Help! broken TPMS stem on Mother's Day!

Most tire shops can deal with TPMS now - America's Tire can if you can find one open on Sunday.

 

You'll probably need a dealer ECU reset too since the sensor code changes when you swap sensors. To my knowledge the valves are integral to the sensor so you have to change the whole thing - can anyone comment? Anyway - welcome to the wonderful world of vendor lock-in.

 

The spare is good for 50 MPH sustained (it's marked on the sidewall as 80 km/hr which is 50 MPH). -I- wouldn't drive more than a few miles on it.

As stated above, most tire shops actually stock the Toyota TPMS sensors and have the ability to program them into the car. I -suspect- they might be less expensive than the dealer.

Now you've found out that tire caps are critical. -Metal- tire caps are the only ones to trust. The plastic ones will usually leak if the valve fails. But it appears most people can't afford the metal ones.

 

My husband broke one of the tpms sensors on my car when he was removing the air hose after adding air to the tire. Had to order a new one, and it was about $130! Of course the garage that ordered the sensor and installed it wasn't able to program it. So I called Toyota today and they want $140 to program the sensor!! I said "Really!?!" and they said yes, they have to reprogram all 4 sensors to get them all in synch again with the computer.

I think my car is going to have the tpms light on all the time from now on. I check my tire pressure often enough, and I can think of better things to spend $140 on.

But to add insult to injury, he broke it an hour before we were to leave for Arizona. So we had to drive the Explorer instead and spent double or more on gas!! So I had to vote that tpms is "Bad, very bad!"

 

Just happened to me too, crap. 3 bad 1 good. My valves are intact but I guess, I have to get to a dealer soon. Yes I had the chromed brass caps on the aluminum stems. Sh*T, Sh*T, Sh*T!!!!!!!

 

Just back from dealer

Replacement or three TPMS sensors , Installation and programming = $545.00

The second biggest mistake aside from putting chrome caps on my air valves was telling my wife that I caused the problem--she chewed me out.. "why couldn't you just leave them alone?" AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

Re: Just back from dealer

Could have had it done a lot cheaper.

You can get a set of 4 TPMS on ebay for around $60. Installed on all 4 at a tire shop probably $80 (they'd have to break down the tire, mount, balance again). Programmed at dealer would be $55 unless you were able to talk them into a 1 time courtesy

 

Re: Just back from dealer

Thanks but right now there is only one used sensor on ebay for $50.00, a set of 4 would be $200, I need my car and can't take chances on availability of sensors.

 

My TPMS light is now finally off! I only had to look at it for 7 1/2 months. But, I just recently bought new tires from Discount Tire and they reprogrammed my sensors for free!!

:cheer2:

 

Re: Just back from dealer

After looking further, I was looking under wheel sensor on ebay and only found one but I was looking in the wrong place. Yes there are plenty of tpms sets of four and they average $250 a set.

I learned my lesson-plastic caps only!

 

Re: Just back from dealer

If you search ebay for Pacific PMV-107J then you'll find tons of them. Although, being the holiday season, maybe the listings are slim at the moment. Toyota uses that TPMS part across several different makes and models.

Somewhere, there's a place that makes compatible sensors, that you can program the ID into them as opposed to having to reprogram the ECU in the car. I just never found much information on their website about prices, availability, etc.

Hopefully, you won't have to go through that hassle again, though.