DRL Failures, Locker Indicator Flashing, and Chasing Electrical Gremlins

Without knowing the exact wiring configuration on your truck with regards to aftermarket installs I can’t really say for sure what your issue is. However, if you tap into any factory circuit on a warrantied vehicle you run the risk of the dealer doing this. It sucks that it happened to you and it’s something I see more and more often.

In the end I call bullshit on their diagnoses but as I said before without knowing the exact configuration I can’t really say.

 

First I'm an engineer who programmed the transmission and now I'm Yoda. You guys are the sweetest.

 

If after removing all of his mods and they perform the testing on his truck and another stock unmolested truck and they read similar voltage and noise readings then he has a strong case to have the truck repaired under warranty. My bet is Toyota will still try to get him on the mods causing the repeat issue even though they have been disconnected.

 

No one forgot. This is the pic that the OP provided.

 

I have no real input other than to say this is one fascinating and interesting thread!
Good luck OP, you seem like a decent guy. Really hope there is a good conclusion to this.

 

You're correct, and I would agree with you if the truck wasn't modded. It helps make Toyota's case. All they have to do is show that measuring the same circuit on two different vehicles, one modded and the other one not, produced a different outcome. They only need to solve the issue if the OP pays for the repair. I also agree that it's pretty crappy that corporate won't let the dealer diagnose on the OP's dime, but that likely stems from corporate trying to protect the dealer from potential liability. The OP is a lawyer and should understand that.

 

They did not scope a stock truck with the same results, they did some test regarding probing the same ports on the body ECU and removing the DRL relay on the stock truck.

Today they will be scoping my truck, at my expense, with each aftermarket part unplugged one at a time. Once I have those results I will post them up here for all of you (good or bad).

The results of today’s test, which again I AM PAYING FOR, will determine my next course of action. If the signal noise is still there after all parts are removed, I would expect Toyota to repair the headlight under warranty. If the signal noise is not there, I will remove whatever part was causing the failure and repair the headlight myself.

 

Sounds like a good course of action. Good luck with your repair!

 

This is more a general statement about diagnosing this issue.


The part of this that makes me believe that it is not an aftermarket part is the bottom part of this graph. This truck has a DC electrical system. So high voltage and 0 voltage. And many voltages in between. It doesn't have negative voltages. Now I am no Electrical Engineer, so if I am wrong on that then please correct me. Now with that in mind I see negative voltage spikes on the graph. This to me says A/C voltage. There are only 2 sources of A/C voltage on these trucks. The Alternator and the Inverter. To me the alternator is a better source because diodes in it can fail and they do some funny stuff to the DC voltage control systems in vehicles when they do fail. Just my 0.02 cents.

I definitely have an interest in knowing the outcome of this problem for the purpose of knowledge.

 

For whats its worth (didn't read the book of a post word for word) but as an electronics engineer it sounds like it could be something as simple as a grounding issue. Drill a another ground point to the frame/body of your car attach to the negative terminal of the battery. Then if that does not work make sure the devices that are shorting have a heavy enough gauge of ground wire. This would also explain the noise. Fixing grounding problems can cure a lot of electrical demons in newer vehicles. Either way, never quit modding

 

I am also not an EE, but your analysis makes perfect sense to me. Hopefully someone who has a background in this stuff can chime in with their thoughts.

 

As a typical Tacoma World 3rd gen forum member I am going to make a strong opinion on something I have no expertise in on a thread that I'm too lazy to read in it's entirety:

This is all Toyota's fault. They do nothing but find ways to fuck over the consumer. This would have never happened on a diesel hilux, a first gen or even the second gen. While I don't actually own a third gen, I like to hang out in the third gen forum and say stupid things about third gens because it makes me feel good about my 236 hp 4.0 V6 with grotesque wheel wells and the interior panache of a dodge caravan. This is what the OP gets for buying a truck with a stupid minivan motor and trying to mod it to look like a rotten Raptor. Serves him right.

My advice, as someone who barely finished high school but who is a legal expert because I park my fat ass on the couch for hours on end watching Law and Order reruns, is to scream "Magnussen-Moss Act!" and be tough and aggressive in my cargo shorts, Birkenstocks with wool sandals and my muscle shirt which proudly showcases my tufty shoulder hair and skin tags. I would do this on the showroom floor of the dealership in front of as many customers as I can and will cost them a lot of money because I'm aggressive, tough and scary. After I showed the dealership who is boss I would then call Toyota and speak to a pregnant 18 year customer service rep in North Carolina and chew her out. I know how to go straight to the top dammit!

Although I barely make enough money to replace the rusty bolts on the ebay roof mounted lightbar adorning my second gen, I would then hire a lawyer and sue to piss out of Toyota, the dealer and the maker of every aftermarket light accessory I bolted to the truck.

When I owned my heavily modified WRX (I modified it heavily so people would think I could afford an STI) I would often give this same advice on the NASIOC forums - which earned me countless likes - which makes me an anonymous forum expert on this subject.

 

Just dropped the truck off, I’ll keep everyone posted.

 

I too did a stint in a WRX. Great car, NASIOC would make a lot of the “trolls” on TW blush!

 

Good luck man. Keep us updated.

 

You can pick up noise like this on DC systems. I bet you a dozen crispy creams the guy has a grounding problem

 

Thanks for the confirmation! It will be interesting to see what the results of the test are. The only part with a ground that is not just plugged directly into the factory wiring is the raptor light harness.

 

After reading this entire thread I am confused. There are a lot of people here trying to defend Toyota's refusal to prove they are not at fault even after OP has offered to pay for the testing. It seems that people are reading the title and assuming this is just some guy who broke his truck and wants it fixed for free, when in actuality all he is asking for is that Toyota proves it was his mods and not something that should be covered under warranty.

We should all be happy this guy is calling Toyota out for their lack of proof on warranty claims. These are very expensive vehicles and Toyota should fix them under warranty unless they can legitimately prove it is not a warranty claim. You all act like you have financial interest in Toyota not spending money to fix our vehicles

 

People wrap their identity up in this forum. So when u call out Toyota they take it as a personal attack. Happens quite a bit on here haha

 

Pretty sure you should just trade up to 2020. You were already at the dealership. That would be my recommendation. Kinda obvious, isn't it?