Having a really odd/irritating problem with the TPMS system in my '07 ES.

I had new Michelin Primacy's installed a few weeks ago, this is on aftermarket rims with the sensors that came with them. They told me one sensor had a dead battery so I had them replace it while doing the install. Drove home, all was good, car very smooth.

Weird thing that happens now: When I start the car in the garage at home, the TPMS light flashes a few times and then turns on solid. Until I back out and start driving away. Then the light turns back off after I'm a few doors away, and doesn't turn on again. Until I come back home. As I pull into my driveway, the light turns on again. Next day, same thing.

None of our other cars ('04 Highlander, '87 Toyota truck) have TPMS, so no other sensors. My factory rims with sensors and Blizzaks installed are not at home, they are stored in a loft space at my office. They did give me the old dead sensor when I had the tires installed, and it was sitting on my workbench in the garage, but I've since gotten rid of it, and the problem persists. Our closest neighbor is over 300' away, besides I assume the programming of the system only "watches" the sensors in that car. I checked the tires pressures and they are fine, yes I checked the spare.

What the heck? Any ideas? Even the tire place is stumped.

 

This may sound like a strange question - have you installed any aftermarket lighting on your car? I have another car with TPMS that I had upgraded the headlights to HID and found they were interfering with TPMS. The way I found it was that the TPMS light would go off soon after the automatic headlights turned off while driving away from my home. You might also have some other aftermarket add-on that is creating wireless interference. It took me about a month of experimenting to finally figure out what it was. Good luck!

 

Nope, no aftermarket lighting at all, just the rims that are a nice tasteful 17". The sensors are not OEM, they were in the rims when I bought them, from a gentleman that had them on his '08 ES.

The only other thing in the car that is not stock is a "Himbox" brand bluetooth adapter that connects my phone to the audio input via Bluetooth. I guess I could pull that out to see if it's the cause, but it's been in the car since last October.

It's just so strange that it only happens when I'm at home, coming or going. Maybe the LED bulbs I have in the door openers?