An Electrical WTF

Last night I drove my truck about 30 minutes. When I got where I was going I shut the engine off and removed the key. About 15 seconds later it started a fast beep and clicking from somewhere behind the dash on the left side. It sounded like it was maybe above and behind the fuse box. The clicking sounded sort of like an electric switch. While it's doing this the windows still have power, even after opening the door. The only way I can get it to stop beeping is to disconnect the battery.

I went out a little while ago and started the engine, let it run for 30 seconds or so, then shut it off and removed the key. No noise. I waited maybe a minute.

So, I locked the truck and went on to my next task. 20 minutes later, with me having done nothing with the truck, it started beeping. This time without the accompanying click. Except the click starts back again when I open the door. So, I filmed. At the time this video was taken the truck had been shut off, key in my pocket, doors locked for 20 minutes.

Does anyone have a clue what this might be or how to start diagnosing it?

Thanks,

Matt

 

Might just be my device, but no sound on that vid.

 

I would remove the section below the steering column. Disconnect the battery and reconnect to get the WTF to occur. Feeling up under the steering column feeling the wires for the device that is causing the issue. My bet is that it has something to do with the headlight/power kill.

 

Same thing happened to me last month it was the inverse reactive current function used in unilateral phase detractors which automatically synchronizes the cardinal Graham meter you'll have to contact Doc and order the flux capacitor to remedy this problem

 

I'd start by locating whatever is beeping, its loud enough for that to be easy.

 

You could narrow it down by pulling one fuse at a time. Both fuse locations.

 

I'll spend some time this evening trying to find the source. And pulling fuses. I'll be back tonight with what I learn.

 

Regarding the click, my best guess at this point is a bad relay.. for the sound and why it's happening I have no clue. Maybe start pulling relay's while it's happening (if you can replicate) and go from there? 3Hopefully some mechanics can chime in. Best of luck.

 

Are the relays all under the hood? As I recall, at least one of those is screwed in from the bottom and I had to remove the box to get to it.

Thinking . . . the clicking is definitely inside the truck. Maybe there's a relay in there somewhere, too.

 

I think the little buzzer for the headlights and such is right under the dash where you are thinking its coming from there on the left side. That lower panel is like 3 bolts and a screw and comes off real easy. You'll pry have enough room to find that lil buzzer with just that off.

No help on diagnosing the problem though sorry...

 

Tonight it never made the noise. Stay tuned for further developments.

 

yeah there are several relays behind the fuse panel. I made a short writeup on changing the flasher, which exposes said relays. I believe you have a bad main relay. it powers some small features on your truck. like when you turn off your truck and remove your keys, there will still be power to do stuff like roll the windows down until you open a door.

im also certain it's the main relay because that beeping sound that your hearing is the beeping that occurs when you put the key in and turn it 1 or 2 clicks before actually starting it.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/flasher-location-on-my-2000.419492/

when you pull the fuse panel off, the messed up relay will be painfully obvious. good luck!

unless..... your starter switch is broken/shorting and is slightly passing power to the main relay. thats also a possibility, along with something shorting the terminals behind/inside the switch/connector housing.

essentially, the main relay has constant power to it that distributes power when activated by a secondary signal. That secondary signal is coming from the ignition switch. so either the relay or the switch could be causing the issue.

if you can get back there, disconnect the ignition switch before doing anything when your trucks doing that possessed thing. if the beeping stops, it's the switch. if the beeping continues, it's the relay.

 

No noise again tonight. I pulled the fuse box. I don't see anything that looks other than I think it should. I'll wait again.

Do that where? Right at the back of the ignition cylinder? There's two groups of wires there. One of them is a pair - white/black and green/black. The other is maybe 4 wires, and larger.

 

Good lord.


Time to rename your truck to "Christine."

 

Just curious... do you have any LED's for blinker lights/ flashers?

If so, the relay for the flashers could be on the outs.

 

look for the connector that looks like it will fit in this

 

Sounds kinda like this:

 

The only LEDs are the four main lights behind the dash.

 

Thanks. That's the big one I mentioned.