Engine light

Morning all! Looking for some insight/guidance! My 2014 Tacomas engine light came in a few months ago. I googled it and it said check the gas cap. Sure enough a few mile later it went out. So the same thing happened on and off for a few months. ….. but it would always go out. I asked my mechanic about it and he said the light needs to be on so come back when it is. So I did and the code came up, saying Cam sensor or the Cam sensor wire.
while he was telling me that I opened the gas cap and said let’s see if this changes anything. So I scheduled it to have the work done two days later. By then of course the light was out. So when the mechanic called he said it’s not the Cam sensor or the Cam sensor wire. But where the lights off again it could be one of four things.
so he suggested starting with the first on the list VVT both left and right side. Then if that doesn’t fix it move to one of the next three items (which he didn’t write down the next two for me, but it has something to do with timing.) the last item I remember!!! He said it could just be a bad engine!
I’m having a real hard time with this cuz the worst case scenario that I came up with (searching online) was some type of evap for the fuel tank and that’s why the light goes back out when I open the cap.
Anyway I’m in a situation now of dumping money into it that may OR may not fix it.
So now what do I do?
Go down the rabbit hole with chasing this fix then that fix?
Get rid of it??
It has 154000 (mostly highway) miles. Body is in great shape no rust…. Accept the gas cap snapped off but I still have it. Also just put close to a thousand in tires on it.
Any suggestions???
Totally frustrated!
Thanks in advance
Rose

 

What was the exact code?

Don’t start throwing parts at it.

 

The shop never told me.
I’ll call and see what he says. I didn’t know if sayin the Cam sensor and/or Cam sensor wire was a specific code.
Now that you’ve asked I realize I should’ve asked more questions instead of asking what he would do if he were me…… he said get rid of it.

 

Here’s where I would start: I get the truck back and drive around a bit and go to my nearest O’Reilly, Advance Auto, or Auto Zone and ask them to scan the truck for codes. They’ll do it for free. I know O’Reilly gives you a print out - at least mine does. I don’t know about the others. The mechanic may have cleared the codes stored in the computer and you may (probably) will come up with no codes. That’s okay. At least we have a known starting point. Once the light comes on, repeat and report the codes. From there we can help guide you on probable causes.

 

Basic code readers are pretty cheap nowdays. Id just buy one of those, wait for light then go from there.if its running good, no oil in coolant or coolant in oil no reason to get rid of it.

 

I called and asked for the codes
There was only one P0022
He did clear it and there isn’t anything in now. doesn't that say something??? If it jumped time (which was something else he threw out at me) would it still run and drive??

 

In all of my time on TW, I’ve never heard of a timing chain jumping. I don’t think your mechanic has any idea of the problem and is just throwing things out there. I’d consider finding a new mechanic that is interested in actual diagnosis vs throwing parts at it. P0022, I believe is associated with cam timing. I’ll let the other members that are more familiar with it chime in.

@super_white
@Dm93
@TnShooter

 

Most common cause of timing codes on these is a sticky VVT solenoid but the first thing to check is engine oil level and condition.

P0022 is for Bank 2 which is driver's side.

I'd certainly put a known good solenoid in it before condemning the timing chain.

 

He said I should start with vvt (both sides) ($1050.00) and go from there but he said it’s only the first step and listed a few other things (jumping time being one) I read up on it and it says dirty oil….. well ive never missed an oil change so that strange!
My next thought is why does the light go out after I open and close the gas cap?
But I think I’m going to take all your advice and wait till the light comes back on and go to a Toyota dealership and have them scan it. Hoping they have more advanced computer software so they can tell me exactly what’s wrong. Instead of dumping money in left and right or trading her in like he suggested.

 

Not sure where they are getting over $1000 to change the VVT solenoids, the OEM ones are around $150 and shouldn't take more than an hour to change unless they are siezed in the head.

 

Did you ever replace the gas cap at least?

 

Gas cap has absolutely nothing to do with a P0022.

 

That would be the first thing I would replace

 

Money is better spent on a scratch ticket. P0455 etc would at least be realavent

 

Why? It has nothing to do with P0022.

 

So as a insured mechanic shop you would ignore the snapped broken gas cap and jump to what the code says?

 

@Rose90 - what I would do is call the dealer and get a price on replacing the driver’s side VVT solenoid. Then collect the truck from the current shop, pay them for their time and not go back.

 

We don’t know the condition of the ‘snapped off gas cap’ but if it’s not putting out a code, it must be sealing pretty damn well. The op can always pick one up at the auto parts store.

 

If the customer brought it in for a CEL and said nothing about a gas cap and I scan it and find only a P0022 no I'm not even looking at the gas cap.

Now if the customer asked me to check the gas cap and I found it to be broken along with the P0022 yes I would suggest replacing it but I would also make it clear that replacing it will not fix the CEL or code.