1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Not sure what this warning light signifies

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Sierra_Lady, Sep 19, 2021.

  1. Sierra_Lady

    Sierra_Lady Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2019
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Aptos Ca
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    N/A
    I looked in the owner's manual, but still could not identify it. Someone said they thought it related to air pressure and I did have someone add air to my tires recently.

    The warning light in question is the bracketed yellow exclamation mark on the right.

    Can anyone tell me for sure what that light represents, and what I should do about it?

    Thanks in advance.

    SL dashboard light question.jpg
     
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,767
    16,016
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That looks like the Low Tire Pressure Warning light.

    Once you’ve set your pressures, locate the reset button.
     
    Air_Boss likes this.
  3. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,473
    4,373
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
  4. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,842
    3,099
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    In addition, make sure that you don't have a nail or some object in the tire causing a (slow) leak.

    Otherwise, adding air to the tire will only solve the problem temporarily.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    Air_Boss likes this.
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,069
    14,973
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Yup. It's an exclamation point, between the sidewalls of a tire, with a little tire tread at the bottom.

    100% obvious and intuitive, right? :rolleyes:
     
  6. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2017
    718
    284
    0
    Location:
    philadelphia
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    I have been waiting for an opportunity to post this. For my 59th birthday, I received the following T-shirt:

    My favorites are:
    Row 1, Col 2: Drunk Robot
    Row 1, Col 3: Cyclone in Car
    Row 2, Col 1: Stop Traveling With Beach Balls
    Row 2, Col 5: Lanky Dalik
    Row 3, Col 1: The Genie Is Ready

    WarningLights.jpg
     
  7. burrito

    burrito Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2021
    274
    114
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The genie has come?
     
  8. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2017
    718
    284
    0
    Location:
    philadelphia
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    I just had to look up what ESP means. It stands for:

    Electronic Stability Programme (AKA Electronic Stability Control in the US)
    I should have realised (ahem, realized) that the T-shirt was thought up by a Brit or an Aussie. I mean "Really Bloody Fast Comets"?
     
  9. Sierra_Lady

    Sierra_Lady Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2019
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Aptos Ca
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks, all, for good information and entertainment as well. I love that t-shirt!

    It turns out that the sensor on my passenger front tire is not working. The person at the tire place told me the warning light will stay on until the sensor is replaced. I've been advised to wait until I get new tires (which are due soon) because the labor charge would be much less.

    But I'm trying to sell the car, so I'm wondering how much more expensive it would be for the new buyer on top of the cost of the tires. Does anyone have a ballpark amount on what it cost to put in a new sensor when you are also buying a new tire?

    Thanks, S.L.
     
  10. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2017
    718
    284
    0
    Location:
    philadelphia
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    The process to replace the TPMS sensor is to remove the tire from the rim, 1 minute to replace the sensor (IIRC about a $20 part), then remount and balance the tire. It doesn't make a lot of sense to "remount" a tire that needs replacing soon anyway. A good tire technician can replace the TPMS sensor in a way that doesn't require a re-balance, but that won't save that much money.

    If you were going to replace all the tires and keep the car, I would have all 4 TPMS sensors replaced at the same time. How old is your Prius?
     
  11. Sierra_Lady

    Sierra_Lady Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2019
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Aptos Ca
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks for your reply. The Prius V is 2012. I'm selling it, so I reduced the price a little because of the TMPS issue and the tires needing replacing. I did advise the guy who is buying it that he should probably replace all four when he puts on new tires, as I read they usually have about the same life span. It has 111,000 mile, by the way - I understand mileage is the metric to use, not the age of the car.
     
  12. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    6,058
    5,783
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
  13. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2013
    3,492
    1,231
    1
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I put sensors on with my snows and found a set of 4 sensors cost less than one at the dealer or singles on ebay. I had to replace on sensor in my regular wheel too so I just got another set of 4 and wrote down al the serial numbers. I don't have techstream yet to reprogram the TMPS sensor numbers into the car and our TPMS light is on. But I don't want to know how much the dealer charges for that service and I suspect that is what makes the price of replacing one sensor higher than most would want to pay and be happy about it. Especially since that is a builtin fee when getting a new set of tires. The fee gets buried somewhere in between desposal fees and road hazard insurance on the invoice. ;)
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    If your tire pressures are ok, and you've done the TPMS sensor reset procedure (see Owner's Manual excerpt above), but the light persists, you can, depending on your circumstances:

    1. Go to dealership, explain the problem, and they will more'n likely opt to replace at least one sensor, for more'n likely at least $100. If and when the other 3 sensors expire, you can repeat the exercise.

    2. Research alternate sources for sensors, buy some, maybe get burned once or twice, acquire some electronic tools for initializiing sensors. More'n likely set you back about $300~400.

    3. Ignore the light, resolve to check tire pressures regularly.
     
  15. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2017
    718
    284
    0
    Location:
    philadelphia
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two

    I bought 2 extra rims for my 2013 back in 2018. The idea was that having a full size spare at home was really useful as an Uber driver. Then I bought tires for those rims, and I learned about TPMS.

    When the Sears Auto Center was still open in my town, they quoted me a one time price close to $28 to change the IDs. I thought that was crazy, and I searched for a way to turn off that light permanently. Long story short, it is possible to insert a paper clip in the right connector on some the early Toyota TPMS systems. However, Toyota caught on, and it is no longer possible on a 2013 Prius V. TPMS is by government mandate on all cars (as of 2008 ?). TPMS may seem stupid to driver who is conscientious about checking their tires, but it is also illegal to disable that system.

    So you are left with paying a tire shop do a one time update of the TPMS IDs in the car's computer, or get Techstream. The cost of techstream was not much more from Amazon. The tools required that a tire shop uses to do the same thing costs north of $700.

    The following scenario really happened to me, and having Techstream to update the IDs meant I could keep earning money on Uber one weekend, without a tire light on.

    I was driving Uber at 8 PM on a Friday night, and I rip a hole in the sidewall of a tire on my car. It took me 20 minutes to put the donut on, and then another 20 minutes to drive home. I pulled a wheel with a decent tire from behind my garage, and swapped out the donut. I used Techstream to put the correct ID in the computer, and it turned off the stupid light. Two and a half hours later, I was driving on real tires and without a tire light on. I was still able to make decent money from the peak period of bar hopping. Buying a new tire could wait until Monday.

    One suggestion: I bought a bright orange paint pen to write the TPMS IDs on a part of the rim that is exposed when the tire is mounted, but not visible when the wheel is on the car. This is the sort of pen that junkyards use to put identifying marks on used auto parts. This makes keeping track of TPMS IDs easier, when swapping wheels around.

    WheelTPMS-ID.jpg
     
    GrayRaceCat likes this.
  16. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2013
    3,492
    1,231
    1
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    When I put the new sensor in I also marked the wheel with the ID. I use ODB2 bluetooth and Hybrid Assistants companion app Tire Assistant presently reads the ID's Temp and Pressure, the app devs recommend ODBLink LX adapter for the app.
    Have you found the link to Stride in the uber app - they do taxes and insurance - all the best with your share service.
     
  17. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2013
    3,492
    1,231
    1
    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I didn't see your pic at first read and I don't have pics of my serial number wheel artwork, I used an old nail polish bottle to paint the ID near the wheel serial numbers. Than I used a drumel to lightly etch down the center of the purple and or green polish. Than I added clear peelcoat. But the peelcoat attracts brake dust and road dirt. One of these days I'm gonna find a way to keep the inside of the mags halfway clean between inspections.
    I know, I'm a bit nit picky about some stuff...
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    No kidding. You guys should just let your little lights shine. :)
     
    mmmodem and vvillovv like this.
  19. gromittoo

    gromittoo Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2017
    718
    284
    0
    Location:
    philadelphia
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    I did not catch what Prius you have. I tried several apps, that may have included Tire Assistant, and it did not work. I know I tried an app that claimed it read TPMS on Toyota Hybrids... did not work. On my 2013 Prius V, I have read that the TPMS computer (located behind the lower glovebox) is on a different bus (K-bus? J-bus?), IIRC this makes it impossible for a simple ODBII Bluetooth adapter to access the values of the stored TPMS IDs. Techstream can be a PITA to set up on a dedicated laptop, but in the long run, it is more powerful, and I can edit the values when I swap wheels. I have used it for other things as well, like reading values from the EGR tests.

    At one point, I paid a tire shop $10 for them to use their tool to identify the TPMS IDs of each of my 6 wheels. Their tool is pointed at the wheel in question, and it sends an RF pulse that tells the TPMS sensor to broadcast its ID at high power. Takes literally 30 seconds per wheel to do. The paint pen I bought costs less than $10 on Amazon, is a permanent solution and easier than using a Dremmel tool. Maybe too permanent if I ever change the sensors.

    I have since bought a 2017 Prius V, which my wife drives. When the 2013 reaches 10 years old or 150K miles, Uber and/or Lyft might force me to retire the 2013. At that point, we will swap cars. I have yet to mark the 2017's wheels. I could skip the step of visiting the tire shop by running the TPMS DATA page within Techstream, and then let air out of each tire, one tire at a time. Reading the real time pressure values, I would be able to determine which wheel has which ID.

    Me too. I have had people think I am nuts that I plan to use that orange paint pen to mark where the plastic rivets go that hold the plastic under engine cover on.

    I have not looked into Stride. I am 60 years old, and actually use a paper logbook. I have used H&R Block Software for 20 years, and know it works for me. My taxes are more complicated than a typical rideshare driver. I have my rideshare insurance with Allstate, which has my home and auto policies.
     
    #19 gromittoo, Sep 29, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2021
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    My technique for marking wheels (for rotation) is to mark the location it came off (LF for example) on a short strip of masking tape, clean a spot on the inside of the rim, apply the tape, and really burnish it on. Short of pealing it off, it stays on. Maybe centrifugal force helps?
     
    vvillovv likes this.