Electrical issues in my 2015 TRD pro (short pin)

I've been having some electrical issues with my new vehicle, 2015 Toyota Tacoma TRD sport, heres some background:

I just purchased the vehicle with 66,100 miles, it has been in a front end crash (airbags deployed) and was repaired (Not crashed or repaired by me). Everything runs well mechanically but it has a strange problem when going over CERTAIN bumps. I can't describe the bumps, but it's seemingly random. When it happens the entune system instantly shuts off, followed shortly by the airbag srs light coming on, then the passenger seatbelt light starts flashing. Finally, the slip indicator light comes on. I am unable to use the entire system, but the vehicle is still drivable. After a certain amount of time the entire system comes back online, followed by the slip indicator light turning off. The next time I turn the car on everything goes back to normal.

I'm not sure how to diagnose this issue, I've thought of a few things it could be: clockspring or another bad sensor somewhere, or maybe the fuse box?

Any help diagnosing and fixing this problem would be awesome!

 

I would start by reading the check engine codes. I’m assuming this would create codes. How long have you had it? If you bought from a dealer you have a warranty claim assuming it hasn’t been long. Electrical gremlins can be tough to track down.

 

I’d scan it for codes, see if it has any stored codes.
If not, wait until it happens again, and scan the truck for codes while the problem is occurring.

Other than that, you’ll probably be chasing the issue for a while.
I guess you could start wiggling wires and harness connections, but that will take a long time and may not get you anywhere.

 

The truck was not purchased from a dealer unfortunately. I'll see where reading codes gets me, if no codes are being thrown, what's the next step? Just wire wiggling?

 

Honestly, I’d wait until the problem happens again.

Unless you’re really determined to figure it out. Then by all means wiggle all you want.
I don’t know where to tell you yo begin, that’s a big step in figuring it out. And what I would wait for the problem to happen again. That is, if no codes show up before it happens.

 

Look around in the area that was crashed for cut/chafed/improperly repaired wires, loose grounds, etc, I've seen many times things get overlooked by a body shop when the vehicle gets repaired.

 

I would second checking the grounds. Check your fuse box for loose connections

 

Which airbags were replaced?
I'd be checking for loose grounds for the dash harness.

 

As mentioned above. Go under the hood and start looking for loose wires, especially the ground wires.

 

I would start the truck then get to wire wiggling to replicate the issue, especially at both the inside and under hood fuse boxes. Crank up the radio so you can hear if it cuts off. Doubt it's the clockspring just because the radio is also affected and both are on separate circuits.

 

check grounds and also you can do a "tug test" as I like to call it. Have a buddy monitor the gauge cluster and go around and give a light tug on any of the easy accessable connectors to see if you can replicate the issue. I'd focus on wiring harnesses located where the accident was first. Intermittent problems are always the toughest to diagnose, good luck!

 

These may help you pinpoint where the grounds are located:

 

Update:

went to oriellys and no codes are being thrown, but they did say the alternator is bad. I'm not sure if that could be the issue or not, but I feel like any time I go to oriellys it's always either the battery or the alternater that's bad.

I also noticed that the problem can happen with the slightest jarring motion, and is more likely to happen when it gets hot outside. Early in the morning it's less likely to happen then at 3pm

Now that I know no codes are thrown and there might be an alternator issue, I'll start checking grounds and other wiring harnesses close to parts in the engine bay that can get hot and might be touching a wire.

Is this a decent plan?

 

Definitely sounds like a classic bad ground issue - get a schematic and see if these systems share a common ground or power. Start with the wiggle test, and if that isn't conclusive a good, incandescent test light (don't use an LED) will be your friend. If that doesn't do it, then buy, beg or borrow a good quality scan tool that can record live data, and recreate the problem, recording all of the relevant data PIDs (basically anything electrical and the systems that are showing errors when the fault occurs).

 

I was able to replicate the issue by removing the short pin fuse:

 

Nice find, file and tighten up the contacts a bit, new fuse and you should be good to go

 

@Chicks All to easy!?!

Electrical problems are never that easy!

I hope that solves it for ya

 

Good find.

That is not a fuse. It is just a shorting bar to connect the Radio, ECU-B and the Dome Lights to the power circuit.

Looks like a burn mark on the right side terminal.

It is removed during storage, transport and delivery to the dealer to prevent battery drainage during this time. It is installed at the dealer during delivery inspection.

People have had issues with this being loose and causing problems when hitting bumps. Try and tighten the female connections in the fuse box. If nothing else you can locate or make shorting wire from a couple of spade terminals and a piece of wire.

 

Thanks for clearing that up, looked like a fuse in the picture.
Looking at the picture more closely it looks like a piece broken out of the fuse box where it belongs.

 

Yes that is a piece missing / broken off and probably why it doesn't fit properly.