Died and Limped Home - 2023 TRD OR 4x4 w 15k ODO

Agreed - I'm hoping more and more that the Dildo of Consequence arrives firmly, frequently and unlubricated when it finally shows up.

• Earn Customers for Life. - He has lost me forever
• Improve Constantly. - Literally sending me documentation or a picture would be an improvement and he has not.
• Take Personal Ownership. - Do I have to go here?
• Have Fun. - I'm sure he does laughing at the other customers that buy his impostors bull sheeat.

 

"Dildo of Consequences"

 

Here's a link to the radio when it was in the truck. I'm not putting it all back in just for pics.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/clean-vhf-cb-radio-installs.415584/page-130#post-29575184

 

For what it's worth, I bought my truck in Scottsdale at Right Toyota from Jake and had the great experience, he was patient and very generous with his time. Everyone I talked to at the dealership was nice, had great attitudes and genuinely seemed happy to be there. Albeit, full disclosure, I have not used them for service because I live in a different state but I will 100 percent buy from them (Jake) again given the opportunity.

 

Just had the promised call with Jennifer.
Her tech had an e-mail exchange with Todd and the tech and agrees that electrical systems are sensitive and this would not be a warrant-able item but that there is no permanent damage and thus no repair needed - just don't plug anything into the ECU fuses. I explained that it wasn't plugged into an ECU fuse - it was in Slot 23 and I have removed that wire and the radio. Still only a few miles in but fuel economy under favorable conditions (55 / Freeway / Level Ground) shows it not coming up. Stays around 13 to 17. We discussed the lack of any documentation and that I still have no clue about what was performed and I still don't have this picture he's looking at (have seen it so I know it exists). Jennifer pointed me to the Toyota.com Owners section. I have an account there already. She said I could pull up my service history. She's still looking into this and may have me go to another dealership but said that Todd's notes will follow the vehicle so unlikely they will find anything. She wants to dive deeper with her tech to understand this better. I told her that I appreciated it but from here out any work they do or anything they find is purely bonus info. I'm not relying on Toyota any more.


Validated the VIN is correct (redacted). So no idea now.
I'm at the end of a tank so I'll fill up and we'll see what that tank does for a better reading. Also going to unhook the battery for an evening and then see if that helps reset the mileage calculator as mentioned above. Maybe it works?

 

Vin pulls up fine on KBB.com

 

Sometimes that portion of Toyota's website has issues and does not recognize VINs. Try it again tomorrow. Happened to me when I waa shopping for my truck and pumched in VINs from dealer's websites to see detailed configurations.
Changing browers sometimes worked.

 

Just curious, did you click on “create account” to get to where you are (entering the VIN)?

 

I think we've found Todd. Thank you for self identifying. Do you have pics of a nicked fuel line in the cab?

 

Now that’s funny!

 

I already have an account and can see where they tracked my vehicle up to 11,000 miles (with 46% fuel remaining) - Is that not the same account?

 

The point is fair but I need to draw on your wisdom a little - and not asking to be snarky. Asking out of genuine interest.
How does a an electrical device that is powered off and plugged into a non-ECU circuit pose a risk? If it was wired to the battery would that solve it? Where do we draw the line of demarcation between where power being drawn for a radio that is off (Zero Current Draw) could impact the supply to the ECU and where it doesn't?

I've measured the current draw in the off position and it is Zero. If the radio is powered on and receiving only it draws less than one amp. If the radio is powered on and transmitting at full 50W of power, it draws closer to about 15 to 16 amps depending if it is on the 440MHZ or 140MHZ band. I can see where the power spike / demand at 50W transmit would / could cause a hiccup in the power supply and throw off the ECU if it was plugged into the ECU. But it isn't. By this rationale, using the wipers or turning on the headlights - all fused in very close to the ECU could also cause it.

Help me understand the deeper layer here?

"That's funny. I don't care who ya are that right there is funny." ~ Larry the Cable Guy
But still I'd like to hear what he says. He may have the one nugget of intel that cracks this wide open. I'm not opposed to hearing that I'm part or all of the problem in this issue. But to date the explanation that backs up that claim has essentially been that it's electronics and they are mysterious things birthed in a swamp by a voodoo priestess and raised by a wizard atop an unclimbable mountain. No real science. And yes - I'd like very much to follow the science on this one.

 

Looks like it's letting me in a little further today?

 

Not sure.
It is on Toyota's website, under "Owners"

 

So Floriduh, not saying you're wrong, because I know nothing about this, but looking from the outside, you're a) saying a lot of words, b) claiming to be an expert, and c) providing exactly zero benefit to the situation.

What is your actual advice in this case? Or do you just want to inform OP that he's mistaken in his perception of the situation?

Legitimately curious what you think would fix this. Please don't repeat your credentials and explain why you can't explain it, just say the "what", not the "why".

 

OP asked for clarification and THIS is where you go?
Talk about non sequitur.

 

Duh, I know someone more qualified who would tell you you don’t know what you’re talking about

 

Todd is the first person I put on ignore on TW.
Lots of talk, no action. It's like a Chrysler engineer saying they could build a reliable car any time they wanted to. They just do not want to.

 

I got way more electrical shit hooked up to my truck and I don't have the issues that the op describes. So color me skeptical that an add a fuse on a 5v circuit powering a radio is his problem

 

But to @Flori-duh Taco's point - I do have some spare chokes laying around and it would cost nothing to add them to the system to see if it changes anything.
I think that's a better option than the advice from Toyota which was essentially "your truck it too delicate to have anything plugged into it." They do, after all, offer this truck as a fleet vehicle and fleet vehicles often times have extra lights and radios and the like on them.