Need some ULTRA GURU help for electrical issues - Multiple cluster warnings

So I have been having this problem for about a year and half. Truck is a 2017 4x4 TRD, bought in 2018, dont use that much has about 11.5k miles on it. Anyways, initially about a year ago when you would start it, it would start to throw weird errors like brake failure, abs failure, charge failure, control failure, etc. Usually, if you restarted it it would go away. I thought perhaps I was starting in wrong mode, ACC, Ign, etc. but maybe thats not a parameter?

Progressively it has gotten worse. Out in the middle of nowhere it would start to do this also but usually go away after a few restarts. Today.... however it was bad.

Tried video recording it, and just found out it did not record... started fine, drove on the freeway for a while and noticed that the slippery when wet light flashed momentarily when I let off the gas... Get out to the mountains, slow road and it starts getting worse. Every code known to this Tacoma started popping up and not going away. Then the Speedometer dropped to zero (both digital and analog) and would fluctuate. Fuel was the only thing working. Temp gauge dropped to zero and about every 5 minutes would come up to what it should be and then drop to zero, D for drive would disappear and then come back on.... Tach was all over dropping to zero, up, down, up down. NO CEL in any of this.... Every code as mentioned, traction control, air pressure, crawl, literally EVERY ERROR... etc.

Get out of mountains, turned around came home hit the freeway and it started to get better, the only thing that remained by about half way home was traction control stability and ABS warning. Get home, turn off motor... turn back on... nothing. Clean as a whistle... WTF is going on?

The only add ons are a Viper alarm that controls doors, windows, shock, remote start, notification of trigger... The other add on is a module that goes inbetween the console harness and the console cluster. It is for calibrating the speedometer since I put a lift and larger tires on it.
Speedometer Calibrator
https://www.roughcountry.com/speedo...MI4dT75P-V_AIVIRh9Ch0oyQWaEAQYASABEgKYwPD_BwE


Does anyone have any idea what might be going on... is it the cold weather? I dont drive the truck much, no mice as stray cat that lives outside takes care of that, so I do have it on a trickle charger most of the time so that the battery does not die. If so this sucks ass... Could not enjoy the trip... Any help appreciated. Thanks!

 

First place to look is the last mod. 99.9% sure it is your alarm or speedo calibrator. Take em both out.

 

Alarm is a no go. Hooked directly into the start... Have no way to bypass... Here is for the Calibrator (stability control error was one of them...)

Overview
Put the finishing touch on your lifted vehicle with Rough Country’s Speedometer Calibration Device! This easy-to-use Speedometer Calibrator helps you quickly and easily reprogram your vehicle’s speedometer to match the output of your larger tires.

Your vehicle's computer is designed to track the speed based on your stock tire height. When upgrading to larger tires, there will be a discrepancy between your actual speed and the readout on your speedometer.

This plug and play device connects directly to your vehicle’s Diagnostic Link Connector Port and in just a few short hours your speedometer reads true again! Rough Country’s Speedometer Calibration Devices don’t just simply change your in-dash readout, they update your vehicle’s ECM, ensuring accurate shift points and proper electronic stability control.

Finally, you can get an affordable and accurate speedometer calibration with an easy and intuitive setup process! This device also includes a function to reset the speedometer back to stock prior to servicing the vehicle. Includes a 1-Year Warranty.

Features

• Resets your speedometer to accurate readings for larger tires
• Easy Plug and Play connection
• Updates OE ECM Shift Points to accommodate larger tires
• Recalibrates Electronic Stability Control to work with larger tires
• Option to return to stock settings
• 1-year warranty

 

There have been hundreds of posts like yours here in the past several years. I can think of one actual case where it was the OEM components causing issues.

 

Ok, so you think its the mods? Thanks. I will look into the Calibrator tomorrow. In your opinion, do you think that the calibrator is 1) Bad or 2) Loose harness? The reason I ask is that it seemed to get worse on the bumpy road and only after driving a while on the freeway did it smooth out. I assume when electronics go bad they dont heal themselves... lol thanks

 

Could be either, neither or both.

OEM electronic items go through rigorous testing, car manufacturers have millions of dollars invested in laboratory equipment and educated people to make sure the parts will hold up for a long time. Most of the time they do.

There is no way any aftermarket company can invest in testing to the level Toyota or any other vehicle maker does. Almost always when these threads come up the answer is to remove the aftermarket equipment.

 

@pityocamptes I used to work at an auto electrical repair shop and almost every time someone brought in a vehicle that had a wicked electrical problem with aftermarket electrical stuff added, we always removed every piece of the aftermarket stuff and the problems went away.

Start with your last added part, drive, and document. If the problems are still there completely remove the alarm system, drive, and document

 

Remove the whole system per the manufacturers system. Not bypass.

 

I can only tell you where to start, and that is removing, not bypassing, the mods.
Most vehicles in general and particularly, Toyota, have good wiring systems today.
Once mods are removed and everything works properly, then start adding stuff back until the problem reappears. Good luck!

 

If you want somewhere to start (I don’t know if you installed that calibrator yourself) I’d check that first and any other connections back there.

I have one and it’s super easy to install/remove. Only takes a couple common tools. When you reinstall it getting the box and all of those wires tucked is a pain. So maybe you/they damaged something or didn’t fully seat the connector.

Worth a shot since that’s the easy one.

 

All the issues on the cluster as you describe comes over the canbus fed to the cluster.
It seems like something is interfering with the signal on the canbus or your cluster is bad.
Remove any other device connected on the obdi connector. That speedo thing could be doing it also.
Temp dropping to zero and speedo issues are a giveaway to no or garbled canbus signal or defective cluster. It could be a defective computer but I doubt it.
My bet is the speedo first, cluster 2nd.

 

Ok, so I pulled the cluster. Pulled the calibration module. No issues. Reinstalled... and then decided to pull the plug from the module while vehicle was on... Errors all over the place EXACTLY like what I was experiencing. Im not sure if the electronics are bad after warm up or something in the harness. Wiggled the harness, no change. I think I will reach out to the manufacturer and see if they can offer a discount or new unit. The unit I have looks like a 1st gen older one. Will see... Thanks for the help.

 

Because the canbus signal was lost to the cluster. I believe that module is intercepting the canbus signal, modifying the data it needs to, and then putting it back on the bus. Seems like it is not doing it correctly.

 

Yes that is my understanding as well. The module is programmable. Going to get a new one and see if that fixes the problem.

 

These trucks are wicked super sensitive when unplugging and plugging in electrics even with the battery hooked up!
Some LED interior light installs will toast a PCM!
Always disconnect the battery negative before plugging in or unplugging anything electrical!