Sorry to beat this into the ground... I'm still being a bit slow about a couple of issues:

1) I called two online tire places to order a winter wheel/tire package. One insisted that on an 08 IS350 RWD, the tire sizes front to rear MUST be different. Not necessarily wider as in OEM (225/40-18F & 255/40-18R) but at least taller in the rear (such as 225/40-18F & 225/45-18R). Something to do with "the traction control and the way it responds." The other place said it was perfectly OK to run 225/40R-18 all around.

2) The online guys and the Lexus parts people want 400-500 bucks for (4) TPMS sensors. I have no problem checking my own tire pressure so not getting them is preferred. I do want to confirm, though, what instrument cluster annoyance will result from not having them. I can deal with the yellow tire/exclamation point dummy light. But is it true that you can't "OK" out of the "Check System" warning message? So that disables my external temp, MPG, etc. for the entire winter season?

Thanks for the patience...

 

2- Nope, that annoying warning message wont go away with nothing, is very annoying. It will only go away until it detects the tire sensors. Not even reseting
will do something. If you want to buy cheaper sensors, there is a group buy, here in CL that is selling 4 sensors for $313dls
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=311960

 

1) Your OEM tire setup is 1" taller in the rear than the front. If the outside tire circumference is different than stock rear, then you're going to have speedometer and odometer inacurracy. If it's great enough, you'll have traction control issues, but you'd have to really be out of whack for that to happen. I can't see any harm (other than the aforementioned inaccuracies) in running a non-staggered setup. I personally would remain as close to the OEM circumference as possible, since I'm **** about maintenance and wouldn't want to over- or under-service my car.

2)If the car can't detect the tire pressure sensors, you're going to have a veritable Chrismas tree on your dashboard: You'll get a persistent "check system" message on the multi-display, a red warning triangle next to it, and an orange "low tire pressure" icon on the lower right portion of the instrument cluster. It doesn't disable the rest of the display options - you can still page through them, but it will always revert to the "check sytem" message after a couple of seconds. You will get used to it (I've been missing one sensor for almost three months now, and I barely even notice it anymore) but it is kind of a pain in the butt to have to always press the button to see something that I would normally just have to look at and not touch.

I'll see if I can upload a picture later tonight to show you what you'll be looking at daily.

Javier

 

im in IL and i dont have the TPMS in the rims. actually the system hardly goes off....i park in the garage and it reads in the am and at nite when i return. i can be on the road for hours with out anything lighting up on the dash. for the few months you will use the winter rims here i wouldnt waste the money.

I do agree on the tires and i have a larger tire in the rear on 17" rims both front and back.

good luck!

 

when you flip through the TPMS /tach/speedo settings, what happens when you select tire set #2 in the options? --just another idea to pursue. maybe it dis-engages the tpms?

 

You can have 2 sets of TPMS programmed on the car. If you switch over to #2, you'll still get the warning light if there isn't a second set programmed. The light will eventually come on after driving 20 miles or so.

 

im not understanding. where is the tire pressure sensor located? i'm about to order new tires online and have them placed on my rims at a tire location, is this sensor something i need to worry about them damaging or losing? do they need to be aware of it before they put on the new tire? and do i have to buy a certain type of tire for the sensors to work?

 

The tire sensor is a Zippo-lighter sized device that seats along the inner aspect of the wheel rim lip. It's connected to a valve stem and lets your car's computer know whether that tire's pressure has dropped below a critical "threshold". It must be purchased separately from the wheels/tires and installed by the shop. You can go without, but your dashboard will flash a warning and dummy light continuously. There is a group buy for a set--link in post #2 above.

 

is there only a light or also the sound that comes on (like the belt sound)

 

Just the lights; no sound or chime...

 

Can any Tire Pressure Sensor's be used? Such as those that tirerack offers? Or do the sensors have to be lexus specific?

 

is there a difference between the system not seeing any sensors at and the system seeing the sensors but having one that's pressure low or flat.
I am asking because i am thinking about putting wheels on without sensors and i would like to know if the effect is the same (lights, chime, sounds, etc.) than having a flat or low pressure on one sensor (just the light on).
thanks

 

Yes - there's a different notificiation for low tire pressure (info center displays 'Low Tire') than there is for not detecting the sensors (info center displays 'Check System').

Javier

 

This might be a noob question but can you just take the tpms sensors from your OEM wheels and put it on your aftermarket wheels? Thanks

 

Yes. The car identifies the sensor, not the wheel it's attached to... The issue would be whether or not your aftermarket wheels are TPMS compatible--meaning are they designed to allow the sensor to be mounted without alteration of the wheel itself or use of an adaptor/band, etc.