Computer is not communicating with at least one of the sensors. A battery may have failed. A tire shop can check without removing the tires.

 

Did you check the pressure in the spare? It has a sensor in it.

 

Yup, checked spare. My guess is a sensor has just failed and needs to be replaced. I might as well do all five then because they’re already 14 years old.

 

i thought the sensors only turned on when the wheels were moving. this is to save the battery and associate the 4 wheels with one car (since they are all moving at the same speed.)

it means there is a problem with one of the sensors as stated above. If the light comes on and stays one, its low pressure. if its blinking, then there is an issue with the sensor.

 

Issue is typically a dead sensor.

 

Do you think a place like discount tire would be able to replace and reprogram the new sensors or would that be something that the dealership needs to do? I also might ask my local shop if they have the ability to do the job.

 

Tire shops can replace TPMS sensors and program them. You will pay about $400. At the dealer, expect to pay much more.

 

A tire shop can replace the sensor or sensor batteries.

 

No tire shop will replace the soldered-in and sealed batteries in TPMS sensors. You can try if you want and have the new batteries as well as time to brek down the tires to remove and replace the sensors.

 

Did you reset the TPMS after refilling the tires? I didn’t do that a few months back and had the same thing happen in my ‘10 Camry XLE. In the Camry the button is hidden within the glove compartment left inner corner, gets held down until the indicator blinks, then counts the current pressure as the baseline.
(I read the manual after messing this up, and then had the issue you currently have) since the scheduled maintenance was shortly after this fumble, I had them check it out. Well, dealership wanted >$100 to replace the sensor. I declined, since I just check them with a stick gauge occasionally, which let me discover a slow leak in one of the other tires. Was expecting to just live with the indicatior until a few weeks back when a very cold night apparently tripped/reset the sensor, so I pumped up one of my tires that has a slow leak, reset the TPMS, and it’s been fine since.

(TLDR: dealer will say your sensor needs to be replaced, but if you just manually check your pressure and remember to reset the TPMS immediately after whenever it stays solid on startup (reset at desired pressure) it could, perhaps resolve itself)

 

The TPMS Reset button does not magically turn off the TPMS light. If the light is on, it is on for a reason. Typically under inflation or just a dead battery.

It has a specific usage that honestly most people are not gonna use and will misunderstand that usage.

 

The TPMS Reset button does not magically turn off the TPMS light.

It’s not magic, it just needs to be reset when you inflate or replace the tires- according to the owners manual. Hence why I asked if it was reset.
Broken sensors or dead batteries of course are something they should check, but not resetting it also may have been why it came back on after air was added to the cold tires.

 

Just went to discount tire and they confirmed that two sensors were bad. I just decided to replace all 5 of them (including spare) at $320 so they’ll be good for 10 more years. No more blinking orange light!

 

Nice and simple.

 

My TPMS shows all blanks " - - - - " and light stays solid.
It's not related to a sensor battery. I've replaced 2 sensors already and know how TPMS behaves when a sensor battery is dead.
I'm suspecting a TPMS receiver is down...

 

is there a way to delete the spare tire and just have the 4 tries active for tpms? I got 4 new sensors and got them installed and the tire shop programmed them, but im pretty sure the spare is dead (i forgot about that one). I would rather have that one deleted and have tpms active on the 4 tires rather than buying a new one for the spare and getting it installed.

 

Late post but we had -50 weather here in Canada for a week. And of course my TPMS light went on, filled all tires up with air as they were a bit low, and including the spare. Light still remained on the week. Pressed the TPMS reset light and still on. I work in automotive so I borrowed my works TPMS programmer, and on the programmer we have, there is an option to program 4 tire or 5 tire configuration. So I imagine if you choose 4 tire, it deletes the spare.

 

CORRECTED (thank you @Wellibe) :

Can your programmer check TPMS sensor batteries voltages? One or more maybe be dead. Light staying on after flashing for about a minute means problem with TPMS system - immediately solid means tire pressure problem - confirm what the Owner's Manual states. See my signature to download a PDF copy.

 

Mine stays flashing for a little then solid on. I knew my batteries were going as everytime I did a swap and used my friends Autel scanner, the scanner would show batteries were low. I think the -50 finally killed them to the point they are dead as when I tried scanning them with my fancy work scanner, it wouldnt even read the sensor. So I think they are kaput. I'll just fill them up every week at Costco and monitor. Dont wanna put any money into my winter beater. If I were to install sensors I'd get the Autel dual frequency ones. The Autel scanner above user posted, is the scanner I previously used. Very easy to use. This work scanner I have is for MB vehicle. Very fancy. Comes with a Ipad looking tablet devie. Has RFID scanners, can even check Key Fob Frequency output. And has a Tire Tread Dept gauge meters.

 

This was found to be leaking air in the below zero temps last week
not sure what was rubbing on there to cause this scarring!

New one installed at DT but light is on still, blinks occasionally but remains solid
It was not programmed
83k miles original sensor

 

This was found to be leaking air in the below zero temps last week
not sure what was rubbing on there to cause this scarring!

New one installed at DT but light is on still, blow nks occasionally but remains solid
It was not programmed
83k miles original sensor

View attachment 443634

You got alumiweevils. I can't imagine anything that would bruise the airvalve and not scar up the wheel too.

 

So the weather has warmed back up to normal temps and oddly, the TPMS light is no longer on so what the heck. Does that mean the TPMS system is now functioning again??

 

The batteries may have regained a little of their composure with the warmer weather. When the sensors went in my Highlander, it started during colder weather and then the light stopped coming on when the weather warmed up. But eventually it started coming on all the time, and I had to replace the sensors. Probably just a matter of time until you see the light again.

 

LOL Well they working again so I'm not gonna replace. Dont wanna put any money into my winter beater. Especially tire sensors. I'll just go to Costco every week and fill up the tires.