***PLEASE HELP***

hey guys I've got a 2011 tacoma access cab base model. i got out of work tonight at 10pm. i got to work around 2 my truck was running fine for the past days until now. my truck was dead nothing was left on and nothing was plugged in. so i got a jump from my buddy and on my ride home it was shorting out. as i was driving i was watching the battery voltage fluctuate like crazy from 12.3 all they way up to 15.5. so i checked the wires to the battery while i was waiting for the jump and everything was tight. i just got home turned my truck off and the battery was at 8.1 and of course wouldnt start. no ones awake that i could ask for an opinion and I'm assuming from some what of mechanical experience that my alternator is possibly shot? I'm still paying off my truck and when i bought it i paid the extra money for a protection package and from my memory i believe it was if anything broke toyota fixed it free of charge? the trucks barley got 40k on it and i do off road but i don't beat the crap out of it. also the other night on a some what of a trail i went to go fishing and had to go through some decent puddles but i don't fly threw them. my led light bar and two pods stopped working. they're connected to two separate switches each with an inline fuse. any one have any ideas id rather try to fix it myself unless toyota would cover this. i don't have time to mess around unless i get a rental from them and worst come i will call out tomorrow.
thanks

 

I really have no idea but my bet would be your LEDs are pulling even though they are off or something crazy like that

 

tomorrow morning I'm going to be unwiring them first thing

 

Sounds like possibly a bad cell in the battery, replace the battery then take the truck to auto zone or other parts store and ask them to test the alternator.

 

alright cool! I've got an auto zone not to far i just need a jump to get it there lol thanks for that info i didn't know they can test that

 

Sounds like your battery may be bad. You can take it to PEP Boys or AutoZone and they will test your battery and charging system for free. Chances are that you alternator is still ok since you were able to get home. You could try to get it started again then remove the positive wire from the battery and see if the truck stays running. If it does, and you voltage is steady then your alternator is probably fine. It's not unusual for the factory battery to go bad after only a couple years.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for that !! But even while driving the truck could be shorting out from a bad battery?

 

Yes, a shorted cell could be pulling your whole charging system down. Try pulling the positive cable off of the battery.

Have you added any accessories like audio amps light bars etc? It is also possible that you may have fried the voltage regulator in the alternator by overloading it.

 

One light bar and 2 pods but I added inline fuses for each

 

Possible but not very likely, LED's draw very low amperage, less than if you turn on your headlights/dash lights.

 

It's hard to say without actually being there and hooking up a meter to it, but if you get the truck started, pull the battery cable off and then turn your lights on and the truck stays running, with steady voltage output, then most likely your only problem is the battery.

 

Ok so get the truck running and pull the black? And the less don't work since I went on the trails I hit the switches and they don't turn on

 

Yes, that's even better than pulling the positive wire. If the negative wire goes to ground, no problem. If the positive wire were to go to ground while the truck was running, there could be a big problem.

Then turn on your headlights to put a load on the alternator.

 

Ok will do tomorrow

 

Good luck, and remember Autozone can check all that for free.

 

Ok thanks... I'll go there tomorrow and should I ask them to check first or buy the new battery first

 

And do you guys think I could talk Toyota into installing the huger strength alternator that's on the trd offroad? Or what aftermarket could I install

 

I assume you meant to say that the LED Lights no longer work since you went off road and drowned them. I think that is your problem... remove the LED Lights and see what happens.


Let me say this first, not trying to pee on anyone's parade.

I would not pull the battery cable with the truck running. Surges into the electronics may cause even bigger issues. Jump it if need be and take it to Autozone to have the system checked.

 

Yes leds don't work but I didn't drown them... I've been in deeper water than the puddles I drove through

 

Hey guys so this morning I went to auto zone he guy scanned my battery and said it was being charged by the alternator so we go inside and he says ok so I suggest you get this battery it's a higher strength for $230.00. So I already started to cringe and then he goes on to say and with the led lights I see in your grille and bumper I'd suggest on going with an upgraded alternator as well instead of getting the basic one again to prevent future problems and that's around $250.00. So no the guys basically running my damn pockets seeing how deep they go in my opinion. So I buy the "basic" battery for $160.00 and go to Napa since autozone didn't have any alternators in stock. Napa said they'd have one to they're shop by 10 so I ordered it and my buddy then finally answers the phone so I went to his shop and he test my battery and says the battery's bad you wouldn't be able to just jump the truck and drive with a bad alternator. So I go back to auto one return they're duracrap battery and cancel the order at Napa and went to interstate battery and got a high voltage one for $130.00 and it's installed and trucks running fine. I'm no longer ever going to go to autozone lol