Getting new tires put on my 2013 Prius and replace the TPMS sensors at the same time. I already picked up four new genuine Toyota sensors. What’s the typical cost for a shop to program them? Or would it make more sense to just buy a cheap programmer and do it myself? Feels like it might be a good excuse to grab a tool that could come in handy later if it ends up costing about the same either way?
If you bought the tires at the same shop that is mounting them, they really ought to program the new sensors to the car for free. The additional labor is that low. If the tires, like the sensors, came from elsewhere, then programming not free.
You can program it yourself with any laptop with techstream, the mini vci cable is $35 on amazon. You just need to write down the IDs of the sensors before installation. If you plan to keep your car for more than 3 years get the denso/pacific tpms sensors. Its a pain if you get them installed and die on you after a month or two. Tireshops prices vary by location. Ask around weigh your options.
My last two MINIs didn't require any programming at all with anything external. A few months ago, I bought new sensors off Amazon, cheap (make sure correct frequency) and they paired easily to the car with no external assistance. Does the new model Prius still need external intervention?
My vote doesn't really require programming it has the mode you put the car in and then I walk around with this device that wakes up the new sensors or whatever it does it's cost $9 and it's how that types done usually if your car has the capability to put it in the learn mode then no. But that can get complicated with some car manufacturer so I'mnpt sure about gen5 . Either way to own the car you're going to need to have a scanner like AP series. Or something or maybe you're one of those that just drops it off and don't want to know anything I don't know
Maybe I'll just wait to think about it until a battery fails, lol. It should be a few years. edit: I just read the manual. Seems you can do it yourself, but Toyota's TPMS seems needlessly complex, compared to BMW/MINI (Bosch?).
If you bought tires from the shop that's doing the install; they'll usually do it for FREE - if you hand them the sensors. Some may charge you $5 a tire, since they're busting the bead on the tire anyways. Bonus is that they'll be properly balanced.
You do it with a scan tool you have 4 min to enter 4 new strings and go . The Prius you don't set the car up you plug in the scanner and do it from the scanner whereas General motors cars you put the car in the learn mode and then you use this tool
On a gen3 Prius you don't program the tpms sensors. Each sensor has a unique id which must be written into the vehicle's tpms ecu. If you get them installed without writing down each id, Autel sells a special radio frequency reader which can rf read the ids in the tire. Most tire shops have this tool. It's a little pricey and most diy'ers would never need it when a piece of paper and a pen or your phone could have noted those ids before their installation. Recent Toyotas do have an automated procedure that can read installed sensor ids and write that data into their ecu. However gen3 Prii can not do it by themselves. Here is a techstream screen showing the data.
