Accessory Bypass

Hi, I'm new to this forum and have a question about my 16 Tacoma. I plan on using this truck as a "dingy" towed behind my motorhome (after installing a drive line disconnect). One requirement for this process is leaving the switch in accessory to keep the steering wheel unlocked. To simplify this procedure, I would like to 1) wire a switch in the accessory circuit (to prevent battery drain) or 2) disconnect the steering wheel lock (maybe by disconnecting a solenoid??). Either solution would prevent battery drain while preserving any radio settings ect. I presume accessing the ignition switch would be necessary in either scenario. Does anyone know how to do this? The covers do not look as simple as in past vehicles I've owned. Any suggestions or info would be appreciated. Thanks, Norm

 

Powering the accessory in the vehicle won't keep the wheel from locking. The ignition tumbler is what unlocks the steering wheel lock. You would have to leave the key in and turned on and put a switch in the accessory wire or simply disconnect the ignition switch plug from the ignition to keep the vehicle from powering up. To do that you just need to remove the shroud around the column. Usually 3 screws. Two behind the steering wheel and one from underneath Assuming you have a key start and not a push button

 

Can you dingy tow a Tacoma? I thought my manual said not to do it.

 

If you use a driveline disconnect you can do it.

 

im sure you can, but my guess is that is the reason why because of the steering wheel lock.

Or you could disconnect the batter than turn the key in and leave in the column, if you feel unsafe about leaving the key in just have a steel duplicate made, of use that steel tailgate key. Unless that only comes with the push button trucks.

 

Can't you just leave it in 2wd?

 

No, because it will still rotate the driveshaft then into the transmission. Most people will use a 2wd truck as the dingy.

 

Response to Lawfrin: That is exactly what I was try to say. The key must be left in the accessory position to keep the wheel unlocked which will drain the battery. To avoid disconnecting the battery every time I tow I would like to disconnect the accessory circuit via a switch. This would also keep my radio presets, ect., intact. The same result could be accomplished by disabling the steering wheel lock and leaving the switch in off, but I fear this would be more complicated. My problem arises with getting the covers off the ignition switch, there are no screws visible on the underside or the top for that matter. I can see a couple of screws visible between the wheel and the switch cover but am unsure as to their function and how to access them. I just don't want to bugger up the covers. Norm

 

If you don't see any screw it's possible the column covers are snap together like the older rav4's. They didn't use the screws. On those you press the sides in on the lower half and they will unclip. I would think with the Tacoma they would screw them on but I haven't seen a new one yet so can't really tell you. If you could snap a few photos I could explain how to remove it once seeing it. Or maybe someone else already has a write up

 

I'll give that a try tonite, Thanks

 

you can't dinghy tow it because only the motor input shaft drives the transmission fluid pump, or something like that is not happening when only the drive shaft is spinning on one end of the transmission.