEM 5.5".

 

What's the price on Prius c steel rims, just through dealership?

 

Ask them and post: be interesting to know.

Some dealerships may be be more flexible than others. When I was in similar situation 4 years or so back, I phoned our purchase dealership enquiring re steel rims for snows, and got completely stonewalled: the Prius (hatchback) was a flagship vehicle, no steel rims available, alloys $350 per, and so on.

I carpet-emailed every nearby dealership, and one came back with "we think Corolla steel rims will work". They worked fine, $70 each. Again, they advised AGAINST TPMS, not that they needed to: they were preaching to the choir.

Anyway, if you don't get the answers you want from one dealership, try others, assuming your location has more than one.

 

As a side note: there are alot of people from MA who seems to be happy with Nokian WGR2/WGR3 used all year around. These puppies rule