Sami Tilander

Update: I'm also now having this "low tire" message visible all the time... I've been driving two days with TechStream live monitoring, and it shows correct pressures for all tires (way above the thresholds). And still that message is visible... strange. I'm suspecting that those aftermarket sensors are time-to-time sending some very low readings, even the pressures are correct. Because I did the "initialization" procedure and it captured very low pressures as limits (I can see this in the TechStream). The strange thing is that I don't see those low readings in TechStream. Maybe the TechStream is not updating the screen that often? BR.Sami

I ment 500 meters, not miles, sorry for confusion... I've to say that those aftermarket sensors I now have (Scharader), are not very reliable... It takes very long time to clear the "low tire" message after correcting the tire pressures. I'm going to switch back to the OEM sensors... BR.Sami

Hi all, My next task/plan is to refurbish the leather seats in my GS450h. They are in pretty good condition, but the colour has slightly faced out... I found from web an interesting product: https://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Colourant_Kit Does anybody here have any experience with this (or similar) product? Thanx in advance, Sami

You actually need to drive the car for about 500m to get the new limits set in the ECU. I noticed this when I had TechStream connected to the car and I did the initialization procedure: values where not updated even I waited how log. Only after I drove the car about 500m, the new limits were stored. And to get the "low type pressure" message cancelled, you need to drive a bit more. For me it took about 5 mins driving around when the message finally dissappeared. Strange logic... Did you have the TechStream? With it you can see the real measurements from sensors... BR.Sami

The link says "UMIWE 315MHz", but in Europe it should be 433MHz, if I've got it correctly... Anyway, good to know that there are other options available 👍 BR.Sami

Here is couple of pictures I took from TPMS sensor battery change... Pic 1: sensor removed from the enclosure: first remove the black plastic cover (two plastic pins holding it), then carefully dig out the sensor from that white stuff... Note that I have cut the valve stem totally (it was also damaged), and I'll replace that with new one. Pic 2: sensor from underneath: note the antenna wire (be carefully when removing the circuit board: you cannot really see the antenna, it is under the circuit board...) Pic 3: voltage of the old battery (antenna facing up) Pic 4: new battery, type CR2450. Not exactly same as the old one, but managed to solder it into place. Pic 5: voltage of the new battery Pic 6: end result! I used regular bathroom silicone (I don't have plans to replace this battery any more 😉 ) The new valve stem is glued with epoxy. BR. Sami

Did you still have original sensors? Never changed batteries? Did the error disappear or is it constant? I've noticed that it actually takes quite long time after the ECU complains about "check system". So might be that your sensor(s) is barely sending something, time to time, and it might keep the ECU happy most of the time. I've also similar issue with one of those non-OEM-sensors I bought: it has replaced already once, but it still fails in communication time to time... I'm going to refurbish the original, old sensors and replace at least this failing one... BR. Sami

Yes, correct. That will reset the alarm limits in ECU (the pressure which will raise the "low tire" message). Those are also visible in the TechStream... Sami

Where did you put the old sensor? You can easily get "low tire" if the old sensor with same ID is somewhere near the car... 😉 Did you try to do the "Pressure initialization" procedure? That should help after you have checked that the pressures are ok... TPMS is a good system, when it works... BR.Sami

When I had wrong IDs coded to the ECU, the fault codes re-appeared right after clearing. This sounds more like low battery or a failing sensor to me... I just got one of those Schrader sensors replaced as it was triggering "check system" about once a day. That message disappeared after a while, so the sensor was able to send something meaningful time to time... After sensor was changed two days ago, no fault codes since (fingers crossed). BR. Sami

Those fault codes will be visible in TechStream even if the ECU can read the sensors. The "Check System" message in the dash tells if there is some active communication problem or not. Clearing the codes will tell which sensors cannot be read right now (fault codes will appear again if there is still an issue). TechStream also support live monitoring of the sensors (select the Tire Pressure Monitor, and then data list). BR. Sami

Update: I worked out the strange "low tire" issue: it was caused by my old/original TPMS sensors (which had the same IDs than the new ones). Seems that even a brick wall was not blocking the wireless transmission from sensor to the ECU 😁. I'm still investigating one "check system" error which comes always from same sensor every now and then (and disappear after few minutes). Otherwise these sensors seems to work correctly.

Well, that is good news! Finally somebody has fixed the drivers 👍

yes, but have you actually tried to install those drivers? I bought my cable last November and the seller was claiming that 64bit OS is supported... but it was not. Problem is not the TechStream SW, but the Mini VCI drivers... It is also true that there are some hacks (editing registry etc) to get those working on Win 7/10 in the net... so that should be doable. I just found that VirtualBox-method much more simple (maybe because I've been using VirtualBox earlier). BR.Sami

Check this post:

Update: I've now had these new TPMS sensors for couple of weeks, and seems that they have some issues... Strange thing is that I'll get "low tire" warning every time I arrive to my home. I monitored the sensors with TechStream, and the pressure values are jumping up and down. But only in my front yard... strange. I need to visit the tire shop to check if the reprogramming was done correctly. BR. Sami

Hi, I found this guide while searching for an easy way to run the TechStream in a more modern operating system: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/how-to-techstream-in-5-minutes.1034923/ I previously had an old laptop running Win7 and it was rather painful to get the Mini VCI cable drivers installed. I got that working, but the battery of this old laptop is almost dead, so I needed a new solution. I've been using VirtualBox (https://www.virtualbox.org/) earlier (to run Linux OS in a Win 10 laptop), so I wanted to try this VirtualBox method: behind that link there is a ready made Virtual Machine image containing Win XP, TechStream v12 and all needed drivers, everything already installed! So I just had to download the image (about 1.5GB), and start that VM, and connect the Mini VCI cable... and I got working connection to my GS in no time! (of course you need to install the VirtualBox software to your PC, if you don't have it before...) BR. Sami

Hi, The "check system" means that car's ECU cannot read one of the sensors: it could have dead battery, or invalid ID coded to the ECU, or just wrong position of the tire selection switch (main/2nd). I'd say the easiest way is to visit a local tire shop: they should have scanners to scan the TPMS sensors one by one. Another way is to try to install the TechStream to your Win10 laptop. That should be possible, but I've no experience on that. I have an old Win7 laptop with TechStream v12.x (I'd troubles to get even that working, but I managed with instructions in the net) Br.Sami

Here in Finland, it was 10€/each. From the local Lexus dealer... BR.Sami

I'd recommend to order a set of valve service kits, and get the seal + nut of the valve stem replaced, whenever you are refurbishing your wheels... BR.Sami

Update: All those light bulbs are somehow different, these are the part numbers I ordered (to replace all those lights at once): Bulb, Vsc Off Switch Toyota 90010-01147 Bulb (For Pattern Select Switch) Toyota 90010-01059 Bulb, Seat Heater Switch Toyota 90010-01070 Bulb, Throttle Position Switch 84999-10710 and this is how they look like (if you have never replaced them)... One of them was missing the green hood (probably needs to ordered separately, but I missed that), so I just re-used the old one. BR.Sami

Update: After one day of driving around different tire shops, the conclusion is: OEM valve from local Lexus dealer: 128€/each OEM valve from a tire shop: 114€/each Schrader non-OEM sensor for a tire shop: 40€/each So I got new sensors to all four wheels 4x40€ = 160€. No worries about batteries in near future 😉 The tire shop was able to copy the IDs from old sensors to the new ones, so I don't even need to re-program the ECU. This picture shows the old and new sensors. The new ones seems to have valve stems attached with screws, so they can be replaced later, if needed. Schrader also offers service kits (seal, washer, nut)... So, case closed (hopefully, I still need to install them to my refurb'ed rims...) Btw. I also bought OEM service kits for my winter wheels, so I can avoid stuck valves in the future: Price was 10€/each. If the previous owner of the car just would have done this in time... BR.Sami

Hi all, I'm in process of refurbishing my summer rims... and I found out that the TPMS sensors are really stuck on the rims. I managed to get two sensors out normally, but unfortunately the next two ones I had to break down to pieces (the aluminium nut is really, really weak)... So, I need two new sensors 😕 Any hints? Has anybody ordered non-OEM sensors from eBay or Amazon? I do have the TechStream, so I can re-program the car after getting the new sensors... Br. Sami

Hi, Simon. I've noticed that to turn off the VSC, the car must be stopped... you cannot do that on move. And this really turns off the VSC, not just traction control... BR. Sami PS. we have about 50cm snow right now, and on last Tuesday it was really cold too (-27 Celsius in the morning)... Real winter 😉

Hi Manee, I was also suspecting the parking brakes of my GS450h, when I bought it few months ago: also my parking brake pedal was going almost to the floor. So I adjusted the parking brake shoes, and got the brakes even tested (in the yearly inspection): everything was fine, but the pedal still goes almost to the floor... So, I guess this is just normal. Adjusting the parking brake is very simple (you can get the official instructions from the Lexus Tech): 1. remove wheel 2. remove the small rubber cover from brake drum 3. with a flat screw driver, tighten the adjuster nut until the drum does not move any more 4. loosen the adjuster nut 7 "clicks" (you may want to remove the brake drum to see what kind of adjuster nut there is... and check the pads/shoes like Farqui mentioned) BR. Sami