2006 Prius Wheel Problem

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

 

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

 

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,
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

 

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,

Most new cars (at least mid priced or higher) now come with TPMS. Tire stores will be aware of how to deal with adding them. I suspect that you might have problems getting a new tire pressure monitor from Toyota right now... but the tire store should be able to use your existing ones easily enough.


/Jim

 

We had a thread which anticipated this very problem.
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=13796&hl=

I believe the owner's manual says you must use OEM wheels and cautions that "some" tires won't work too?

 

This kind of stuff really gets to me. First off the dealership can NOT void your warrantly for using a different tire/wheel. At MOST what they could do is deny warranty coverage if that part and ONLY that part caused an actual failure to the sensor which is basically impossible.

The TP sensor should mount flush to the aluminum wheel and is part of the valve stem. I do not believe that there are any differences at all between an 04, 05 or 06 aluminum wheel due to the TPM system.

If you want to use your TPM system with your new wheels/tires you can either simply transfer over your existing sensors to your new wheels or go out and purchase 4 new sensors. This way you would have your "winter" wheels and your other ones to use and still keep your pressure system happy.

Good luck!!!


Brian
BT Tech
305-652-3115

 

I took the stock wheels and tires off of my 2006 Package 7, and mounted snow tires on TireRack Sport Edition D3 wheels. I didn't move the TPMS sensors to the snow wheels. I just left them on the summer wheels in the garage.

The TPMS light has not come on.

I assumed the car was smart enough to see that all 4 sensors had disappeared, and decided to take the winter off.

Anyone else in this same situation?

-Jim

 

It is a lot easier to tell people that something will not work than to actually do a little research on the subject.

When you call Toyota you are probably speaking to a call center and they are "programmed" to only tell you the most basic things or do direct you to a dealer in your area. My guess is that the question you asked was over their heads and just told you that since the car is a 2006 that is HAD to have a 2006 wheel installed.

If it makes you feel better you can always call the parts dept and ask for the part number of a 2005 aluminum Prius wheel and then ask them for the part number for the 2006. My guess is that it will be the same P/N.


Thanks!!

Brian
BT Tech
305-652-3115