Tire Pressure Sensing Unit-spare Tire

[Stoofpilot]

The tire pressure light is always on in my daughters 2008 RX350. She bought the car used. The Lexus dealer just called her to say that someone swapped out the spare and her spare does not have a pressure sensing switch/something on the spare tire.

a. What is the thing on the tire?

b. They quoted her $240.00 to put one(whatever it is) on the spare

c. Does anyone know where to get it cheaper

d. Is there a fuse that I can pull that will disable the lite but nothng else??

Any help will be appreciated.

[lightflick]

The tire pressure light is always on in my daughters 2008 RX350. She bought the car used. The Lexus dealer just called her to say that someone swapped out the spare and her spare does not have a pressure sensing switch/something on the spare tire.

a. What is the thing on the tire?

b. They quoted her $240.00 to put one(whatever it is) on the spare

c. Does anyone know where to get it cheaper

d. Is there a fuse that I can pull that will disable the lite but nothng else??

Any help will be appreciated.

Your spare tire is missing the Tire Pressure Sensor. The TPS is part of the tire valve assembly. There's no way to disable the light. I think it's a federal law now that newer cars have to have the TPS system and you can't tamper with them.

Is that $240 installed? You have to bring it back to the dealer even if you buy it cheaper from elsewhere. The dealer has the tool to register your missing TPS sensor.

[gordonw]

THe tire monitor is looking for the missing tire sensor. It knows the vehicle should have five, and since one is missing, it thinks its malfunctioning. Tire monitoring is a federal requirement. Even if you find a cheaper sensor, you still have to bring back to a Lexus dealer to have the new sensor registered.

[fbsdmd]

THe tire monitor is looking for the missing tire sensor. It knows the vehicle should have five, and since one is missing, it thinks its malfunctioning. Tire monitoring is a federal requirement. Even if you find a cheaper sensor, you still have to bring back to a Lexus dealer to have the new sensor registered.

Might a Toyota dealer do it for less?

[rx350guy]

THe tire monitor is looking for the missing tire sensor. It knows the vehicle should have five, and since one is missing, it thinks its malfunctioning. Tire monitoring is a federal requirement. Even if you find a cheaper sensor, you still have to bring back to a Lexus dealer to have the new sensor registered.

Might a Toyota dealer do it for less?

I would definitely ask. They do everything else on my RX 350 for a lot less than the Lexus dealer. As an example, my car is due for the 15K mile service that Lexus quoted me $350+ to do. I'm having the exact same work done at Toyota for about $150 less..

[fbsdmd]

The tire pressure light is always on in my daughters 2008 RX350. She bought the car used. The Lexus dealer just called her to say that someone swapped out the spare and her spare does not have a pressure sensing switch/something on the spare tire.

a. What is the thing on the tire?

b. They quoted her $240.00 to put one(whatever it is) on the spare

c. Does anyone know where to get it cheaper

d. Is there a fuse that I can pull that will disable the lite but nothng else??

Any help will be appreciated.

This is from the US Federal Register, 2005--

Compliance Date: Consistent with the phase-in commencing October 5, 2005, all new light vehicles must be equipped with a TPMS that meets the requirements of the standard by September 1, 2007, with the following exceptions. Vehicle manufacturers need not meet the standard’s requirements for the TPMS malfunction indicator and related owner’s manual language until September 1, 2007 (i.e., at the end of the phase-in), and vehicles produced by final-stage manufacturers and alterers must be equipped with a compliant TPMS (including a malfunction indicator) by September 1, 2008. However, manufacturers may voluntarily certify vehicles to FMVSS No. 138 and earn carry-forward credits for compliant vehicles, produced in excess of the phase-in requirements, that are manufactured between April 8, 2005, and the conclusion of the phase-in.

This is the National Highway Safety Admin web page with FAQ about Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems:

http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/saferc...0002fd17898RCRD