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is there a way to see the tire pressure?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by priustexasbob, Sep 6, 2010.

  1. priustexasbob

    priustexasbob Member

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    Is there a way to view the tire pressure on the Prius? I've gone through the manual and didn't see anything. my LaCrosse had this function and it came in handy.
     
  2. Joe166

    Joe166 New Member

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    Yes. You take off the valve cap and use this magic tool called a tire pressure gauge. Otherwise not that I am aware of.
     
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  3. Prius42

    Prius42 New Member

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    Unfortunately you can't see the tire pressure without additional instrumentation. It is a pity since the TPMS system that Toyota uses sends the car the tire pressure, tire temperature, and rotation rate, i.e. the car "knows" but won't tell us. The tire sensors are good to better than 0.5 psi. If you have advanced instrumentation like a "techstream lite" you supposedly can coax the car into telling you. It is very expensive though...
     
  4. Erikon

    Erikon Active Member

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    It would definetly be something many Prius owners would want!
     
  5. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    Might there be a scanguage code for tire pressure?
     
  6. JerrySC

    JerrySC New Member

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    You have your answer already. This may make you feel better, my Infiniti displayed all four tire pressures and it drove me nuts. I suppose because I am a nut who tried to keep all four tires reading exactly the same thing! I find that a simple idiot lite in this case is better. "Hey' add some air!", is all I need.

    I would like a temp gage though, or 12V battery gage, or a .....
     
  7. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    Agreed. It's bad enough monitoring MPG. :p

    I check my tire pressure monthly, so short of a dramatic change caused by a puncture (which the TPMS will catch), I don't need more info.
     
  8. waltwin

    waltwin Junior Member

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    Why the need for sarcasm?
     
  9. Silver bullit

    Silver bullit Right Lane Cruiser

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    Excuse me if I am a little slow. I don't understand the reason for the car knowing the tire pressure but the driver doesn't know. Maybe you could enlighten me, thanks.
     
  10. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Good question. Since just a little display software that has been worked out many times before for other cars would allow you to cycle through tire pressures on a MFD, I think Toyota decided that Prius owners wouldn't be interested enough to justify the very small extra cost.

    Consider all the consternation over having 2 gallons remaining in the gas tank when miles to empty reads 0. What would people do if they saw their tire pressure vary with outside temperature, sun shining on one side of the car, speed, road texture and altitude? I don't think the forum could handle extra the load.:D

    I wonder if some ingenious person could work out an x-gauge for it on ScanGauge II.
     
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  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Because it is funny. There is only one way to check the tire pressure on a Prius, and that involves using a tire pressure gauge.

    We really do need to infuse a little more humor into this group. I'm going to have to let Jayman out of his cage so that we can see some *real* sarcasm in action. :D

    Tom
     
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  12. Joe166

    Joe166 New Member

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    Because life is too short to be terminally dull all the time.
     
  13. jburns

    jburns Senior Senior Member

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    :clap2:
     
  14. priustexasbob

    priustexasbob Member

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    I thought it was funny.

    the LaCrosse I traded in had it and I liked the fact I could see the pressure which was important during the summer as the pressure would go up about 6 psi when it was really hot >100. not a reall big deal, I had the cold pressure at 32 and the max I saw was 38psi.

    and yes I obsessed about getting them all the same COLD, then when I drove down the road one would drop 1 psi and another would go up 1 psi, so I would end up with 3 different readings. LOL
     
  15. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    I think Buick owners may be smarter than Prius owners. Where's Malhorn when we need him?
     
  16. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    we need the tire pressure display to see if the dealer or the shop is telling us the truth about charging extra for the nitrogen in our tires.
     
  17. MERIDIAN

    MERIDIAN Junior Member

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    That would have been my answer too. As a matter of fact, it takes less time to do manual pressure check on my tires than it takes for my laptop to warm up, log on and type the question. BTW, Do you own a bicycle, if so- how do you handle that situation?
     
  18. jburns

    jburns Senior Senior Member

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    Get rid of that Windows pos and get an Apple. :D
     
  19. Hibank

    Hibank New Member

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    I had the tire pressure light come on last weekend and was a little disappointed that the folks at Toyota wouldn't have taken it one more step and developed some way to tell you which tire was low. After checking all four and finding them all to be under inflated I went and put 35 in the front and 33 in the back and that solved it for now. Really makes a guy wonder if the boys at the local Toyota dealership were doing much last month when I had the tires rotated with my oil change.
     
  20. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Makes me wonder why would anyone would depend on the dealer putting the correct amount of air in their tires?