Tire Pressure Monitoring System

[Topper]

I am 99.99 percent certain that my 2003 GX470 does NOT have TPMS.

There does not appear to be a TPMS indicator in the instrument panel.

But I need to be 100 percent certain.

Does anyone disagree with me?

Thank you.

[GDixon]

First, check the manual. Then see if an orange light showing a tire cross section with an exclamation point inside it shows up on the instrument panel when starting the car. On an RX350 it is next to the gas gauge. It goes out after about two seconds.

If all else fails then deflate a tire to 20 pounds or so and see if something shows up on the dash. Don't forget to fill the tire back up - duh.

[Topper]

First, check the manual. Then see if an orange light showing a tire cross section with an exclamation point inside it shows up on the instrument panel when starting the car. On an RX350 it is next to the gas gauge. It goes out after about two seconds.

If all else fails then deflate a tire to 20 pounds or so and see if something shows up on the dash.

Sounds like a plan, thank you.

Don't forget to fill the tire back up - duh.

Duh, yeah! But I've done worse

[The G Man]

If your GX470 have a metal tire valve stem and a metal cap, then you have TPMS. If the valve stem is rubber, you do not. If I remember right, Lexus start putting in TPMS on the GX on 2004.

[Topper]

If I remember right, Lexus start putting in TPMS on the GX on 2004.

Yes, I looked at cars.com, carsdirect.com, and lexus.com, they all start showing TPMS on the 2004 model but not one the 2003.

If your GX470 have a metal tire valve stem and a metal cap, then you have TPMS. If the valve stem is rubber, you do not.

Yes, rubber it is, thanks.

[dchan865]

That's right. 2004 model has it.

BTW, I have an issue with the Tire Pressure light. Several weeks ago, it lighted up. So I make sure all the tires including the spare has more than 32 PSI.

Well, today the darn light is coming on again. It stays on solid, NOT blinking. Per the manual, if it blinks, it indicates a problem.

I took two analog tire guage and checked the air pressue. One shows 32PSI (after I refill more air just to be sure) and the other show about 38PSI. Anyone have this issue before?

I have a feeling some sensor or something may be broken.

Thanks for any insight.

[Grumbles2]

That's right. 2004 model has it.

BTW, I have an issue with the Tire Pressure light. Several weeks ago, it lighted up. So I make sure all the tires including the spare has more than 32 PSI.

Well, today the darn light is coming on again. It stays on solid, NOT blinking. Per the manual, if it blinks, it indicates a problem.

I took two analog tire guage and checked the air pressue. One shows 32PSI (after I refill more air just to be sure) and the other show about 38PSI. Anyone have this issue before?

I have a feeling some sensor or something may be broken.

Thanks for any insight.

First advise, is everyone needs to realize that the tire pressure systems on all Lexus vehicles are not the same. I read that they are in the process of standardizing the systems across all models but at this point they are slightly differant. Reason I say this is that some peole with differant models sometimes give advise based on their specific model.

Ok, now on the GX470 a tire sensing system was not installed until the 2004 model like others have stated. Lexus has a great TSIB # PG008-03 that was revised December 2006, it goes over in detail one of the concerns that most people have with the system. That concern is related to seasonal tempature when the tire pressure is set. For example if you set your pressure at 32 psi during the summer when it is 90 degrees come fall when its gets down to say 50 degrees in the morning the pressure in the tires may drop below the 26.5 psi that will turn on the light. As you drive if the tire get warm enough for the pressure to exceed 29 psi the light will go off. In other words tire pressure maintenence is not just a set it and forget it process. Actually Lexus has several TSIB's that address and explain the tire pressure systems on all of their models in detail.

Where does this info come from?

https://techinfo.toyota.com

[The G Man]

If one of your gauge read 32 psi and the other read 38, then one of your gauge is no good. Find a good gauge and set the tires to 35 psi and you should be good to go.

[dchan865]

If one of your gauge read 32 psi and the other read 38, then one of your gauge is no good. Find a good gauge and set the tires to 35 psi and you should be good to go.

Yeah, following this theory, I bought a digital tire guage and finally determined that the spare tire still didn't have enough air, it was off by about 8 psi. After adjustments, lights finally went off. Lesson to be learn here is that all tire guage is not created equal. The one I had was a cheapo one from a tire store. Thanks guys.

[Dave_PE]

If your GX470 have a metal tire valve stem and a metal cap, then you have TPMS. If the valve stem is rubber, you do not. If I remember right, Lexus start putting in TPMS on the GX on 2004.

You did remember correctly, but not all 2004 GX's have TPMS, only those shipped after January of 2004. The early 2004 shipments didn't include it along with the rear camera.