Second set of rims/tires and TPMS - what to do?

[aljodoro]

Ok, I now have four duplicate GX470 Platinum rims now and will be buying my snow tires shortly. I am going to have a second set of tires and rims for my GX. How is the best way to handle a second set of rims/tires when it comes to the GX and specifically dealing w/TPMS?

I would like to just put in normal stems and disable the TPMS. Has anyone done it this way? Or the alternative is buy four TPMS sensors, install and go to the dealer to register the second set on the car computer. This appears to be a $500 cost with sensors and dealer charges. (Just a guess on my part)? For the three months of the year I can pay attention to my tire pressure (I have done it the old way for 30 years). How have others handled this situation?

If you have disable the TPMS but grounding the wire where you happy with the result. I would seem easy to reverse this process. Thanks for your views.

[Bob GX]

I think the easiest thing is to just install the regular (that is, non-sensor) valve stems, and let the warning light be on. I drove most of that way last winter on my 'year-round' set of wheels because the spare was out of tolerance - I check the 4 tire pressures once or twice a month anyway, so I knew they were ok. The warning light didn't bother me - since I knew all the TPs were good - just like all my other cars for the last 40 years without TPMS.....and having the light on didn't seem to do any damage to the rest of my car.....

(begin rant...) TPMS isn't a bad idea - but the way it's been implemented is too expensive to maintain (buying sensors, replacing batteries, registering sensors at the dealer, etc - just like you said). My son bought a Subaru with TPMS - and it tracks & reports which tire has the problem (like left front, not just a warning light like our GXs). So every time the tires get rotated, the dealer (or tire shop) wants $75 to 'reprogram' which tire is in which position. He skips that expense - if the system shows a low TP, it takes about two minutes with a gauge to 'find' the one with low pressure. It's like adding $150 to $225 expense each year (and several thousand $$ over the life of a car) - just to reprogram the tires! Maybe TPMS was designed as much to protect car makers from law suits (like the Explorer & Firestone blow out law suits) as it was to help the consumer. (end of rant.....)

[TubbyGs430]

i agree ive been driving with my light on for about 3 yrs and im kool with it,all you have to do is check the tires atleast once or twice a month save the 500+$

[stiles_s]

Originally Posted by aljodoro

Ok, I now have four duplicate GX470 Platinum rims now and will be buying my snow tires shortly. I am going to have a second set of tires and rims for my GX. How is the best way to handle a second set of rims/tires when it comes to the GX and specifically dealing w/TPMS?

I would like to just put in normal stems and disable the TPMS. Has anyone done it this way? Or the alternative is buy four TPMS sensors, install and go to the dealer to register the second set on the car computer. This appears to be a $500 cost with sensors and dealer charges. (Just a guess on my part)? For the three months of the year I can pay attention to my tire pressure (I have done it the old way for 30 years). How have others handled this situation?

If you have disable the TPMS but grounding the wire where you happy with the result. I would seem easy to reverse this process. Thanks for your views.

To do this "right", you need to:
1) buy a set of sensors w/the new wheels (I bought mine from lexuspartsonline)
2) install the sensors (I did mine myself, but you could have the shop do it too)
3) *important*: write down the id numbers for the new sensors
4) install the 2nd set of rims, then go to the dealer (ideally during a regularly scheduled maintenance appt) and have them program-in the 2nd set of sensors. I think they did mine for free.

Then, when you install the winter (or summer) wheels, you just press the little button by your right-knee to switch between sets of sensors. Works great.