[Rawr777]

I just bought a 2008 Tundra and have only had it a week. Apparently I am only the second owner. The only thing I can find "wrong" with the truck is that this tire sensor light won't go off. When I took it to Toyota dealership, they said it appears that someone had taken off the sensors. So... I either need to live with the light being on, or pay almost $700 to have the all replaced and programmed. A couple of questions for the experts out there.

1. Why would someone remove the sensors in the first place including the spare?

2. Should I fight with the dealership that sold me the truck even though I bought it "as is" and would I have any grounds given that this is apparently a federal mandate?

3. Is there any logical reason to pay $700 to have that light go off?

4. Any other thoughts?

 

[all yotas]

I would certainly question the dealer you bought from. As this is a federal mandate and i guess a safety issue after the Ford Exploder problems.

 

[SHOOTER13]

If the dealership quoted you 700 to replace your tpms im pretty sure theyre ripping you off, i think the sensors run around 50 each(at least thats what they cost on my wifes mitsubishi). I didnt bother with them in my new wheels as i offroad lots and am frequently aired down. Do a search of the forum and you'll find a few fixes for the light(piece of black tape or cut the wire). Ill be taking my sensors out of my stockers and building the tpms pipe bomb soon enough.

 

[mendonsy]

List price for the sensors is $101.56. You can buy the factory part for $76 online. The Dorman replacement part is about $55. Installing all four and programming the ECU should be about $100.
That $700 price means the dealer is trying to rip you off BIG TIME!

 

[MaylonTRD]

The spare has no sensor in gen 2 tundras.

 

[11Tundra]

I just bought a 2008 Tundra and have only had it a week. Apparently I am only the second owner. The only thing I can find "wrong" with the truck is that this tire sensor light won't go off. When I took it to Toyota dealership, they said it appears that someone had taken off the sensors. So... I either need to live with the light being on, or pay almost $700 to have the all replaced and programmed. A couple of questions for the experts out there.

1. Why would someone remove the sensors in the first place including the spare?

2. Should I fight with the dealership that sold me the truck even though I bought it "as is" and would I have any grounds given that this is apparently a federal mandate?

3. Is there any logical reason to pay $700 to have that light go off?

4. Any other thoughts?

1. I'm guessing your truck either has, or has had (at some point), aftermarket wheels installed. The sensors probably wouldn't fit the aftermarket wheels, so the previous owner removed them and either lost, or sold, the original sensors.

2. If you signed something in writing to this effect, then AS-IS means no warranty, guarantees, or promises of any kind, period (there are very limited exceptions--need to see a lawyer for specifics). If you did *not* sign something acknowledging an AS-IS sale, then you might be able to take them to small claims court if you feel they mis-represented the vehicle.

3. For some folks, yes. For others no. It doesn't harm the truck to not have the sensors installed.

4. I'd suggest buying a set of used TPMS sensors somewhere (eBay, Craigslist, etc.) instead of buying a new set from the dealer for a ton of money. Try to get a set that came off a newer Tundra. The batteries inside the sensors have a limited lifespan. Also, there are several different sensors for the Tundra--one size does not fit all--get the right one. The dealer will charge you to program the sensors to the truck. If you can find someone with a working copy of Techstream here on the forum, the sensors can be programmed without too much hassle (you'll need the "ID" for each sensor to install them).

 

[Armystrong]

11Tundra summed it up.

I took my TPMS Sensors off when I got the upgraded limited 20" wheels. I chose not to put them on the new rims because the batteries in the TPMS go bad requiring the owner to have the tires removed and then reinstalled. The easiest fix was to put the 4 TPMS in a sealed canister. I built a canister:
1. 4" diameter PVC
2. 6" long....put the TPMS inside the tube
3. Bought two end caps and drilled a hole in one of them for a tire valve
4. Glued the end caps to the PVC Pipe
5. Waited 24hrs prior to putting 35 PSI

Just last week my TPMS light finally came on after 3 years. The pressure inside the tube was to low. So I grabbed my bicycle pump and aired it up again. Put it back in the truck and the TPMS light went out.

If you have no plans of installing new ones or building a canister, open up the cluster and see if you.......well you get the drift. Some will hauler that it is a safety issue, but for how many years did cars and trucks go without TPMS. I also take 4 seconds to walk around my truck to ensure kids didn't dent it, it didn't get broken into, etc and too look at the tires.
Take Care

 

[SE2000]

$700 seems like list price for the parts and service from dealer. Can you get this done elsewhere for less, of course.
There is no federal mandate for a dealer to make the tpms work in a used vehicle. If the light was on when you bought it, the only time you had to get the dealer do anything for you is before you gave him money.
You don't need to remove the tires from the rims to install new tpms modules. I got a set online for $150, wrote down the serial numbers and got the truck programmed with those numbers.

 

[Rawr777]

Just want to say thank to all the helpful feedback! For a new Tundra owner and new forum member I look forward to getting more involved!

I did consider the new wheels thing, but the rims are toyota and look like stock alloy wheels (nothing super special), which I would assumed were not after market.

Thanks again everyone

 

[Rawr777]

Just want to say thank to all the helpful feedback! For a new Tundra owner and new forum member I look forward to getting more involved!

I did consider the new wheels thing, but the rims are toyota and look like stock alloy wheels (nothing super special), which I would assumed were not after market.

Thanks again everyone

 

[SteveAustin]

If you just want the light off you can do a resistor mod too.

 

[SteveAustin]

Just some additional information. I went from the stock styled steel wheels to factory alloy wheels and the TPMS sensors do not fit. I had three choices. 1) Pony up the money for new sensors. 2) Live with the light on. 3) Find a way to turn the light off.

Since I'm good at checking my tire pressure, I went with option 3.

 

[bigMoney]

Correct Stevie boy! I went ~40 years without the tpms dohickeys. Unless you're a nitwit and can't remember to check your tire pressure every couple of months you should be just fine without them. If you ARE a nitwit, then go ahead and get them. In that case we have a special $700 nitwit package!

 

[SR5NEWBIE]

11Tundra summed it up.

I took my TPMS Sensors off when I got the upgraded limited 20" wheels. I chose not to put them on the new rims because the batteries in the TPMS go bad requiring the owner to have the tires removed and then reinstalled. The easiest fix was to put the 4 TPMS in a sealed canister. I built a canister:
1. 4" diameter PVC
2. 6" long....put the TPMS inside the tube
3. Bought two end caps and drilled a hole in one of them for a tire valve
4. Glued the end caps to the PVC Pipe
5. Waited 24hrs prior to putting 35 PSI

Just last week my TPMS light finally came on after 3 years. The pressure inside the tube was to low. So I grabbed my bicycle pump and aired it up again. Put it back in the truck and the TPMS light went out.

If you have no plans of installing new ones or building a canister, open up the cluster and see if you.......well you get the drift. Some will hauler that it is a safety issue, but for how many years did cars and trucks go without TPMS. I also take 4 seconds to walk around my truck to ensure kids didn't dent it, it didn't get broken into, etc and too look at the tires.
Take Care

Yep, mine are in the pvc tube under my rear seat. Been there for 2-3 years. No pressure loss yet.