tire pressure sensor malfunction?

If it's the original sensors, likely the batteries are failing? In you shoes, I'd just ignore it.

 

The batteries in the sensor are dead, well past their usual life. Have them checked at a good tire store, they have a scanner,

 

Black tape over the light helps if you are going to "ignore" it.

 

Their sensors are very likely not Toyota spec, may or may not work. If you're well off, very consciencous, I'd go with Toyota sensors.

If you're enthusiastic DIY, I believe armed with the sensor numbers and a gadget costing around $100 you MAY be able to introduce the car to the new sensors. Or the dealership can do it for about the same amount. The DIY route is mainly for people swapping between OEM tire/wheel and snow tire/wheel, ie: repeatedly needing to reintroduce the car to sensors. Which I guess isn't that common in Texas, lol.

Anyway, considering the age of the car, the cost, the iffyness of the tire place's sensors, I'd just do nothing.

Our 3rd gen was manufactured in Aug, 2009. If and when I encounter a dead sensor, I'm not going to bother with replacing them. I'm legally allowed to do this, up here. I think.

 

Sensors are $45 at Costco.

Also did you check your spare? My 4runner spare was low setting of the warning.

 

Spare doesn't have one on Prius.

 

Oh I didn't know that. That's too bad. It is the spare that is most likely to be low on air without me knowing it.

 

It's relatively difficult to check the spare's pressure too, having to haul it out to get at the valve. Best to make it at least a once-a-year chore, like testing smoke alarms say.

 

My 2006 Prius' tire pressure sensor indicator started to blink for a few seconds and then stayed on a couple weeks ago. Costco tech checked and reported back that all 4 sensors are defective and recommended replacements for around $250 total. However, the warning light went away about one week ago and never came back. So what should I do? All comments are welcome.

 

You probably have one TPMS sensor with a low battery. You can see the battery status in Techstream. I just bought a set of tires at Costco and replaced the sensors for $180. Mine were still working, but I saved $70 by doing them with the tires.

The life of a TPMS is about 10 years or 100k miles, so it makes sense to change them with the tires if you will cross either threshold on a new set of tires. If you don't need tires soon you might try waiting until you see a problem.

 

Good idea. Will check it out via TechStream. Too bad that I have just replaced the tires at Costco. Perhaps the light will not return for the next 5 years until the tire replacement time.

 

My 2006 has one bad TPMS so far at 165k miles, going onto Year12. But figure 10-yr useful life.
The warning light on the TPMS can temporarily be reset (eg; with Techstream) and then it takes a longer drive maybe 20-30 minutes before the system realizes the sensor is not reading. If you only do short drives it can take weeks for the warning light to come back on.

 

Wishful thinking.

"The estimated life expectancy of an OE TPMS sensor is 5 to 12 years, with the average lifespan being 7 years." from TPMS Sensor Batteries, Life Expectancy, and Replacement | TPMSDirect

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