tire pressure ligth??

[djverne2002]

I finally got a chance to see how fast my car would go and got to about 95mph before traffic got heavy and than i had to slow down. I noticed when I slowed down that my tire pressure warning came on. All my tires look normal Ive tried resetting it and it keep coming back on.

That was two weeks ago and yesterday when I took my car into the dealer for a free oil change I had them look at it. Turns out my dealer is a Hyndai dealer because I bought it used so they knew nothing about Toyota's. I dont want to pay to bring it into another dealer and I have yet to get a hold of a tire pressure gage and im thinking maybe I have to much air in the tires.

I was wondering if anybody can think of something off the top of there head as to why it keeps coming back on, are the sensors very picky about the exact tire pressure?

[[SMAN]]

did you check the spair?

[JMSinMaryland]

Check all 5 tires and make sure they are set at factory psi. Instructions to reset properly are in your owners manual, you have to reset it 2x consecutively until the light flashes 3x and then you'll be set. You might also have a slow leak as well.

[sgunitkc]

did you check the spair?

There's a sensor for the spare in the trunk?!?

[Shoe]

did you check the spair?

There's a sensor for the spare in the trunk?!?

Nooooooo!

This damn llight is a pain in the ass after every visit to have tires rotated it always goes off, ive reset this damn thing so many times, this option causes me more frustation than anything I wish it wasnt there.

[Projex0]

^^ you have to reset it after tire rotations? i have never had to do that(aftermarket rims)

[Down2TheC]

did you check the spair?

There's a sensor for the spare in the trunk?!?

Right next to the turn signal fluid reservoir...

[[SMAN]]

well i don't know about having to reset it after rotating the tires, unless you let the air out of them. There is a sensor in the spair, cause my fathers 4runner kept having the light go off because he had a slow leak in his spair. So i would check that out and see if it's the culprit.

[linmk2]

There is not a sensor on the spare of the Solara. At least on units built before the 2007 model. I'm not sure on the 2007 or 2008 models. The tire sensor works based on rotation speed of the wheels using ABS sensors. There are no sensors in or on the wheels themselves. A low tire spins at a different speed than one that is not low. When you press and hold the botton on the dash, this sets the assumed correct pressure of all four tires. The ABS computer then monitors the wheel rotation speed. If after a fixed time, the computer determines a change in one wheels turning speed, it sets the light on the dash. To set the system correctly, the tires should have the correct "cold" pressure values. Once that is done simply press and hold the button. Tire rotation can cause the lamp to turn on if the pressures have been jacked with by the shop doing the work either up or down from the last reset. Also mixed make of tires can cause a problem if not reset. The same holds true on wheel changes if the system is not reset. Also a note on NAV equipped cars. It's a good idea to reset the NAV's tire change feature each time the tires replaced.

[[SMAN]]

hrmm, after looking through the Repair manual, your right. That's odd how they do it that way. in the 4runner, it requires special valve stems that basicly have an rfid tag that say if it's low or not, and thus the spair tire has one of these too. I find it odd that they would use two different types of systems for the same production year car.

[Down2TheC]

There is not a sensor on the spare of the Solara. At least on units built before the 2007 model. I'm not sure on the 2007 or 2008 models. The tire sensor works based on rotation speed of the wheels using ABS sensors. There are no sensors in or on the wheels themselves. A low tire spins at a different speed than one that is not low. When you press and hold the botton on the dash, this sets the assumed correct pressure of all four tires. The ABS computer then monitors the wheel rotation speed. If after a fixed time, the computer determines a change in one wheels turning speed, it sets the light on the dash. To set the system correctly, the tires should have the correct "cold" pressure values. Once that is done simply press and hold the button. Tire rotation can cause the lamp to turn on if the pressures have been jacked with by the shop doing the work either up or down from the last reset. Also mixed make of tires can cause a problem if not reset. The same holds true on wheel changes if the system is not reset. Also a note on NAV equipped cars. It's a good idea to reset the NAV's tire change feature each time the tires replaced.

Quoted for truth. Try to know what you're talking about before you post conjecture or guesses. At least give a "I don't know but I would think..." before hand.

btw... I do have actual stem sensors... of course I don't have a G35 to hear what they're saying.

[Gadgetjq]

I was wondering if anybody can think of something off the top of there head as to why it keeps coming back on, are the sensors very picky about the exact tire pressure?

D2,

The answer is actually in your owners manual (pg 137 for gen2).

If you have a Gen2 Solara your problem is unequal size tires caused (hopefully) by low air pressure in one or more tires. That's causing one tire on one or both axles to spin faster than the other on that same axle. If you have a Gen2.5 then there's a sensor on the wheel that's determined you actually have lower pressure in one tire than is within safe range.

As a car owner you should have a (good quality) tire pressure gauge anyway, keep it in your glovebox and check pressures a minimum once per month. Tires typically lose a pound a month just sitting around, more than that if you've taken a nail.

So, go get a good gauge, air up all your tires based on the sticker on the drivers door (or sill) then reset the light by holding the button down until the light blinks several times. From that point on the system will re-calibrate itself based on the rotational speed of all four tires and the light will stay off.

Cheers

[philosophicaljt]

make sure you are reseting the light properly. Its more complicated than you'd think.(I dont remember exact directions though...)

[linmk2]

Quoted for truth. Try to know what you're talking about before you post conjecture or guesses. At least give a "I don't know but I would think..." before hand.

btw... I do have actual stem sensors... of course I don't have a G35 to hear what they're saying. [/quote]

Down2TheC:

First I would not post something I had no knowledge about. Please note in my first post, I did make a disclaimer regarding 07 and 08 models. If one would look at the 04-07 Solara shop manual (downloaded right here on SolaraGuy), the Tire/Wheel section discusses the system in detail. The system is controlled by the Anti-lock braking system. In addition to the wheel sensors, there is an outside temp. sensor and many other items as well. There is no mention what so ever of stem sensors, at least anything I could see. As to other Toyota products, I have no idea. If you can find such a statement that 2 Gen Solaras, not 2.5's, have sensors in the stem, then please provide such proof. I find nothing in the detail that provides that statement of fact. While I respect the fact you are one of the board's mods., I am somewhat distressed that you dismissed my post as being bogus. Please look at section TW-7 in the Solara Shop Manual for a listing of the parts. It shows the follow:

(SKID CONTROL ECU)
RIGHT FRONT
SPEED SENSOR
LEFT FRONT SPEED SENSOR
COOLER (AMBIENT TEMP. SENSOR) THERMISTOR
COMBINATION METER ASSEMBLY
TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT
ABS WARNING LIGHT
TIRE PRESSURE WARNING
RESET SWITCH
STOP LIGHT
SWITCH ASSEMBLY
DLC3
W/ VSC:
CLOCK ASSEMBLY
W/ VSC:
LEFT REAR
SPEED SENSOR
RIGHT REAR
BRAKE ACTUATOR SPEED SENSOR

The purpose of my first post was to help a fellow Solara owner. I would not have gone to the time and trouble to post false information as you implied. What part of my post do you feel was false?

[[SMAN]]

i think he is refering to me.