TPMS tool for Toyota

[LavaRand]

I'm looking at getting a set of junkyard wheels for my 2013 Sienna and putting snow tires on them. I've heard you can buy aftermarket TPMS sensors and programmers that let you "clone" the sensors to the stock wheels, so you can swap wheels easily without reprogramming the car.

On the other hand if I get wheels from the junkyard, they will probably have free TPMS sensors in them already, so maybe it's better to buy a tool that can reprogram the car. Is there a cheap-enough tool out there that can reprogram TPMS sensors for Toyotas, and maybe even work for other cars and sensors?

 

[D60]

I used the Autel -- maybe a TS200? -- on an '11 Camry

FWIW

 

[The Critic]

It's a bit complicated.

Most of the cheaper aftermarket tools (e.g. Autel) can read ID's from any brand of sensors, but they can only write ID's to the car for their own brand of sensors.

 

[LavaRand]

When you say "write IDs to the car" do you mean write ID's to the sensors? That makes sense, but to swap wheels, it seems I can either program the sensors to the car, or the car to the sensors. A tool that enables either or both would seem to be the most flexible.

 

[Pelican]

I'm looking at getting a set of junkyard wheels for my 2013 Sienna and putting snow tires on them. I've heard you can buy aftermarket TPMS sensors and programmers that let you "clone" the sensors to the stock wheels, so you can swap wheels easily without reprogramming the car.

On the other hand if I get wheels from the junkyard, they will probably have free TPMS sensors in them already, so maybe it's better to buy a tool that can reprogram the car. Is there a cheap-enough tool out there that can reprogram TPMS sensors for Toyotas, and maybe even work for other cars and sensors?

DON'T reuse the sensors, they begin to go wonky after ~6-7 yrs. My 2017 Lexus are having fits, what goes mainly is the battery in them. This is also what makes the biggest $$ difference between OEM and aftermarket, though I'm sure there are aftermarket that are good how to know? So I'm replacing mine with OEM and also get the Kit, don't reuse o-rings etc. My independent tire dealer can sync them to the vehicle, no need to go to the dealer.

 

[4WD]

DON'T reuse the sensors, they begin to go wonky after ~6-7 yrs. My 2017 Lexus are having fits, what goes mainly is the battery in them. This is also what makes the biggest $$ difference between OEM and aftermarket, though I'm sure there are aftermarket that are good how to know? So I'm replacing mine with OEM and also get the Kit, don't reuse o-rings etc. My independent tire dealer can sync them to the vehicle, no need to go to the dealer.

Just pulled tires back off 2017 Tahoe - one failed so we changed them all.

 

[FowVay]

I use Autel sensors and a TS508 tool but back when I got mine you could buy a box of sensors and they'd give you the tool. I'd be into a set of sensors (4) for $120. Those days seem to be long gone.

To get a tool and 8 sensors (seems to be the kit) it looks like they're running around $215. You can clone the Autel sensors to match whatever Toyota sensors are programmed into your vehicles body control module but there really isn't any benefit to doing that.

By the time you buy the tool and sensors and then pay a shop to install the sensors you're better off just taking your vehicle to Discount Tire or Sam's Club/Costco for the service.

 

[LavaRand]

If I have Costco sell me sensors when they put the tires on, and sync them to the car. But my understanding is that they can only sync 4 sensors to the car at any given time. So if they sync my snow wheels to the van, my normal wheels won't work then! And it's not time to install snow tires yet.

Without a tool I will have to pay a shop twice a year, just to re-sync the other wheel sensors to the car, and the whole point of having a second set of wheels is so I don't have to go to a shop to switch them, and I can swap them multiple times or whatever.

The only choice seems to be cloned sensors so that both wheels work the same. Or get my own tool that can sync different sensors to the car. Or just leave sensors off my winter wheels and deal with the dashboard light being on all the time. My last van didn't have TPMS anyway and I drove it for 10 years.

 

[D60]

If I have Costco sell me sensors when they put the tires on, and sync them to the car. But my understanding is that they can only sync 4 sensors to the car at any given time. So if they sync my snow wheels to the van, my normal wheels won't work then! And it's not time to install snow tires yet.

Without a tool I will have to pay a shop twice a year, just to re-sync the other wheel sensors to the car, and the whole point of having a second set of wheels is so I don't have to go to a shop to switch them, and I can swap them multiple times or whatever.

The only choice seems to be cloned sensors so that both wheels work the same. Or get my own tool that can sync different sensors to the car. Or just leave sensors off my winter wheels and deal with the dashboard light being on all the time. My last van didn't have TPMS anyway and I drove it for 10 years.

I found a vid for disabling the '11 Camry by doing a bit of wiring behind the glove box. If it were my vehicle, I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Point being, if you don't want TPMS you may be able to find similar info for your Toyota.

On my vehicles 2 out of 4 are disabled; the other two, the light is ignored.

 

[dubber09]

If I have Costco sell me sensors when they put the tires on, and sync them to the car. But my understanding is that they can only sync 4 sensors to the car at any given time. So if they sync my snow wheels to the van, my normal wheels won't work then! And it's not time to install snow tires yet.

Without a tool I will have to pay a shop twice a year, just to re-sync the other wheel sensors to the car, and the whole point of having a second set of wheels is so I don't have to go to a shop to switch them, and I can swap them multiple times or whatever.

The only choice seems to be cloned sensors so that both wheels work the same. Or get my own tool that can sync different sensors to the car. Or just leave sensors off my winter wheels and deal with the dashboard light being on all the time. My last van didn't have TPMS anyway and I drove it for 10 years.

So basically when you have a set of working sensors you can have them closed so you have another set of 'identical' sensors as far as the car sees them.
Say you have sensors A B C D
you get blank sensors 0 0 0 0 and then they get programmed to be A B C D
when you change tires the car sees 'same' sensors.

 

[LavaRand]

So basically when you have a set of working sensors you can have them closed so you have another set of 'identical' sensors as far as the car sees them.
Say you have sensors A B C D
you get blank sensors 0 0 0 0 and then they get programmed to be A B C D
when you change tires the car sees 'same' sensors.

Does that work even with OEM sensors or do you need specific aftermarket ones?

 

[FowVay]

I am not 100% certain but I believe that in order to program OEM sensors you need either a Bartec or ATEQ tool. These are very expensive in comparison to the generic tools that program only their own brand of sensor.

As I mentioned earlier, I use the Autel TS508 and the MX sensors. The procedure to clone is very simple. You can get the sensor serial number directly from the working sensor in the wheel and then you program your new sensor with the same serial number. If the wheel sensor is dead due to a bad battery or physical damage then you can still pull the serial number of the sensor from the vehicles body control module. You do this by plugging the TPMS tool into the vehicles OBD-II port and accessing the TPMS feature. Once you have the sensor serial numbers you can program as many of them as you want.

To do what you're wanting to do with the junk yard wheels and sensors I believe is doable but you need a shop that has the Bartec or ATEQ brand of programming tool.

 

[dubber09]

Car talks to sensors over a freq channel, sensors need to support that freq range first. Then when programmed the car will see them and read data e.g. PSI per sensor. It doesn't matter what brand the sensor is as long as comms can be established. Many aftermarket sensors support both 315MHz and 433MHz.
Car's ECU has a table of sensors' IDs, new sensors can have same IDs via cloning existing sensors. Or, if sensors cannot be written to then in some cases ECU can be updated with new set of IDs matching the sensors.

 

[The Critic]

When you say "write IDs to the car" do you mean write ID's to the sensors? That makes sense, but to swap wheels, it seems I can either program the sensors to the car, or the car to the sensors. A tool that enables either or both would seem to be the most flexible.

Autel's tools can only program Autel TPMS to a vehicle.

But it can read the ID's from any brand of sensor.

Your best bet is to buy the Autel TS508 and their MX sensors. You can clone the OE sensors using their tool and write those ID's onto their MX sensors.

 

[Pelican]

I use Autel sensors and a TS508 tool but back when I got mine you could buy a box of sensors and they'd give you the tool. I'd be into a set of sensors (4) for $120. Those days seem to be long gone.

To get a tool and 8 sensors (seems to be the kit) it looks like they're running around $215. You can clone the Autel sensors to match whatever Toyota sensors are programmed into your vehicles body control module but there really isn't any benefit to doing that.

By the time you buy the tool and sensors and then pay a shop to install the sensors you're better off just taking your vehicle to Discount Tire or Sam's Club/Costco for the service.

No kidding!
Here's the breakdown for mine at the dealer ca$85 each Kit ca$20 TTL ca$105 each + tax
At the indie Tire dealer ca$60 each (no Kit available) + tax
Have NO idea of the make at the indie and IF one fails the R&R cost would kill any savings.
Sometime you have to swallow and it's not always sweet.

 

[LavaRand]

Costco will sell and "program" TPMS sensors for a good price but they confirmed they only can "teach" the car, they cannot change the TPMS sensors to be "cloned" to the others.

Given the options, I decided to order 4 new "OEM replacement" wheels off of eBay, bought a Autel TS508WF programmer and 4 Autel sensors. When they arrive I will install the Autel sensors, take them to Costco, and have new Blizzak's put on them. I should be able to program them as clones myself, and then I will have an Autel programmer in my toolbox for other cars / future use. This ended up being fairly cost effective compared to buying aftermarket wheels from Tire Rack etc.

 

[Patrick0525]

What is the expected life of an Autel TPMS? Toyota OEM are at least 10yrs.

 

[LavaRand]

Don't know, but I have the tool now so if the autel sensors die I can put OEM sensors back in and just program the car when I swap wheels. Options are a good thing.

 

[eljefino]

Techstream is the dealer software, you can get something "just like it" on eBay with an OBD to USB cable really cheap. You need a 32 bit (old) laptop to run it. WIndows 7 is the perfect OS. Sandbox it, no wifi, no internet, just use it for car stuff. The software is of course handy for 2-way diagnostics well beyond tire pressure.

You can also get a software "Carista" with Bluetooth dongle, you have to pay every time you use it (and get a week's service).

Both of the above will read/write TPMS sensor serial numbers to the car.

The OE Denso sensors are made by "Pacific", which you can buy a four pack for $40 on, you guessed it, eBay or probably aliexpress. Their fit, form, and function are identical to OE, better IMO than a universal sensor.

 

[michaelluscher]

Autel's tools can only program Autel TPMS to a vehicle.

My experience with a TS508WF and TS900 disagrees (not saying your experience is invalid)
TPMS (like my recent dabblings in key programming, is a fickle beast)

But it can read the ID's from any brand of sensor.

Your best bet is to buy the Autel TS508 and their MX sensors. You can clone the OE sensors using their tool and write those ID's onto their MX sensors.

I programmed OE Motorcraft/Nissan/GM sensors, and Schrader OE Replacement TPMS Sensors with my Autel
Never once used a MX sensor (my bundles didn't include them)

I can't comment on their EZ-Sensors
I try to stick to "OE Relearn'" compatible sensors
Of which the OPs scenario has a wide selection

For an even cheaper route, do as @eljefino said, buy new sensors, note the IDs, have them installed, write in with a ~$20 Techstream dongle

XTool has a TPMS tool that should get the job done, undercutting Autel significantly

XTOOL TP150 TPMS Programming Tool, Universal TPMS Relearn/Reset/Activate Tool, Tire Sensor Programmer for XTOOL TS100 Only, Tire Pressure Monitor System Diagnostics Tool https://a.co/d/bP4SVFR