Electronics issues with new Tacoma

I am new to the forum so give me chance if I don't do something right.

I have had some strange things happen with my new Tacoma
1. It stalled when stopped on a hill, the multi functional display showed "charging system failure" Put in park restarted this problem has not happened again.
2. While driving 30 mph this summer dry weather, dry black toped road, warm day the PCS warning light came on and multi functional display showed "PCS failure----" While driving I could not read the rest of the display. It stayed on only about 20 minutes then went off by it's self. This problem has not happened again.
3. While driving 55 mph this summer on a dry road main road several indicator lights on instrument panel came on. It is hard to read them while driving but looked like VSC off, auto v lsd, slip off, rear differential lock. They were only on for about 20 seconds then went off by them selves. These problems has not happened again.

I took it to the dealer after each of these issues. No codes were found. They want me to take pictures if they happens again. Really how can I do that while driving?

My questions are: Are others having these issues also and how long would all these lights need to be on before the computer would record the fault codes. Most importantly would any of these things disable my truck.

BC.

 

taco gremlins no doubt

 

Welcome to the forum. Sure sounds like a loose ground or bad connection somewhere.

 

Personally, I've experienced my taco shutting off right after I started and the only reason I noticed was because I tried shifting to reverse but couldn't. Also I get the pcs off light when or after rain. Not sure if we have the same problem.

 

Isn't PCS the collision thingy? Maybe your sensor or wiring is bad.

 

"Mice"

 

By a cheap dash cam, and mount over your shoulder some how. Shouldn't have to, I agree, but it may save you time and money in the long run.

 

This happened to me when my connection behind the dash console was loose. But could be any connection between communications in the ecus. There should be stored codes about communication loss between units on the bus if they look properly in tech stream.

 

You stated some of the errors were lit up for as long as 20 minutes, I'm sure you can put together a system that will allow you to snap a pic or two in that time frame.
It looks like time is on your side for the time being, but if it doesn't leave you stranded and is still happening into the second half of your warranty period, I'd damn sure find a way to make it happen.

 

Sounds basic, but first thing I'd do is clean and check the battery connections. On new vehicles a fluctuation in voltage can cause all kinds of little issues and they won't be related in any way. I see it at least once a week at the motorcycle dealer I work at. Worth a look if it were mine.

 

There is something wrong, likely a loose connection as stated above. Loose as in not-fully-locked or swing-lock... not fully swung-locked. (Is that a word?)

But here's some insight to one and three.

1: It stalled so the alternator wasn't being turned, so it wasn't exactly a charging system failure... it was what spins the charging system. I saw a tsb or something in the stickies about a stalling risk. I suggest you chase that, not the charging system.

3: a wheel speed sensor issue will piss off all things brake and traction control related, plus any accessory system that uses vehicle speed. Nav, crash avoidance, bsm, cruise, 4 wheel drive, lockers, etc. Now, a bad sensor, a stretched wss cable (wss to body harness connector), a damaged female terminal that's widened inside causing intermittent connection or a number of other things could do that.

Dealing with these gremlins is what I do, just not for Toyota, so adapt info as needed.

Edit:
99% of the time, there is a recorded code for anything that happens but there is that damned 1%. In vehicles that are setup to be less finicky and more durable (toyotas), the threshold to set a code is likely higher. So maybe there were no codes, maybe the poor schmuck doing the warranty claim didn't know how to view the history codes or something. Also, self-healing codes are a thing. Fails once, is recorded, next 40 (or whatever number) monitoring cycles are good, it erases itself.

Another thing to consider that I have learned well from my line of work: codes (dtcs) are only coded into the software because it was a reasonably expected failure of a system. If it's a loose connection, a pinched wire, a sensor that was assembled a little off by a supplier, there may not be a telltale error to be set, only strange behavior to be seen. If the tech can't duplicate the behavior, he can't diagnose it. Similarly, it sucks to try to diag a code that makes absolutely no sense and there's no behavior to work off of.

Hopefully that will bring you some comfort, honestly. Don't start hating your new toy because of the current trouble. It's a complicated machine assembled by real people under a lot of pressure, not robots.