Tyre pressure sensors not connected to the car

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Pinkbeetle, Nov 21, 2018.

  1. Pinkbeetle

    Pinkbeetle Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2018
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Tbilisi
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I just bought 2008 Prius and get a tire pressure warning light. I took it to the shop the other day, they hooked it to the ODB tool and told me that none of the 5 wheels were showing up.

    Any ideas on what may be wrong with them? People at the shop told me they do not deal with this kind of things and were unable to give a definite answer. The car was imported from US into the Republic of Georgia, so it sat in a container for quite a while. My idea is maybe I need to sync them with the car, or maybe a batteries inside the sensors are dead.
     
    #1 Pinkbeetle, Nov 21, 2018
  2. 05PreeUs

    05PreeUs Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2016
    1,097
    564
    0
    Location:
    MSP
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Yup, you have no sensors in the rims, or ALL the batteries in them are dead.
     
    #2 05PreeUs, Nov 22, 2018
  3. Pinkbeetle

    Pinkbeetle Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2018
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Tbilisi
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I did some reading on the net, those sensors will work anyway from 5 to 10 years, the batteries are not replaceable, so basically you have to buy new ones once the battery dies. They cost a fortune to replace, will not be replacing mine.
     
    #3 Pinkbeetle, Nov 22, 2018
    bisco likes this.
  4. Pinkbeetle

    Pinkbeetle Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2018
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Tbilisi
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I did some reading on the net, those sensors will work anyway from 5 to 10 years, the batteries are not replaceable, so basically you have to buy new ones once the battery dies. They cost a fortune to replace, will not be replacing mine.
     
    #3 Pinkbeetle, Nov 22, 2018
    bisco likes this.
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    111,569
    50,805
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    consider yourself lucky
     
    #4 bisco, Nov 22, 2018
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    111,569
    50,805
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    consider yourself lucky
     
    #5 bisco, Nov 22, 2018
  7. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    11,001
    8,923
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    You don't need TPMS to drive your car safely. Just check your tire pressure regularly and keep them on recommended tire pressure. No point on spending money on fixing them.
     
    #6 Salamander_King, Nov 22, 2018
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. Pinkbeetle

    Pinkbeetle Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2018
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Tbilisi
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I have been driving for 8 years now and did just well without tpms sensors. However, that tire light is driving me crazy.
     
    #7 Pinkbeetle, Nov 22, 2018
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    111,569
    50,805
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    electrical tape is the common solution around here
     
    #8 bisco, Nov 22, 2018
    Thefoxman45 and WilDavis like this.
  10. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    11,001
    8,923
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    There was TPMS warning light off hack thread somewhere. Was it for 3rd Gen?
     
    #9 Salamander_King, Nov 22, 2018
  11. Pinkbeetle

    Pinkbeetle Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2018
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Tbilisi
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I am browsing the forum for a permanent solution to this problem. I've bought an ODB2 dongle and got a copy of techstream, will try to do something about it. Meanwhile the tape will work
     
    #10 Pinkbeetle, Nov 22, 2018
    bisco likes this.
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    111,569
    50,805
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    remove the bulb?
     
    #11 bisco, Nov 22, 2018
  13. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    11,001
    8,923
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    This is the paper clip hack to turn off TPMS warning light on Gen3. I am not sure if it works on Gen2.
    Idea to fool the tire pressure sensors | Page 3 | PriusChat
     
    #12 Salamander_King, Nov 22, 2018
  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,558
    10,332
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It should be an LED, not a bulb. Covering it with dark tape is far easier, and doesn't risk damaging the instrument cluster.

    And in a country that doesn't require TPMS, this is easily the best solution.
     
    #13 fuzzy1, Nov 22, 2018
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    58,433
    40,235
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I wouldn't bother messing with it; there's other lights on the dash: they don't cause consternation. I've been living with tpms light every winter (with snow tires) for eight years now. Puts hair on your chest..., kidding.
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Nov 22, 2018
    Salamander_King likes this.
  16. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2014
    2,493
    2,154
    49
    Location:
    Top RH Corner of RH Coast on L side of The Pond
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I'm curious if the "paper-clip" trick will warn you when any of the five (?) tyres (sic) are over/under inflated?

    Here's my solution (is there an echo in here?) (works for both summer and winter wheels)

     
    #15 WilDavis, Nov 22, 2018
    Salamander_King likes this.
  17. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    11,001
    8,923
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    I got it! What your solution is. Mine is too. Though, my summer tires have working TPMS in them. As for the paper clip hack, I never tried on mine, but I don't think it will warn when needed.
     
    #16 Salamander_King, Nov 22, 2018
    WilDavis likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)