GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I just got my winter tires installed on new rims. I didn't buy new TPMS sensors (way too expensive!) so I expected to have the TPMS light in the dash lit when I started engine when leaving the tire shop. Well, there is no warning light to be found. Why? I'm sure the tire shop didn't install the new tires with sensors without charging me, that would be silly. Does it mean that the TPMS never worked for my car?I'm puzzled right now...

maybe double check your paperwork and see if you did. Here in the states is a federal offense for a tire shop or dealership to tamper with the tpms. That includes putting a tire package without TPMS on a car that requires TPMS. We as car owners can do as we like however.Just another stupid gadget IMO cause on a cold morning, I can usually spend most of my time explaining air pressure goes down with the temp...

OK, finally it's a non-post, as the damn light started blinking and then stayed on on my way to work this morning, after driving about 40 km or so...Guess I'll have to find a piece of black tape to hide it...

Same here..I did like 10km without any light the day i installed my winter tires. The next day, the light started blinking on the highway.

It BLINKS? it doesn't just stay lit? Oh boy.. this is going to be one major annoyance all winter long.

it blinks if the TPMS is detecting no signal from the wheels. it remains on steady if the tire pressure is low.In theory thats how its suppose to work.

Not to ask a dumb question, but did you have your stock tires with the TPMS in the car on the way home from the tire store? That would explain no light until you take those out of the car.

Quote, originally posted by shemp »Not to ask a dumb question, but did you have your stock tires with the TPMS in the car on the way home from the tire store? That would explain no light until you take those out of the car.that could be possible, but it requires tire movement of 20mph or more to "wake" up the TPMS and have it sending a signal to the car.

Quote, originally posted by shemp »Not to ask a dumb question, but did you have your stock tires with the TPMS in the car on the way home from the tire store? That would explain no light until you take those out of the car.Yes, I did have the stock tires in the car...Maybe you're right. But this morning, they weren't in the car anymore and it took close to 25 km before the light went on.

Quote, originally posted by kowell »It BLINKS? it doesn't just stay lit? Oh boy.. this is going to be one major annoyance all winter long.It blinks for a while when you start the engine, then stays always on. I'm definitely gonna put a little piece of black tape over it...

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »...but it requires tire movement of 20mph or more to "wake" up the TPMS and have it sending a signal to the car.....I never heard that.... Wouldn't that mean that if your car idled for 20 min, or if you were in stop-and-go traffic for over 20 min (never exceeding 20mph) that your low pressure light would come on? I think the sensors only send a signal every 5 minutes or so, regardless of speed.... That could explain some delay, but probably not enough to get 25km down the road in a Vibe unless you had a JATO rocket on the roof. Is it possible that when you started the car in the morning, you were within signal range of the stock tires, so your car got an initial "Tire Pressure OK" reading from them?

Doesn't the TPMS system have it's own fuse? If so, you can just pull the fuse and not have to see that blinky light.

No the light is steady after like 1 minute..The first time i see the light i was like (removed)! This light will be not blinking like this all winter.But i think it's really annoying to see a light like this in a new car!

Quote, originally posted by Eloi »It blinks for a while when you start the engine, then stays always on. I'm definitely gonna put a little piece of black tape over it...That's a relief. For a moment I was scared it would always blink. I'll probably install the winter tires this weekend so I'll see about the light. Black tape is definitly a possibility.

I had the same thing happen to me, but when the light finally did flash and then stay on, it only did so for a day and has not come on since. When I start the car it goes through the tests, but then goes off. Any thoughts!09 Vibe GT

Quote, originally posted by dmowry »I had the same thing happen to me, but when the light finally did flash and then stay on, it only did so for a day and has not come on since. When I start the car it goes through the tests, but then goes off. Any thoughts!09 Vibe GTDon't worry too much about it. After a while you won't even notice it anymore.

I thought the light was supposed to stay on if you didi not have the sensors. Mine only blinked and then stayed on for one day.

it should normally flash for a minute and then stay lit.From previous accounts on this forum, the TPMS light has been known to act weirdly for 1 or 2 days after you remove the tpms equiped alloys.I changed my tires 2 weeks ago and the light acted normally at first and it only started to flash on the 2nd day. Sometimes it's best not to try to understand.

I could be wrong (usually am), but I don't think the wheels have sensors in them. The TPMS uses the ABS system to monitor wheel rotation, a low pressure tire rotates more times per mile that a high pressure one. If your new tires are a slightly different diameter, that can trigger the light. Try a reset per the manual & see if it goes away.

Quote, originally posted by Bikerscum »I could be wrong (usually am), but I don't think the wheels have sensors in them. The TPMS uses the ABS system to monitor wheel rotation, a low pressure tire rotates more times per mile that a high pressure one. If your new tires are a slightly different diameter, that can trigger the light. Try a reset per the manual & see if it goes away.Link to the informationhttp://www.toyotatpms.com/Pictures of the sensors

Well, I was kinda right, in a 100% wrong kinda way. lol The link you provided shows they went to sensors in 2007. Thanks for the info.