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I bought a set of alloy rims and winter tires a while back which I fitted up with Toyota TPMS. I recently went to have them installed, and the garage told me that the TPMS sensors were dead. The want $465 to dismount, install new generic TPMS, install rebalance, and reconnect TPMS. I think this is too much. Anyone had this experience? Any suggestions on a good brand of TPMS sensors I could purchase (do not read: cheap) and where I could do better on the price. Many thanks.
Well, here is the story. The $465 was from the local garage (not a Lexus dealer) where I get my car serviced. The tires and rims are from my previous Lexus so they are 10 years old. So, I shopped it around and got prices of $430 and $413. Then went to a local tire dealer called Kaltire who seemed to know the biz. They said the sensors are $62 each. All we do to replace them is break the bead on one side, do the job and reinflate. No balancing needed. We make sure the new sensors reconnect and you`re good to go - $318 all in. I guess it pays to shop around.
Only reservation is that they are not Toyota sensors, which run about $90 here. But, they are Schrader, a name which I associate with quality and longevity. I also understand from watching the Car Care Nut Channel -
that the new ones will automagically connect to the car - no extra stuff needed. I will let you know after Nov 30 when I am due to have them installed.
Well, here is the story. The $465 was from the local garage (not a Lexus dealer) where I get my car serviced. The tires and rims are from my previous Lexus so they are 10 years old. So, I shopped it around and got prices of $430 and $413. Then went to a local tire dealer called Kaltire who seemed to know the biz. They said the sensors are $62 each. All we do to replace them is break the bead on one side, do the job and reinflate. No balancing needed. We make sure the new sensors reconnect and you`re good to go - $318 all in. I guess it pays to shop around.
Only reservation is that they are not Toyota sensors, which run about $90 here. But, they are Schrader, a name which I associate with quality and longevity. I also understand from watching the Car Care Nut Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkJJabCQaqA that the new ones will automagically connect to the car - no extra stuff needed. I will let you know after Nov 30 when I am due to have them installed.
New model cars. That means 2023 RX and up and 2022 NX. I don't think you can program sensors to RX4 from the MID. You need TPMS tool.
Also, the OEM sensors are $60. Why would you go aftermarket for same price?
I change my winter tires myself and I grew tired to reprogram new codes each time, I invested into a set of clonable TPMS (and tool).
I copied my summer wheels codes set into the new programable TPMS' and go into the dash menues to reset the TPMS' . I roll a little while and the other set positions and calibration is done, no change of codes (Don't do this until the summer set is out of the car if you have a mechanic doing the tire change).
Costco won't install others than their own (Dill) which are not clonable (and you have to pay them each season to reprogram the codes if you go with them to change the tires), so I had to have my local garage to install them with my winter mags and new tires.
I did the same for my daughter's car (Mazda 3), changing all the tires in the fall is a breeze.
I change my winter tires myself and I grew tired to reprogram new codes each time, I invested into a set of clonable TPMS (and tool).
I copied my summer wheels codes set into the new programable TPMS' and go into the dash menues to reset the TPMS' . I roll a little while and the other set positions and calibration is done, no change of codes (Don't do this until the summer set is out of the car if you have a mechanic doing the tire change).
Costco won't install others than their own (Dill) which are not clonable (and you have to pay them each season to reprogram the codes if you go with them to change the tires), so I had to have my local garage to install them with my winter mags and new tires.
I did the same for my daughter's car (Mazda 3), changing all the tires in the fall is a breeze.
Costco does not have a fee to program. It is part of the service. Also, some of the newer generations of sensors are made to be cloned, but it’s just easier to reprogram the system
I did not go Lexus as I believe they are more expensive (I haven't checked but do you know of anything Lexus that is less expensive?). Also, I believe there are probably just a few manufacturers of these things so it doesn't matter a lot whether there is a Lexus sticker on it. Lastly, I could go to Lexus and have it all done for $800 instead of $300. Chose not to do that, and by taking the garage's sensors, there will be no finger-pointing. I'll let you know.
I bought a set of nice set of aftermarket wheels for my RX350. I purchased Lexus TPMS sensors upon recommendation from my mechanic to insure they would perform correctly. Ironically, they didn't work. No one, including Lexus, could program them. Lexus gave up and refunded me. I haven't decided whether to try another brand or give Lexus another chance. It's beyond discouraging that Lexus could not make their own brand of TPMS sensors work.
I bought a nice set of aftermarket wheels for my RX350. I purchased Lexus TPMS sensors upon recommendation from my mechanic to insure they would perform correctly. Ironically, they didn't work. No one, including Lexus, could program them. Lexus gave up and refunded me. I haven't decided whether to try another brand or give Lexus another chance. It's beyond discouraging that Lexus could not make their own brand of TPMS sensors work.
Sounds to me like a pretty weak dealer that can't figure out how to program their own parts.
Costco does not have a fee to program. It is part of the service. Also, some of the newer generations of sensors are made to be cloned, but it’s just easier to reprogram the system
I paid 12$ per wheel in Canada.
And Lexus charged 110$ for all the wheels the first time I went with them at the same time as the first maintenance service.
I bought a nice set of aftermarket wheels for my RX350. I purchased Lexus TPMS sensors upon recommendation from my mechanic to insure they would perform correctly. Ironically, they didn't work. No one, including Lexus, could program them. Lexus gave up and refunded me. I haven't decided whether to try another brand or give Lexus another chance. It's beyond discouraging that Lexus could not make their own brand of TPMS sensors work.
Sounds to me like a pretty weak dealer that can't figure out how to program their own parts.
That happened to me at first for my winter tires when I just had bought mine, and what they realized is that the parts guy gave them a 3Gen TMPS, when they switched to the proper one it worked, But of course they had lost time to remove the tires and re-balance the wheels because of the parts guy mistake.