Tire Pressure Indicator Light Troubleshooting...

[cklinh]

So... my light's been coming on lately, after about ten minutes of driving. Funny thing is, I check my tire pressures before and after, and they all match.

Best I can figure is that there's something else going on... particularly since it all coincides with me getting new tires, getting an alignment, and raising my car up a bit.

Since I've eliminated tire pressure being a culprit, and since we all know that the tire pressure isn't being measured per se (it's detecting a difference in rotation of the tires)... what do you think of my theories as listed below?

1) It could be because when I got my alignment, I asked the guys to push the rear tires in a bit more (adjust camber) so that I wouldn't rub. Could this lead to a difference in rotation between the front and rear tires?

2) I noticed that when I got my new tires mounted, they put on new weights for balancing. I've been using this same set of rims for the last two years, so why would they need new weights? Is that normal? If not normal, could this be leading to a differential in rotation? I noticed the new weights only on one wheel... and it is very noticeable.

So... any ideas? I'm about to go on a 1000 mile round trip and would like to get this taken care of ASAP. Oh, yeah, the light comes on more readily when I'm going highway speeds. On surface streets (at lower speeds) I've gone half an hour or so without the light coming on.

Any help is appreciated.

[Taido]

If you don't think anything's wrong you can reset the light. It says how in the manual.

[kingkakyle]

r u resetting it correctly?
i used to do it wrong so the light would go out but come on after a few miles
make sure when u press and hold the button the ! light blinks 3 times before going out

[Gadgetjq]

I agree with others who wonder whether you've actually 'reset' your sensors or have just been turning them off temporarily by pushing the button (but not holding it).

None of the items you mentioned have anything to do with the light coming on. The system measures the wheel rotation speed of the same axle, not between the front and rear axles. Anytime you get new tires the wheel/tire combo has to be rebalanced and you end up with new weights (almost always in a different spot than the old ones). The shop I go to even checks the balance when the tires are rotated and sometimes has to move a weight just a little. The camber adjustment shouldn't cause an uneven rotation but it will probably cause the insides of your rear tires to wear more quickly than they should and handling will definitely be affected.

Anyway, reset the system properly...the light should go out and stay out.

Cheers

[cklinh]

thanks all. I will try the real reset and report back.

[NightRider]

i had the same issue before when i got new tires installed. the stupid light would come on exactly how you explained in your original post. s i just looked in the toyota manual and reset the darn thing and light hasnt came on since.

[cklinh]

That seemed to have fixed it. Sorry for not searching first.

[kingkakyle]

its all good
search probably would have turned up nothing

[Gadgetjq]

That seemed to have fixed it. Sorry for not searching first.

You'll discover most answers are found in your owners manual, at least when it comes to things you have to reset.....except the blinking maintenance light. If you haven't had to deal with that one yet here's the 'how to'.

The maintenance light will blink several times after engine start at 4500 miles. At 5000 miles it will come on annoyingly solid trying to get you to change the oil. Once you've done the maintenance turn on your ignition key and set the odometer display to 'total miles'. Turn off the key. Push the button that toggles between displays on the odometer and hold it in while turning on the ignition. Watch the display. After a few seconds the numbers will begin disappearing to be replaced by dashes ---------. When all the numbers are gone the system is reset for another 4500 miles. I believe your owners manual tells you what the light is for and about the blinking but not how to turn it off.

Cheers

[Sparky5e]

I was rcently wondering if mine actually worked after visually noticing the looked low. Then the temperature went below zero and it finally came on. All wheels were 3psi low. filled em up and the light went off. Car rides a bit better now, even in a few inches of hardpack with slush on top and crappy stock tires LOL.

[Gadgetjq]

I was rcently wondering if mine actually worked after visually noticing the looked low.

Sparky,

On your Gen 2.5 Solara (I'm making an assumption based on your sigpic) the Tire Air Pressure system works differently than described earlier. Rather than relying on the antilock brake sensors to tell the system whether one wheel (on the same axle) is turning faster/slower than the other, your system uses actual tire pressures. You'll have to check your owners manual to see what temperature variation is allowed (obviously colder tires will turn at a different rate than warmed ones so the system would think they're a little low). Keep in mind your system is also keeping track of pressure in the spare tire so if the light comes on and you can't find an issue with any of the four corners, check in the trunk.

Cheers