Toyota Rav4 Low Tire Sensors: Do They Tell You Which Tire Is Low?

Toyota has incorporated many convenient technology features in their cars over the last few decades and we for one are grateful. Convenient features like rearview and bird’s eye view cameras, heated and power-adjusted seats, and Apple CarPlay and Android Audio wireless Bluetooth features to name a few.

But there’s plenty more where that came from.

One popular feature that many new vehicles have is the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). This system tells you your vehicle’s tire pressure and which tire is low which makes it easy to tell if you have a slow leak, a fast leak, and whether you need to stop and add air to your tires.

But does the Rav4 have a way to look at the tire pressure?

All Toyota Rav4 trims have a Tire Pressure Warning System light that illuminates when there is low pressure in one or more of the tires. In newer models of the Toyota Rav4, you can the tire pressure of each tire by downloading the Toyota Media app on your smartphone.

Having low tire pressure on your Rav4 can be a drag. No literally, it can make your car feel like it’s “dragging” on the road and like your car isn’t performing at its best capabilities. You might not recognize it straight away or immediately realize that it’s coming for a tire or two, but you can also keep on top of that with Toyota’s smartphone app.

Knowing your Rav4’s tire pressure can even help save you from an accident or being stuck on the side of the road!

For example, I once had my TPMS warning light come on while I was driving down the highway. I clicked the button to see which tire was low and saw that the tire was at 25psi (about 5lbs too low) but as I was driving I saw that number actively dropping from 25psi to 20psi in under a minute.

I knew I had a bad leak!

So i quickly pulled off at the next exit and got the car to a parking lot. The tire had the sidewall punctured by something on the road and was below 10psi when I got it stopped. Without the TPMS I never would have know the tire was damaged until it was too late.

That would have meant changing my tire on the side of the road rather than being able to safely do it in a parking lot.

Keep reading below to see how you can help your car perform its best and exactly how the TPMS works in a Rav4.

Does the Rav4 Tell you Which Tire is Low?

All cars produced after 2007 in the US must have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) installed in their vehicles.

Toyota implemented a Tire Pressure Warning System (TPWS) in all their Rav4 vehicles before America made it a mandatory feature. Talk about seeing into the future!

The older models of the Rav4, pre-2010, have a simple illuminating light on the car’s display dash next to the RPM monitor that lights up when there is low pressure in one of the tires. This display does not inform you which tire has low pressure.

When Toyota implemented their Toyota Connected Services application for smartphone devices in 2019, they also made a feature that allows drivers to see the real-time air pressure in each of their tires individually. This is not available on earlier models of the Rav4.

This feature helps drivers to stay on top of their vehicle maintenance and to stay connected with their car from a distance. Some Toyota Connected Services systems have upgrades for upper-trim levels that include numerous other technology features like a power liftgate, remote start, and plenty more.

So, does your Rav4 Toyota App tell you about the tire pressure in your tires? Let’s find out!

How Does the Tire Pressure Warning System Work in the Toyota Rav4?

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) uses sensors in each wheel to transmit information through the car’s infrastructure system to alert the driver when the tire pressure in any of the tires is lower than it should be.

You will not receive an alert until the tire is critically low so for Rav4 models 2019 to 2021 Toyota has designed a convenient feature where you can check the tire pressure in each wheel whenever you like, (That is, without having to take your car to an air pressure station).

For Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured before 2019, your smartphone application may not have the tire pressure system available, and you can follow these guidelines for your TPMS:

• There is a TPMS icon that will be displayed next to the RPM display on your dash and when it lights up it means you have unsafe low pressure in one or more of your tires.
• However, if the light starts flashing, there is something wrong with the TPMS, and the system isn’t getting the accurate information it needs to be able to warn you of low pressure. You should take your car to the garage asap to get this serviced.
• Once your tire pressure issue has been fixed and you’re sure all tires have adequate air pressure in them you’ll need to reset the system.

You can check out further information regarding the low-pressure system in the Rav4 at Toyota of Slidell’s YouTube “How To” page.  

Toyota recommends checking your Rav4 tire pressure (or any Toyota vehicle really) at least once a month.

Can I see the tire pressure for my 2019 Rav4 on the smartphone app?

For 2019 and older Rav4 models you cannot check your tire pressure from your front seat unless you have a third-party or aftermarket device installed in your Rav4 for the tire pressure check.

But you can check Toyota’s smartphone app!

1. Open the app on your smartphone
2. Select My Garage on the landing page
3. Scroll down until you find “tire pressure”
4. The app will show you the tire pressure in each individual tire

For 2019 and newer Rav4 models, here is how you can check some diagnostic functions of your car from your front seat:

1. Turn on your touchscreen display
2. Select menu
3. Select display
4. Screen off – the screen will go dark at this point, but it will still register your next step
5. Swipe right 5 times, then swipe left 5 times
6. The service menu will show up
7. Select Function Check Setting

You can check your battery charge, microphone check, and numerous other system functionality settings but not your tire pressure gauge.

Check out the full tutorial by Matt Korte on YouTube here.

Which Toyota Rav4 Has Connected Services?

Not all Toyota Rav4 trims come with connected services and some of the ones that do, only have connected services for a limited free trial.

Here’s a table clearly outlining the details of the Connected Services included in each trim and the available packages for optional purchase:

Does Low Tire Pressure Affect Your Car?

We believe it’s important to know that driving with low-pressure tires is not an ideal situation for your car to be in.

Driving your car with inadequate air in the tires can result in costly damage and can make your vehicle work harder than it should which in turn can wear out your engine quicker than it should.

Here’s a few other disadvantages of having low-pressure tires:

• Bad handling

Low-pressure tires are less stable on the road and do not provide sufficient grip and traction. This can lead to an accident when braking suddenly has a slow response from your underinflated tires.

Unstable handling means you and your passengers are at more risk of an accident

• Reduction in tire longevity

Tires should on average last 3 – 5 years, depending on the type of roads and driving you mostly use your vehicle for. Having low-pressure tires will result in having to change your tires prematurely because the tread and shape of the tires will become skewed over time

Can I Have Toyota’s Connected Services App?

Toyota introduced their connected services app in 2019 for Toyota car owners to be able to stay connected and in-tune with their vehicle.

Checking the diagnostics of a car has never been easier when you have all the information, through smart monitoring systems in the car, delivered straight to your handheld device.

If you own a Toyota, and have a supported mobile phone device, you can have the Toyota Connected Services app!

You can check out more frequently asked questions about the Toyota app here.

And you can also get more information on the Toyota Connected Services app here.

Conclusion

To check your tire pressure manually you need to know the tire pressure of the Rav4 wheels first. You can get this from just inside the driver’s side door.

Once you have this you can either manually check your psi at a local air-pressure station, or if you have the Toyota Connected Services app you can conveniently check your tire pressure on your smartphone.

Unfortunately, the Toyota Rav4 does not have a tire-pressure check display system on the touchscreen display inside the car.