P0500 Nightmare

So about a month ago, my 2005 DCLB AT 4x4 threw a P0500 code. Took it into the dealer to diagnose. After testing everything, they found the harness to be faulty. $4000 later, the code still shows up. They decide it needs a new ECM. $1000 later, code is still there, and truck is now back at the dealer. They said they tested the sensors and the cluster and found them to be okay. Waiting for a new diagnosis tomorrow. Any ideas from you guys? I'm $5000 and sick to my stomach that the problem hasn't been fixed. On top of all that, tags expire at the end of the month and I still need to pass smog!

 

You got to tell them to stop trying to guess that stuff or refund your money for not fixing the problem but my prayers are with you dude that’s too deep for me but pissed off at the dealer for charging you all that money and no results

 

Holy Hell
P0500 code for robbery
Any explanation from the service advisor

 

At this point, he doesn’t know. Just brought it back an hour ago. “Master techs” will look at it in the morning.

 

I know it's a long shot, but try this thread and see if the norcal section can help.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/norcal-trusted-vendors-help.384182/

 

That ain’t right. Tell them you want your money back or you will open a file with the State Attorney General and close the whole fucking operation down. A VSS sensor is $87.00 . Edit: and be nice about it. Give them a chance

 

5k in unnecessary repairs! Talk to the service manager.. then I'd make a big stink.. Call the BBB and your Attorney general.


Hold on. You're out 5K and they still have your broke truck! Get your truck out of there.

 

Oh this is bad. Dealerships are supposed to have knowledgeable staff. Not all do. Sometimes all they want to do is sell you on stuff you don’t need, it makes them more money. I hope it works out for you.

It’s possible they made honest mistakes. Really, they need to do something for you, no charge on the labor, parts at cost, or something. Expecting you to pay that much without fixing it is out of the question.

 

What problems did you experience with the P0500 code? No speedo?

 

On the first go around with the harness replacement, I was out of my element as this was my first major repair (in terms of cost) that I’ve ever dealt with on an automobile. First quote was $4500. Got him down to $4k OTD plus a coolant flush which I was in need of. At the time, he warned me that the ECM might be bad as well, but couldn’t know for sure before swapping faulty harness.

Next go around with ECM replacement, I was quoted $1400 just for parts - no charge for labor. Ordered an ECM from another dealer for $1k and they installed for free.

I am really hoping that these are honest mistakes. From my experience with people, my service tech seems honest. And with this last go around, he’s hoping to do the fix with no extra charge. But if he comes back with more parts and labor costs, I’m going to definitely ask that those costs are waved.

I mean, what recourse do we as consumers really have. They did install new parts and spent time on labor. Sorry if I’m being naive. I do all basic maintenance work myself, so this is really my first time dealing with the dealer or any mechanic for that matter.

 

Everything on cluster shows fine. Speedo and tach are working. However, when hooking up my Bluetooth ODBII reader, engine speed shows a readying, but vehicle speed shows nothing/zero.

 

The cluster sends the vehicle speed signal to the ECM via a single Violet/White wire to the SPD terminal of the ECM, according to service info it should be a 0-12v square wave.
It shouldn't be too hard to properly diagnose with a scope and a wiring diagram although the flow chart is missing the critical step of checking the signal output at the cluster.

 

That is out the door insane. I would not be able to contain myself.

I wish you the best and hope you can recoup some of that money they screwed you out of. Wow 5K and still broken.

 

Talk about a parts cannon! Omfg.

@bunsojr since your cluster, combination meter, whatever is working; if you can, pull it out, and check that all the wires are secured in the connector body properly and that they're putting tension on the mating connector terminals. Check continuity from the cluster connector to the ECU.

If you think they need to be cleaned; use a pencil eraser, or a non-glossy business card and some, "Deoxit." Nothing else, or you risk damaging the terminals contact surface.

 

New ECM and harness? The speedo cluster needs to be next on the list and at their expense. Sure sounds like a faulty electrical connection.

 

Yikes

They have to do something to refund most of that back. Playing around with 4,000$ of someone else's money is serious shit

 

Driving to South Main Auto in NY or flying ScannerDanner over and putting him up in a hotel with all expenses would have been cheaper...