I have seen different ways to break the bead so that won’t be an issue. I plan on just “mashing the tire down where the stem is located and swapping out the old sensor for a new so I was hoping rebalancing would not be necessary.

What type of sensor would you recommend? Does it have to be OEM? Or will aftermarket work?
I assume I will need a scanner for the new sensors either way?

 

Mark the tire and rim and before inflating make sure they are at the same spot.

I go to Costco and they are responsible for lifespan of the sending unit + programming. I cant suggest any brand/make. Just make sure the unit(s) you get have not been sitting on the shelf for a long time. There may be factory seconds and fakes in the market. Hence I put my trust in Costco tire dept.

Salim

 

I will try and take some pics but my plan is to take off tire, remove air, mash tire using a jack and wood block, use wood block lodged inside to keep it open so I can get a picture of the current tpms sensor and any info written on it. Since it lasted so long I plan to get the same type (also to keep weight as close as possible since I don’t plan to balance)

Then I will reinflate and reinstall tire and go purchase my sensors.

As a retiree, I have plenty of time on my hands and we have 2 cars so no rush.

 

I made a valiant attempt, but I could not break the tire bead. I spent over an hour using different techniques that I have viewed on YouTube, to no avail. I am unable to break the tire bead on my Michelin Lattitude 235/60 R18 tires.

i know when I have been beat….so the next time the vehicle needs service I will pay to have the tpms sensors done at the same time.

 

Golden rule for DIY, know when to stop.

Salim

 

Well...after researching a little more I decided to give it one last try. Great news!! I broke the tire bead. I attached pics but basically, I cut a 4x4 to allow me to drive on it while it presses down on the tire. This was by far the easiest and fastest way that I tried and the only one that was successful. I sprayed soapy solution where rim meets tire and drove right up. See pics.

 

Here are a couple more pics. Now I have to figure out what type of sensor this is and where to buy it.

 

just make sure you don't leave the tire in this warped position for long. Bring it back to its molded shape.

Salim

 

thanks, I left it just long enough to take some pics of sensor so I can replace with the same one. I refilled it without issue and the wife drove it for errands afterwards without issue. As of this morning it is still holding all the air without any loss. Next step is to find and order replacement sensors.

when I receive the sensors I will be ready to install as soon as bead is broken to minimize warped tire time.

 

Here is a clearer picture of my current sensor that has been inside the wheel for at least since 2016 and a picture of what I ordered on Ebay to replace it. Once it arrives, I will plan my next step such as buy an OB2 scanner with TPMS capabilities for a few hundred bucks but with many other uses, or buy a cheap TPMS "scanner only". (For less than $100 and still end up cheaper than the dealership)

 

I have been doing some research while waiting for my new sensors and have received conflicting information. Can anyone verify if it is true that new sensors can be recognized by the vehicle without a scanning tool? By simply hitting the tpms reset button in the vehicle and driving around for 10 minutes?

 

Well , my new sensors have arrived from Ebay. They do not look like the originals which are in the pictures above. On the other hand, they did arrive in Toyota OEM packaging so this may not be a bad thing. I read Toyota changed their TPMS design in 2017 so if that is the case I would prefer the new design rather than being sent sensors that were made 8 years ago.

Here is a pic of what I received.

 

Since the dealership and the Toyota parts website charges $117 per OEM sensor, plus installation and programing, I estimate the job at the dealer would have cost me over $600 plus the time to take it to dealership and wait for repair. I used this rational to justify the purchase of a TPMS Service scanner/tool from amazon for $169. I bought the Autel TS508WF and it worked flawlessly. I didn't bother to read the instructions because I had watched a few videos of its operation on YouTube. This little handheld unit saved me a ton of work as it pinpointed the 1 bad sensor, identified a 2nd sensor with a low battery, and indicated the remaining 2 sensors were good. I easily replaced the bad sensor and even more easily paired the new sensor into the Lexus ECU using the obd2 cable that came with it (I mean all I did was literally plug it in and it did all the ECU relearning itself). My TPMS fault light on the dash screen immediately went out without doing anything else. I will replace the low battery one tomorrow.
I must admit I really am enjoying this sense of accomplishment right now.
Looks like this story has a happy ending.

 

For the people DIY'ing this, do you all have Discount Tire nearby?
15$ labor fee for install/program/removal is well worth it imo. lol

 

I'm curious, what if I remove the tpms sensors when I get new tires? Will that confuse the electronics?