First Check engine light

Hello everyone,
I bought my base model tacoma back in Dec of 1995, and after almost 28 years and nearly 350 k miles i got my first check engine light..

My tacoma does not have a Obd2 plug, i thought i had an obd1, but i was told thats not it...see pic

I saw a YouTube video where you could use a wire to jump two points and get a code ..(check engine light would flash a number of times giving you the code #) see pic also

But i dont get it to flash....it just stays solid..see pic also...

How do i read the check engine light code without having to take it to a mechanic??

2wd
2.4
Extra cab

 

Welcome aboard @Taco1stgen, first thing I would do is confirm the gas cap is firmly locked and drive it 20 miles, see if it goes out. That could do it. That should be a drive to the local Autozone, O'Reilly's or Napa to pick up an OBD meter, they're only like $30. Or . . . call ahead to see if they have one, they may only have II's, and order one online.

 

Sometimes these can throw a simple code and it not be a big deal....and sometimes it'll just reset itself..

My evap system...the p0440 was throwing last summer....I reset it and it would come back few weeks later..

Well I went thru and tighten everything and resnugged all the vac hoses and made sure all the electric connectors around the charcoal canister were tight....

Drove it for like a month and it reset on its own...

To speed up that process would of been to pull battery cable off and let everything reset...

IF it had been a hard code....it would have come back....

That was 6mo ago ...and all is good....at least for now...

As these get older the most common problems are rotten vac lines....and the evap system integrity.

And check your grounds....the battery to body ground is weak at best...
I ran a cable from my neg post straight to the head and block..

 

Open the hood and look at the sticker under the hood… if it is OBDII compliant it will say so. Take a picture and post it please.

 

A 95 Tacoma is OBD II compliant, the OBD II Connector (Labeled Data Link Connector 3) is up near the accelerator pedal.

 

This^^

You still have a traditional obd connector under the dash

The diagnostic connector out in the engine bay is old-school classic toyota engineering stuff. All those pins are commonly used circuits in the EFI system. With a DMM or scope you can tap ignition power from the key, pcm power circuits, check the primary side of the coil, look at O2 sensors, all kinds of stuff..

 

Omg...it was there all along!!
Under , near the accelerator pedal like you guys pointed out.
See pic...
I used my scanner and comes up with a P0420...which has to do with the catalytic or oxygen sensor.( acording to a quick Google search)
Will start by replacing the oxygen sensor...
Will post the results... soon.

Thanks for all your inputs.

 

Do a test for an exhaust leak prior to replacing any oxygen sensor. It seems like exhaust leaks are a common cause of the 420 code with these trucks. It was with mine.

 

Replacing that O2 sensor may not do anything.....needs further investigation...

Not only that...about 90% of the time.....the O2 sensor is fine....otherwise the truck would run like crap with an off fuel ratio...

90% of the time....at least in Toyota....the heater element in the o2 has diminished ....

and after 1 min of running....that heater element is not needed...

So this is a lot to consider here instead of going out and buying various $120 parts...

to put in the parts canon and shoot at the truck......and end with the same code a week later...


To tell you the truth you help educate us somewhat...we dont know for sure how far the Obd2 goes back in these trucks......it would seem now it goes all the way back to the beginning....95 and 1/2....



Do some investigation, and chime back in.....these guys are trigger happy here...
they need to be needed...

 

How do i perform an exhaust leak??

And to the other question...my truck was built in Nov 1995...see pic .
So obd2 ?? I have not seen an obd1 before so i cant tell. What i can tell is that i've just used my obd2 scanner with the plug i shared before...

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/o2-sensors.816492/#post-29317135

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/burned-out-my-catalytic-converters.809754/#post-29210577

 

Should be a fantastic truck. The only weakpoint on Tacomas the lower ball joints. Most peeps here have 6 lug Tacomas so I am not 100% sure if the 5 lugs ones suffer from the same wealness.

 

Yes they do......No1 rule here .....if you dont know how old they are.....
then they need to be replaced...

many LBJ fail stories on the taco's...just google and you'll see.....usually happens in the parking lot...thank god...




Same with the timing belt on the 5vz 6 cylinders.....

definitely not worth taking a chance.....

 

Hi everyone,
Tanks for all your input. So as you guys suggested i checked for an exhaust leak using the soapy water, but no bubbles. ! I did all the connections points from top to bottom. so i decided to go head and replace both the upstream and downstream oxygen sensor. Got it from O'Reilly for about $160.
Easy installation no problems. Went to work, ran errands and so far after 160 mil. After replacing and clearing the code, everything looking good. No more check engine light.

Thank you once again.

 

Didn’t see it mentioned but have you checked the exhaust manifold? Those cast manifolds like to crack. Had my own P0420 chase and that was the culprit. Would reset and it would come back till I replaced the manifold. Good luck with it.

 

Yes, i agree.
Mine has a nimor crack but when i sprayed soapy water...no bubbles anywhere...i repeated the process just to be sure...and so far so good.
I will be more optimistic when at least 500 mil go by and no check engine light...

 

WHAAAAAT? No broken bolts, nuts seized from rust? That is the first time I've ever heard that with O2 sensors, mine were "a challenge." Good you got it done, you're a lucky man LOL

 

Yes, .lol
Ive had good luck with this truck.
347 k mil and running on same clutch, (manual)same timing chain. ...never even change the transmission or differential fluids..(im a little ashamed of that..lol) but i will do that next...

 

Get those ball joints changed, read around here . . . it's a "thing" with Tacomas.

 

Omg...yes. , scary s#$#
I had that done at about 200 K....both sides . Thats when i found out it was "a thing " with Tacomas.
Thanks for the heads up..