New wheel pressure sensors

[Sparky5e]

I'm looking at getting new wheels and tires but debating about not using pressure sensors. Yeah they are a nice feature, but never had them before this car. I would still keep the stock wheels with sensors and new rubber for winter use.

Any issues doing this other then manually checking tire pressure?

[woa_its_j3ff]

yes. I hear you can reuse the sensors from what I've read before, is it that TPMS?? my buddy got new rims for his Pontiac G5 and used his stock TPMS and everything still reads out good.
It's really a preference, he likes that feature but i dont think its a necessity (being that I don't even ahve that feature on my car). I don't think there is any other way than checking it manually since that TPMS is doing it for you inside the car which saves you the hassle of doing it otherwise.

[Down2TheC]

So you're saying you have installed aftermarket pressure sensors in your stocks, right? Because OEM has no sensors.

Good call keeping the stock. I may put mine on until they fix the winter road damage a bit. My normal road to work is a mess and feels like the end of the world on 19s.

[onefiend]

if the TPMS light comes on, get it recalibrated.

[dvdchris45]

the TPMS isn't in the stock wheels right? i thought it's somewhere where the wheels are mounted...

[Sebas007]

there is no sensor in the wheel or tire...it is on the car and it count on many 360 degrees the wheel is making while it checks if the other 3 wheels do the same. If not the tire pressure light goes on.

[gnegroni]

Yeah, I was told the pressure sensor on our cars is better and more advanced than most cars.

[BadAngel]

well, the OEM doesn't have pressure sensors.... it just senses if one wheel is spinning faster than the other, and that triggers it.

[gnegroni]

well, the OEM doesn't have pressure sensors.... it just senses if one wheel is spinning faster than the other, and that triggers it.

So, you could be underinflated on all fours at the same time and the system wouldn't notice? Not typical, but I guess our system works!

[[SMAN]]

Haven't we had this talk before allready? The 06+ solara has the pressure sensor in each whell, the 04 - 06 just has the wheel spinning sensor. There are threads about this allready?

[gnegroni]

So, I guess if his car is 04-06 Sparky5e is screwed, or is it the other way around? Sparky5e, tell us what year is your Solara and go from there forth.

[kingkakyle]

So, I guess if his car is 04-06 Sparky5e is screwed, or is it the other way around? Sparky5e, tell us what year is your Solara and go from there forth.

his is an '07
look at the color of his car its the blue streak

[BadAngel]

yeahhhh lol sorry i forgot that only applied to 04-06... i have an 04 so thats what i remembered reading when i had to replace the wheel that i broke >.<

[PXLpainter]

As Sebas already said there are no in-wheel TPS on any year Solara!

Tire pressure is based on wheel speed/rotation sensors not installed int he wheel itself, rather they measure the dia of the spinning wheel/tire. If its going flat, it will be smaller.

So unless you run a dif dia tire on one side than the other, then any size wheel or tire combo you decide to run won't affect the system.

[Gadgetjq]

Any issues doing this other then manually checking tire pressure?

Sparky,

I'm posting the link (below) mainly to try and set the record straight about air pressure sensors installed in Solara's and in a moment I'll suggest an experiment to see if you you can run without the sensors installed in your new wheels.


The gen 2 cars, '04-06 have a system that uses the anti lock brake sensor. It determines whether one wheel (on the same axle) is spinning more slowly than the wheel on the other side of the car. If it is the tire pressure light comes on.

From '07 on (as you'll see in the TSB below) Solara uses a 'direct' tire pressure sensor. The (more modern?) system sends a radio signal to a computer in the car which constantly reads actual tire pressure and gives you a light if one (even the spare) is low.

With the older system it doesn't matter what kind of wheels/tires you're using. All it knows is when you calibrated (holding the button several seconds) the wheels on an axle were the same size. Your direct reading system might be looking for five signals and if any are missing will send a signal.


This TSB might help answer your question (or not). Ignore the FourRunner heading, it applies (check the text) to Solara too:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachmen ... tid=262664


So, here's the experiment. Remove your spare tire and carry it away from the car. If the signal is lost does your low pressure light come on? If so can you reset the system (wheel still gone) and does the light go off? If that's the case then it sounds like you can use new wheels without the sensors. If not and the car wants to see all five sensors even after it's reset then you have another option (though it might sound goofy). Find an emergency spare, drill some holes in the rim to accomodate the pressure sensors you 'aren't' using with your new wheels, inflate it and toss in the trunk. You'll have a wheel with 5 sensors all sending the same pressure so the system is satisfied.

Or, you could simply install the sensors in your new wheels.

Cheers