Sand in the tank, headlights, or electrical issues, the saga continues for the 4th time? (10/9/18)

I can absolutely see a HID system still working but pumping a crazy amount of noise into your electrical system. Nobody else in our known Tacoma universe is having the same problem you are having. Two things are different about your truck and use: 1. You have aftermarket HIDs 2. You are very aggressive with the high pressure washer. Other people have HID kits, but maybe they aren't as aggressive with the 'ol pressure washer. Also, it's possible there is a flaw in your HID wiring harness involving either a bad connection or improperly sealed connector. Plenty of people have forded with their trucks and don't have this issue, so it's the most plausible cause I've heard proposed.

The piece of information we need is what exactly did they do to "confirm" it was your HIDs? They should be willing to provide that information since it supports their cause (unlike the tougher questions you asked which they expertly weaseled out of). From a troubleshooting perspective, this is pure gold. A repeatable problem makes it so much easier to determine a cause with certainty. If you get the information ("We poured water on x connector and the MIL lit up." or "We soaked the engine bay, the MIL came in, and then we unplugged the HIDs and everything went back to normal."). Once you have that information you can choose to eliminate the potential problem, or try to recreate it. Given the heartache caused by the problem, I think you should nut-up and make it happen. Then you can make it go away and know for sure you have the problem fixed.

I know everyone is an internet expert and I prefer to stay low-key, but I need you to trust me on this so I'll point out that I've got 20 years of industrial instrumentation and controls experience working on everything from robots to nuclear power plants. Electrical noise is a common issue anywhere you mix power (especially pulsed power) and signals. Problems can be caused by something as simple as a high resistance shield connection that has no effect on the operation of the offending system but causes failure in a target system. These can be tricky to find and resolve (some have taken me years), but assuming the dealer is telling you the truth (I know, hard to say with a straight face) this looks pretty straightforward.

I'm pretty emotionally invested in this (see previous paragraph, I don't like problems that aren't resolved). So for the love of God, let's prove this one way or another.

 

When I don't have to work the next day, I plan on removing the hid and going to stock and will hose down the front of the truck.

We'll see. If the problem doesn't present itself, I'll hose the back undercarriage like I normally do. If not the hids go back in and repeat. If problem presents, I'll "dry the connectors" likr they claimed to do and see. I'll then begin agressively water proofing that harness.

I know they were messing with it because they half assed zipp ties and the wiring is no where near where it was, including the factory bundles.

Further more, the small relay box next to the big one is missing a cover....

 

The other issue, how many of us are rolling around with dirt in our tanks?

 

I would suggest leaving the HIDs in and causing it to fail first. That gives you a known-to-fail configuration.

Then unplug the HIDs (don't replace them just yet) and see if the problem goes away. If so, start working on that HID harness.

The above statement assumes two things: There is some effort involved in swapping out the HIDs (I don't know this is true) and that you want to confirm the issue.

When you do this testing, consider having some compressed air or at least some canned air for blowing out connectors.

 

I'm not really buying the "dirt in tank" thing. It's possible that some dust gets sucked in there as the tank pressure equalizes, but I doubt anyone (including you) has enough in their tank to cause problems. If this were an issue, there's be dead tacos littering the landscape.

Their original diagnosis didn't fit the symptoms. They were wrong. I think we are on the right path now.

 

So did the dealer just make up the sand in the gas tank bullshit the first time?

 

Yeah, the insurance company will definately want to know how badly they got hosed. The dealership is either incompetent, or sneaky/shady as they come. Either way I wouldn't set foot or tire back there if I were you.

Sounds like you're on the right track with weatherproofing the connections. Might also want to check the grounding for the headlight harness.

Good luck with everything.

 

Removing the HIDs won't be much work, it was literally plug and play. The hardest part is the fact that the bulbs are in an area with little to no room to cram my big hands in.

My only worry is if it fails again with the HIDs and I can't get it to recover. I mean I could then swap in to stock bulbs, and tow it, but... Then id have to lie.

I'll keep the WD40 on hand to drive out any water on anything. A can of air would be nice too. (No air compressor)

 

I have the old tank, with some sand in it. How it got there is up for grabs.

They claimed that the pickup was was clogged up with dirt, a week before they found that my bulbs weren't factory.

 

-or-

Just remove hids. It's not like the stock headlights suck. If you need better lights for driving where it's really dark just get a hidden single row light bar

 

Funny how that happens. Lol

 

@AFMurse2014 I'm heading to the gun show in Vallejo if you wanna cruise by.

Have you considered LEDs instead of HIDs?

 

I believe I'd be considering a more competent dealer instead.

 

Legality issues with those, but the stock lights DO suck. If I have to ditch my HIDs, I would put in some xenon bulbs for brighter whiter light.

However, I'm going to see what I can do about the hid harness, it's already weather sealed, so maybe it's a pinched rubber gasket or I need to relocate a ballast etc. I'll be going back to stock for a test first though. I'm not really a huge fan of the hidden led bar thing, they just throw light randomly, I had one in my Ranger, while bright and cool, I'd rather have a 4d bar with floods, and that doesn't work to well hidden. Lol.

It's not the end of the worls, if it IS truly the light harness, easy fix.

Just crazy how it took this must headache to figure it out.

 

I'm working the next 3 days

However I have LED high beams. There are fitment issues with some LEDs and the heat sinks, and LEDs may have the same wiring issues as they require ballasts etc.

Wednesday I'll be doing the washdown, stay tuned

 

I think the headlights are tied into can-bus and I'm guessing can monkey greatly with the system

 

I agree. Almost caused me to get into an accident. Was driving down to Santa Fe the other night on I-25. Couldn't put brights on due to oncoming traffic. All of a sudden noticed a VERY large dead deer or elk laying across 1/3 of my lane. I was doing about 75mph. There was little I could do by the time the lights revealed the carcass. I quickly but slightly jerked the wheel and was very, very lucky to maintain control. I fishtailed slightly and swerved back and forth but recovered. If I turned the wheel a hair more I would e lost control and flipped the truck. Probably be dead. I was thinking about an upgrade until I saw your issue.

Good luck man. Nobody should have to deal with all this bullshit. You seem like a stand up guy too. I feel for ya man. Hopefully you get made whole and then some!

 

@AFMurse2014 Have you looked in to some of the Rigid replacement stuff? They make fog light housings that you can pop a pod in to. Also probably can fit a slim single row in the bumper if you cut some stuff out, then you dont have to deal with diffusing the lights. Or look in to the ditch lights that mount on the hood right at the windshield.

 

I don't want illegal aux lights for road use. I want things for factory housings. I used to be that jerk cruising down the road with LEDs and spots all over my truck, and led bulbs in factory housings. I quite literally blinded people. Back in college. I don't want to do that knowing someone could wreck because of men