Spudo769

I recently purchased an 07 base. One of the many selling points for me was that the winter wheels I was using on a 2014 Buick Regal would also fit the LS, all I had to do was get some different centering rings. As this winter wheel/tire set was only 2 years old with 10k miles, I wanted to get the use out of them. So, I was very happy when I swapped the wheels in my garage with no issue other than over- torqued lug nuts on the factory wheels.

Once I started the car up, I could see the TPMS system 'checking' mode for quite awhile, but not expecting results. However, no warning lights would come on, and even occasionally it was displaying all 5 numbers, even though I thought it was impossible that they were accurate. Still no warning lights. still happy!

The other day I took the car for a 50 mile round trip on the highway. About halfway through the warning lights finally came on. My brain can't handle warning lights, so I figured I could get them set up at my local tire shop. not as happy. Once I parked the car again, on restart the lights were gone again, and haven't come on since, but I haven't done highway driving either.

Today I set up an appointment with a local independent tire shop, who assured me they had done many Toyota TPMS learns.Try as they might they could get the sensors to read onto their tool. After we discussed it more, they came to the conclusion that the TPMS sensors were mated to the Buick, and it wouldn't be possible to get them to work and quoted me $220 to install new sensors that would. I politely thanked them and left, since no warning lights...not as happy though.

I went back and looked up my Tire Rack receipt. The 4 sensors I had purchased were listed as simply '315 mhz sensors'. I checked online, and Toyota/Lexus uses 315 mhz sensors as well. So, optimistic again.

Next I called Discount Tire, and explained the prior car and new (well, different, not newer) car differences. He was unsure he could get them to work, but asked me to bring it out as he thought he had a way to do it. I went out to DT, and try as they might, they couldn't get the sensors to read on their tool. They quoted me $200 to replace them, and pointed out it is typically $320, but they would waive labor and drop the sensors to $50 each. Unhappy, but since no warning light, politely told them I would consider it.

I called Tire Rack to see if they had the numbers of the sensors, they did not keep them, as they were to go on a Buick and it learns easily with a $20 tool. The first person recommended that I go to a dealer who has a tool to read the. When I explained that the 2 tire shops I went to had readers to, she was shocked that they had spent the big bucks on the tool. Then she turned me over to a sales person their who looked up sensors for the Buick and also for the Lexus. He flat out told me they wouldn't work. Even though both systems use 315 mhz, he told me they were completely different sensors, but couldn't explain the difference.

I had researched on this site about TPMS, and how if you could get the numbers off the sensors you could enter them into a $130 tool than would load them into the car's Tire ECU. I thought I saw on this site that you could possibly deflate the tire enough to manually read the numbers on each sensor, then load them into this tool Neither tire shop brought this idea up. I don't have the tools to basically take the tires off and re-install them on the wheels, but would justify buying the tool if it would work and I could get someone to get inside the tires and get me the numbers.
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So now I am left with a few questions- Not wanting to waste the $200 I already had in 2 year old sensors, are the sensors really specific to each manufacturer? Do sensors get 'trained' after installation to only work with that car and or manufacturer? If I was to obtain the numbers off the sensors manually would I be able to load them manually into the learning tool and get them to communicate? Does GM have a device that could get the codes off the sensors and then manually add to the Lexus tool?

Should I even worry if the lights aren't on???? I will already probably have to buy all new sensors for the factory set in the spring, as the summer tires are shot and if original the current sensors will be over 10 years old.

Thanks!

Spudo769

Going on Amazon, I am seeing that the sensors that pull up as fitting the Lexus won't show as fitting the Regal and vice versa. Looks like new sensors to make everything function perfectly.