2020 TPMS registration and initialization...easiest way?

They definitely didn't break the tires down, I watched them work on my truck. I woulda been livid given I just bought the truck <24 hours prior and they claimed to put 8 miles on the truck as part of a pre-delivery inspection. If I recall correctly, they had to grab the ID/SN's from each sensor with some tool and manually add it to the ECU (or whatever device needs it on the truck).

Their initial attempt, in my estimation, was what's spec'd in the owners manual. I'm hoping with the right sensors in my aftermarket wheels, I can just execute the procedure in the owner's manual.

I was able to do that with my 20 4Runner. Fingers crossed it works the the 21 Tundra. It should but it seems like a lot of people take the original sensors out of their factory wheels, and install them on the new set. So not a lot of people go through this process.

 

Ok good, I’ll see if some other dealerships and tire places will do it without removing the tires. My local dealership has been an all around disappointment.

I think as long as you get the sensor IDs before the wheels are not even a shitty dealer shop can screw it up.

 

I think the sensors are battery powered and constantly emit a signal. Some tool listening at the right frequency and listens for the correct signal can pickup the id's.

Maybe they suggested dismantling the tires cause they don't have the tool to pickup the emitted signal, and like you said, visually id the sensor, then manually add to the truck.

But yea, I'd give another dealer a shot.

 

The sensors power down until there is rotational movement to save battery life. The TPMS tools send out a low frequency signal to the sensor telling it to turn on and start transmitting on either 315MHz or 433MHz ranges (depends on make). Since all TPMS sensors and other consumer devices share this part of the spectrum, the sensor ID's on your car become important otherwise you'd start reading sensors from other cars close by. There is actually software you can download on a PC that connects to a SDR (software defined radio) and you can use that to capture TPMS signals out of the air. I actually did this before I bought my Autel to get the ID's of my sensors. Took a bit of trial and error but a short drive at night with no nearby traffic did the trick.

 

Yea, that makes sense. Constant emission would wear the battery quickly. Thanks for clarifying.

Nice on the SDR experiment.

 

I just did this on my 2020. New tpms sensors to go with my new wheels and tires. I just pressed the button under the dash three times. If you go to the screen with tire psi, there will be a message saying it’s calibrating. I drove around my neighborhood at 25 for about ten minutes and then left and went 45 for another five minutes before the sensors registered. They’re showing the correct psi with no additional calibration needed. Way easier than I thought it would be

 

To reiterate, I had a set of takeoff 2021 BBS Pro rims with tires and the original Pro model TPMS sensors installed on my 2021 SR5. Firestone tried to sync them to my truck using the button in the cab and also their scanning machine and could not do it. I asked the dealership to sync the TPMS to the truck when I dropped it off and was told that they needed to break down the tires in order to see the ID numbers on the actual sensors and I would be charged for 2-1/2 hours or labor.

I had a 50+ mile long non-stop trip on the freeway today, so I decided to try the TPMS initializing and registration process again to see if I can get the truck to recognize the sensors.

I pulled over at a park and ride just before the freeway entrance ramp to perform the steps to register the TPMS sensors.
1. I turned the engine off and then restarted the truck.
2. I pushed the button in the cab three times and the dash light began flashing.
3. After a minute the dash light stopped flashing, turned solid yellow and the tire pressure screen on the heads up menu read “Recalibration in process please wait” or something to that affect.

In order for the recalibration to work the tires have to be in motion. I had tried the initialization process a couple of weeks ago and since it can’t be done when the truck is in motion, I did not try it before I started driving to avoid messing up the registration process.
4. I started driving and kept the tire pressure screen on the heads up menu up so that I could see when/if it would show the tire pressure readings.

After driving 45mph or above continuously for 35-40 miles, the tire pressure readings all popped up, the “recalibration in progress…” message disappeared and the dash light went away.

I drove for another 10-15 miles on the freeway and then stopped at the gas station. Shutoff and then restarted the truck and the dash light did not come on and the display did not have any messages. The tire pressures weren’t showing on the display while I was still parked, but did read once I began driving (that is normal I believe).

I drove 10 highway miles to my house and the tire pressures were still reading correctly, no warning messages showed up and no dash lights came on.

I’m not sure if I need to go through the initialization process (press and hold cab button until dash light blinks three times) or what, but I’m going to let it ride unless it stops reading the sensors.

Moral of the story is read the manual and don’t assume the tire center or dealership service department knows what it says, even if the dealership states that it is a complicated 2-1/2 hour process.

I’m not counting my chickens, but it is a step in the right direction for the truck to be reading TPMS sensors that are from a different truck originally without the ID numbers being entered manually.

Here is the post from another member that contains the registration and initialization process pages from the manual. It is for a keyed version, but the TPMS button in the cab seems to have worked the same for me in a push to start 2021.
https://www.tundras.com/threads/tpms-sensors.68314/page-2#post-1795667

 

Nice to know the procedure works.

The system probably needs time to ensure the ID's it sees are the correct ID's. Since, as stated in another thread, there are many TPMS sensors out there transmitting at the same freq. So it probably needs to say, I've seen these 4 ID's for x amount of time so I'm sure these are attached to this truck.

And probably needs to see data from wheel speed sensors to figure out which sensor is where.

 

UPDATE:
I did some reading on the initialization process and went through the process.
Conditions prior to starting:
-Tires must be cold.
-Parked on a relatively level surface and turned the engine off.
*The wheels have to remain stationary while going through the initialization process with the button in the cab.
1. Aired up the tires to spec, putting more air in the rear tires than the front tires to give me an indicator of whether the sensors are reading correctly at least between the front and rear tires.
2. Started the engine.
3. Scrolled to the heads up display tire pressure page.
4. Pressed the tpms button in the cab, waited for the dash light to flash 3 times and then let go of the button.

Once the dash light began flashing a message popped up on the heads up display indicating the process was underway. Once I let go of the button the message and dash light went away. Nothing happened on the heads up display or with the dash light after letting go of the button. The tire pressure display read “- -“ next to each tire, which is normal when not moving.

Unlike the registration process, the entire initialization process seems to happen while you are holding the button. I waited five minutes before I did anything, just in case it was still searching.
5. Took a drive and the tire pressures popped up on the heads up display after I drove about 5 miles down the highway at around 40-45mph.

I drove another 5 miles, pulled over and shut off the engine. Restarted the truck and as soon as the wheels started rotating the tire pressures popped up on the heads up display. Drove back to the house and the tire pressures were still displayed and the dash light never came on.