Anti Gas Theft Devices for Tacomas

Hey Chris, did you come up with a good anti gas theft solution for your truck? I checked with Power Toyota and they said that Toyota doesn't recommend a locking gas cap for the Tacoma, something about it interfering with the system electronics. So if you or anyone else has a solution that really works I'd like to find out what it is so I can duplicate it on my truck.

 

WHAT??? Rio, I've had a locking gas cap the whole 7 yrs of its life! No issues! On Chris- he's fabricated a really cool tank armour plate and h has pics in his gallery.

 

Hey Ridge, all I have to go on is what Power Toyota told me, that Toyota "doesn't recommend" a locking gas cap on the Tacoma. Has something to do with sensor system electronics according to the guy I talked with.

Like you I've ALWAYS run with locking gas caps, even back in the day when gas was affordable! So I'm interested in hearing what people who've done the same on their Tacomas, guys like you, have to say about that particular piece of "advice" that I got from the local Toyota dealer!

I'll take a look at the pics Chris has posted in his gallery and see what he's come up with.

 

Its pretty effective.

 

Yea, but you gotta sit up all night keeping watch for that to work, and I'm not sure I want to give up my beauty rest right at the moment!

Chris' skid plate looks like something that makes good sense. But I'm not sure how much it would help when it comes to keeping people from siphoning gas from your tank when no one is looking..

 

Your 03 already has a skid plate under the fuel tank. Toyota seems to have forgotten that small detail on the 2nd gen trucks.

 

True, Rio, I failed to metion that. Go get a locking cap Rio- I PROMISE you will not have issues.

 

Typical. Seems like for every step "forward" there's always another, usually unseen and often unnoticed. that's heading in the opposite direction!

 

I'll do that early tomorrow, before the heat of the day settles in and I decide to stay indoors!

 

I have used a Stant locking gas cap from O'Reillys since the first week I have had the Taco. No CEL's or any other issues. Just make sure you make it click several times before you turn the lock a half turn to lock it.

 

Cool-yeah I have to go visit my Mom in Tracy-supposed to be upper 90's...which to you and Chris is a walk in the spring I suppose

 

Which it does cause you can no longer get a hose down there

 

Upper 90's to us here in the Valley of The Sun in the summertime is something we can only wish for! So far this year we've had a very pleasant lead in to summer, with our hottest few days only about 107 to 110. Give it another couple or three weeks however and the real heat will turn the Valley into the oven that we love to hate - with 115 or better being the norm for weeks and months on end!

Before long I hope to gas up the Taco and head north to the high country for two or three weeks where the cool mountain air turns the Valley heat into a distant memory! The only down side to that plan is that the day always comes when it's time to head back down into the desert furnace again, and that's a brutal prospect after spending time in the cool pine forests that offer us Arizona's summertime paradise!

 

I like your thinking.

I have an AR with 30 rounds of M855 on tap I could use for the same purpose.

I don't like the idea of using locking gas caps since if they can't steal fuel that way, they'll probably just drill your tank.

 

So, any plans to make more? I'd buy one.

If not, I plan on making one myself. People in my office (not on the bad side of town) have already had their Catalytic Converters stolen, and their fuel tanks drilled into. Only reason I can guess mine hasn't been hit is that it sits in the garage under the building.

Unfortunately, my house in the county doesn't have a big enough garage for my truck. So, it sits out front of the house. (read - target for vandals)