Low tire pressure indicator light always on

"Ray O" wrote in news:o8ydnbSD7tyDINbanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

In practice though, the ABS-based system actually works fairly well from what I've seen. It's unusual for all four tires (or even both on the same axle) to be low enough at the same time, sufficient to pose a safety hazard.

And nobody is going to benefit from any system if they ignore the light. How many people ignore their Check Engine light?

Plus they severely limit your choice of wheels, which is a major disadvantage in the snow belt.

Reply to
Tegger
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innews:o8ydnbSD7tyDINbanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Thanks for the inputs, this means the OPs RAV4 doesn't have ABS system and uses a radio signal on the valve stem. The ABS would not be able to monitor the spares pressure. And the fact that he mentioned it was lit up in the morning before running the tires. ABS system wold not detect flat tires when the wheels are not in motion. How will I know what TPMS technology is on my 2007 Camry 4cyl? I dont want to mess up the sensors mounted on the valve stem if in case I use fix-a-flat. If my car was equipped with ABS monitoring TPMS then I would not worry. Another question is, the tire pressure on the mounted wheels is dependent on how much weights the car carries right. There's no weight on the spare tire, would the sensor be triggered if the pressure was measure at no load and then carries 5 passengers plus cargo afterwards, this is again if the system *compares* pressure on all tires including the spare. Or is it only the ABS system that compares each tire.

Reply to
EdV

EdV wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b40g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

True enough, but a glance at the tires before you get in the car would reveal any flats or grossly underinflated tires. And the ABS would quickly notify you of your low pressure once you were on the move.

As for the spare...Well, I'd rather have to check that manually once in a while rather than have five $300 transponders that may fail one day and which prevent me from using cheap steel wheels for my snows.

Look at the valve stems. If they're metal, you have transponders. If they're rubber, you have the ABS-based system.

The weight of the car on the tire has no practical effect on the tire's pressure as read by your tire gauge.

Reply to
Tegger

I believe that the sensors will work with any wheel that accepts a conventional valve stem. The pressure sensors look like this:

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Reply to
Ray O

"Ray O" wrote in news:6LudnRFc3bb5b9HanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Maybe so. But...

My understanding was that certain valve locations and angles will cause the transponder body to extend below the wheel rim's perimeter. In that case, a tire puncture would lead to transponder destruction.

Reply to
Tegger

Good point. I have no idea how vulnerable the transponder body would be if the tire is run while flat, but I see your point. I think the problem would be greater during a blowout situation, but the purpose of the transponder is supposed to warn the driver of the presence of a slow leak or low tire pressure, which is a common cause of blowouts. :-)

Reply to
Ray O

"Ray O" wrote in news:xLOdnbihI5XO0dPanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Nor do I.

A common cause, but by no means the only one. I've had two unaccountable sudden blowouts. And I do not allow my tires to get low on air.

And in any case, even if I can use cheap steel wheels for winter, they're not cheap any more if I have to put transponders in each wheel...

Reply to
Tegger

Hmmm, I wonder if the TPMS would detect the absence of transponders - that is, if you use cheap steel wheels without transponders, would the TPMS miss the transponders? For those who actually monitor tire pressure, the transponders are more of a redundancy than a necessity.

Reply to
Ray O

"Ray O" wrote in news:RYednaD7oJQNAdLanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Oh, and that's two unaccountable blowouts in 30 years of driving, so it's not like it's an everyday occurrence...

My father-in-law has a Chrysler 300M. Some time after he bought it, he decided to purchase steel wheels and snow tires. He discovered that it would be necessary to have transponders installed in the steel wheels, as the TPMS would complain loudly and brightly in the absence of transponders. The stock transponders, however, would not have fitted properly in the steel wheels.

I don't know what he's doing now, but for the longest time he simply parked the 300M for the winter and drove his older Lincoln in the winter. The Lincoln has no TPMS.

I still think transponders are overly expensive overkill and not worth the price. The ABS-based system is far cheaper, far more flexible, and almost as effective. Certainly far more effective than no monitoring at all, and not much less effective than the transponder system.

Reply to
Tegger

I've never had a blowout, hope I never do!

Hmmm, I wonder if you could just put the 4 stock wheels in the trunk and back seat? ;-)

I agree!

Reply to
Ray O

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