Tire Pressure Monitor for snow tires??

[TEFye]

Anyone figured out a way to disable the tire pressure monitor system? My sister wants to put on 4 snow tires for winter. They would be a tire/wheel package from Tirerack, using steel wheels.

[jim256]

If she has a Highlander and the wheel/tire combo is roughly equivalent to stock (i.e., the speedo is still reasonably accurate) the monitor will work with the snows. The monitor on the Highlander looks at wheel rotation speeds for each wheel and alerts if there is a difference due to deflation. Simply reset the monitor after the wheels are changed and drive for several miles so it can set itself. It's in the manual.

[xedge]

I think he means the tires & wheels will come from Tire Rack without the monitors. I purchased a steel wheel/snow package from TR last winter. Without the monitors, it was my experience that the system's idiot light would blink blink blink non-stop unless I stayed within a 50 mile radius of where the take-off summer tires/rims/monitors were kept, (My shed). After a short period (usually overnight in my driveway), the light would reset. The reset procedure did diddly.

You could purchase other monitors than the ones that come with your Highlander, but I have read here that Toyota will have to enter the id #'s into the vehicles ECU or wherever this info gets stored. Thus, if you put the other set on in the summer, again, more number programming would have to be done at the dealer. Also, from what I read here a long time ago, there is absolutely no way to by-pass this system or disable it. Some TS-er's suggested taking the bulb out of the dash. I put a business card over it on my long trips away from home. Around town, the light will not come on. The system is a PITA for tire/rim swapping. If anyone has found another way without purchasing more stuff or driving to the dealer for "re-coding", I would like to hear it too. Winter is approaching!!

On a side note, the tire/wheel package from Tire Rack is the best deal going. Mounted & Hunter Forced Balanced, TR even sent the lug nuts. I loved my set up last year except for the $#@^& monitoring system.

Don't know if this helps.

[jim256]

If we are talking about a Highlander since they added the stability control/traction/tire monitor, there are no monitors in the wheels, it's just a function of the ABS sensors calculating wheel rotation and comparing each to detect a difference in rotation on a deflating tire. Any tire/wheel combo will work within the design limits once reset.

[TEFye]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Actually, I think I will try to talk her out of the snow tires. What with AWD and traction control, this Highlander should go in the snow like a snowmobile!!