Interesting Problem

When the radio dies, try turning the truck off for a couple of minutes, then start it back up. Is the radio working again?

No. Only after sitting for X number of hours.

While I do agree, but I checked that portion out. They are all the same part number:

AIRTEX Part # 1R1696 Fog Lamp
AIRTEX Part # 1R1696 AF Heater
AIRTEX Part # 1R1696 Horn

I will get the battery check and alternator checked. I am use to my Jeep which has an voltage gauge letting me know what's going on and not a dummy light.

 

Drove it home. I kept the radio off, used blinkers, lights since it was dusk. Two miles into the drive, radio went down as did the air bag. To add to this, just for the hell of it, I tested the lighter and extra power below the radio, both those worked just fine.

 

It's easy to check the battery and alternator yourself. You can pick up a cheap multimeter for $20 at Canadian Tire, or Wallmart, or a parts store. Easy, no cost test on the battery is to turn on the headlights, then try to start the truck. If the lights dim really bad while the engine is cranking then you battery may be bad. However, the only true way to tell for sure is to use a multimeter. To test the alternator you can hook the meter up to the output on the alternator with the engine idling, check the voltage, then get someone to throw on the headlights and fan and stereo, and check the voltage. If the alternator is having trouble, you will be able to tell right there. As for all the things that are "turning off" by themselves, do a search here on TW for the wiring schematic, it's in PDF. and is pretty good. Might be just a connector that is loose or something like that. Personally I would check it all out myself as much as possible before I took it anywhere. $100 an hour for shop rate, is a little steep.
Good luck!

 

I agree, batteries are usually good for three years. Probably a bad cell.

Worth checking out. Let us know what you find out.

 

I tried the start the truck with the lights on trick. Since my radio will not power on, i turned the fog lights on and plugged turned my GPS on and my mp3 player charger. Truck started easy with no light dimming. I also checked battery date and it's 9 months old. So right now I am banking its not the battery.

I moved the bad relay back to the AF Relay spot. After two start ups I got my check engine line with both my 02 sensors bad (so I now I have the crappy relay in it's correct place). New relay's should be here on Tuesday.

My current theory is that when I had the bad relay in the Fog light location, it blew a fuse. My guess right now it the dome light one since that appears to be what never works and it seems to crash the whole system. I am at work right now but will check it when I get home.

I will keep everyone posted (if any other theories I am open to looking). I hope my trials will help others in the future.

 

OBD 2 Scanner ..... Buy one for 100 bucks or less and check codes anytime and clear them to ........... this will let you know whats going on before you bring it to the dealer or shop.... good luck ....

 

Just take it to an auto parts store. They hook up your battery and tell you if it's good or not. I think they can also check your alternator this way to and best of all, it's free. This way you can rule those out if it's something else.

 

Everything worked fine except the check engine light for the 02 sensor. I had the codes checked at the Autozone. They said it's not one sensor but both upstream sensors. I asked is it normal for a 34k car to loose both sensors. They said no. There should be a meet me point where they come together and that is what is failed.

I reviewed the wiring information for the truck and found that both ran off the AF relay. To test this I switched the Fog Light relay and the AF relay. I do not use my fog lights, so seemed a good choice to test. After the move the check engine light cleared and did not return until this morning after the switch.

After I switch relays and the check engine light cleared, I turned on the fog lights, of coarse they turned on for a second and then died. When they died the key less entry also stopped, the interior overhead lights stopped, air bag light on, air bag message states airbags off, and radio no go. Next morning everything worked again for 20 minutes then same results.

However the last two days the interior lights do not ever work and if you push to map light it kills everything. After 20 minutes of operation everything dies.

Following all test requested (thanks guys good stuff really) if I don't use the blinker it makes it entire 30 minute trip no problems. However blinkers always work, outside lights always work, etc. So my theory is that it blew a fuse, maybe not all the way, but once enough electricity passed through it, it lost cross connection. I am not sure of this, but I do know that the relay now in the AF heater location is bad. That the other relays are good. And that I am still having this problem. The one valid outstanding thing unchecked is the fuses and if you review the wiring schematic it appears that the radio and dome pass through the same path.

Again this is all theory. And if anyone has anything else, this is my next check. And as many have mentioned I am not paying Toyota $ 500 to replace a $7 relay and a $2 fuse.

 

My money is still on the battery.

 

x2

Just because your battery is 9 months old doesn't mean much really. It's free to test, and it takes about 30 minutes.

 

Does the fault happen only when driving around? Maybe try checking with the truck idling for the 20minutes that it takes for everything to shut off? If everything works with the truck sitting in one place but dies when you start moving maybe something is rubbing, or rattling. Sounds like, as you said before, that something is getting hot and needs to cool down before it all works. (well...no shit) Check the temp of the relays and fuses and other wires with your hand before starting up the truck. Then when everything dies, check the temp. If things are getting hot enough to open the circuit, you will be able to feel it with your hands. Might also looks at the various grounds, in the engine bay as well as the cab. Lots of corrosion will cause a poor connection or resistance, causing heat and a voltage drop that will not blow a fuse, but will not allow enough voltage through to power the stereo etc. Things warp and bend when they get hot, then reconnect when they cool down.
Good job so far, the best way to find any problem is to check the easy stuff first, and to figure out what it is not. If it was the battery, the truck would not start by now, and if it was the alternator, the battery would be so dead that it would not start by now.

 

My factory 6 disc/radio started doing something like this a week or so ago. Once I started it, I changed the radio station and the screen went blank....then changed the station again then the CD's started coming out 1 by 1. I tried to turn off the power to the radio then it showed triangles on the screen. It had done it about 4 or 5 times now.

 

All of this is good advice, especially the battery, but my guess is the ignition switch. I'm not sure about Tacomas, but a lot of newer vehicles that I've seen with weird electrical gremlins in the dash need new ignition switches. I think you need to take it to the dealer if the battery checks out ok.

 

Stop by the O'reilly (SP) and grabbed a mix pack of fuses and tester. Tested every fuse in the Relay panel. All were good. Once I completed this the wireless key worked, the dome lights worked, radio worked everything worked as expected. I am driving to Knoxville, TN in an hour from Atlanta, GA. So we'll see what happens. I'll update everyone tonight if I make it. And if I don't.

Added battery and alternator tested clean.

 

Last update on this provided it doesn't mess up again. Made it all the way to Knoxville, 4 hours of driving with no incidents. I suppose it was a loose fuse.

 

This one is completed. I have went a few places and restarted the truck multiple times and no idiot lights everything works. Which is also strange in that the check engine light has also went away. I'll hold off replacing the relay to see if it comes back.

Thanks everyone for the assistance.