Questions about tire air pressure & sensor light

bkrldy641 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-21-2007, 04:43 PM

Hi all, I have 2 questions, and hope someone can help me.

I bought a 2006 Toyota RAV4, and am very happy with it. However, my tire light sensor came on, and won't go off. The first time it came on, I checked the air pressure in my 4 tires, and all were a low 24, so I put air in them to bring them up to 32, which is the number on the inside of the door jamb, and what the Toyota book says to inflate them to. Then it came on again, and this time when I checked the tires, and they were still at 32, I didn't need to add any air, but the light stays on.

So can anyone tell me how to get the tire pressure sensor light to go off? Could I possibly be overlooking something, or is the sensor really sensitive?

And secondly, I see from other posts that some people keep their tire pressure at 24 instead of the recommended 32. Can you tell me why?

Thank you,
Donna

sotol · #2 (**permalink**) 08-27-2007, 07:01 AM

Chances are that the spare tire needs checking. I had the same indications and found that the spare had low pressure. I aired it up and the light went 'away'.

kurt451 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-03-2007, 07:58 PM

The spare tire also has a sensor in it. I'll bet if you fill it up, your light will go out.

jadorn · #4 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 09:43 AM

Toyota uses individual transmitters in all five tires on the 2006 RAV4. Our 2006 RAV4 is my wife's car and she had the same problem. It was the spare tire that had only 25 lbs. of pressure. This is a great system, but you must be sure that the new valves are NOT installed when you buy tires. As the sensors are actually radio transmitters in the valves. The batteries should last several years, but they will eventually have to be changed.

My 2006 Highlander has a tire pressure warning system that will not measure the spare, as it actually measures RPM differences between all four tires and determines a low tire by it's decrease in size.

LifeTech · #5 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 09:55 AM

I can't see a reputable tire dealer making that blunder and removing a sensor and replacing with a normal valve.

But then again, there are dumbfounded, hole in the wall tire shops out there that will do the stupidist things. Even damge a perfectly good TPMS valve sensor when mounting. The shop should eat the damage. I have seen this several tyears ago at a tire shop when these sensors were not Common.

But today most cars will have them. The tire industry has adapted fairly well to this standard feature option.

LT