the twilight zone

Sometime around 3am this morning, I was woken by what sounded like somebody parked on the street curb next to my driveway trying to start their car. An ignition turning, engaging with the starter, but no actual combustion or coughing of any kind. The turning over was just cycling in such a perfect rhythm that I started to think somebody must have installed some f'd up sounding alarm on their car. I peaked out the window. No vehicles. The sound def seemed to be coming from my driveway where I park my truck.

I keep it locked at night and since I don't have an alarm, I use a steering wheel lock bar for 'visual deterrent' purposes. I have an old school manual ignition key, no remote control fob or anything unique, nor was anything ever previously used or installed. I've owned the 2001 truck for 6 or so years now.

I go outside and sure enough it's my f'n truck trying to turn over and making one hell of a racket in doing so. I can hear the vacuum hoses and the fan under the hood going but no headlights or interior lights were on. The steering bar is in its place and the doors are locked! The truck is desperately trying to turn over. And then it hits me.... I'm in the twilight zone right now.

Ran back inside, grabbed my keys, unlock the door. Sure enough the air is blasting away but nothing else interior wise is on - what mode of ignition does that sound like? ACC? Anyways, I put the key in the ignition and turn it as if I were starting the truck. Boom, the engine combusts and the truck fully starts up, lights and all, as normal. I roll the ignition key back to off with the engine shutting down as expected. Almost immediately the truck commences the same attempts to turnover that initially got me out of bed. This time with the key 'in' the ignition. I pull the key out. No change. Same repeated attempts to turnover. WTF? The only way I could get the truck to calm down was to pull the battery connections as it was too dark for me to try and locate fuses - even I could have I would have frantically pulled them all out in trying to get the thing to shut up. Believe it or not I was actually spooked at that point.

So the truck is sitting in the driveway with the battery disconnected as I ask you wizards for help and guidance in my quest to figure out what's going on. I know enough to be able to do most of my own basic wrenching under the hood but before I spend money on 'inspections' of the ignition switch and what not - I'd love to know if anybody has ever heard what could cause a vehicle with no remote switch to try and startup randomly. I'm just grateful the truck never actually turned all the way over since I may have slept right through it running out of gas in the driveway. One thing that may yield some clue as to what may have triggered something else, altho I have no idea how it would, is that yesterday and the day before we've had light-medium rain almost all weekend long here in the Denver area. The worst being yesterday (sunday) the day just before the twilight zone episode. As it happened, I had to drive to and from just outside of town on both days (40+ miles roundtrip per day). Most of the road was highway and with rain but I still drove pretty fast. Faster than normal actually, hitting 90mph in stretches. I'm mentioning this, since it makes me wonder if jets of water could have damaged something from underneath the truck to cause the ignition to malfunction.


truck specs:

• 2001 Toyota Tacoma
• Cab: Double
• Engine: 3.4L DOHC V-6 / (3378 cc) 5VZ
• Transmission: Automatic
• HP: 190
• Torque: 220 lb-ft
• Trim: Limited

- spooked sailor.

 

You Drunk Hatch…

 

WOW!

Only thing I can think of is something is crossed on your starter. Maybe a wet rodent? If not, call a priest.

 

@HondaGM I promise you and everybody else that reads the post that I am not drunk or high. Nor was I last night. It really f'n happened.

 

… I’m just messin with you..so starter was turning ,no lights on the dash,engine wasn’t running?

 

In for the show.

 

@KdF Lets just say there was indeed some wet rodent trying to stay dry - if I looked underneath would I expect to find it dead. When you say 'crossed my starter' what would I look for underneath if that was indeed the case? Thanks - I'm not ruling it out since we have mice and rabbits everywhere this time of year. It's better than dealing with the twilight zone anyways.

 

@HondaGM I would have done the same honestly.
Yea - exactly. Starter was crisp (battery was replaced less than a year ago). No lights on dash, engine was not running.

 

I've got my Haynes book open. Gonna read up before I crawl underneath as its still pretty wet outside at the moment.

 

Rodent chewed wiring.

Open the hood and start searching with a bright light. And hope your insurance covers the repair.

 

If something metal touches the battery cable terminal and one of the small terminals on the outside of the starter it can crank

I'd be checking the starter, the ignition switch and the relays in the fuse box

 

It really f'n happened.[/QUOTE]. Of course it did.

 

Sounds like water has gotten into a junction block or maybe the fuse block inside the truck. I’ll have to do some wiring schematic investigation. The cranking and the blower motor running is going to be the clues in this situation.

 

Has the windshield been replaced?

 

I had something similar happen to me.... the starter solenoid failed in the engaged position.

Different story for me though, I left my house to go to grocery store and the truck started fine. Sounded weird and the engine seemed strained for the less than 1 mile drive. Pulled into the parking lot and shut it off, only to have the starter running. Only way to get it to stop in my panic was to remove the battery cable when smacking the starter didn't work.

Shopped, reinstalled the cables and drove the less than 1 mile drive home with the starter engaged the entire time. Replaced with new starter and it hasn't happened since

 

Not since I've owned it. If I had to guess if it ever was I'd say no.

 

Dang. That would def put me in a panic. Good to know.

 

I just checked out the interior fuse block which seemed pretty dry. I haven't pulled each fuse for inspection just yet tho.
As for the junction block - would that be the larger fuse relay block under the hood that covers the larger starter and heater fuses (in pics)? If it is, I did take a look at that as well. Although it seemed dry it's certainly in an area (driver-side above wheel well) with exposure. The cover of that block is a loose fit too boot.

Also did what I could to check out the starter/solenoid area which appears fine. (see pics)

Admittedly, the wheel well flap curtain covering the front driver-side portion of the engine is missing. I just noticed that tonight. Had been meaning to replace it, since it's been deteriorating for some time. I'm sure trucking down the highway at 90mph in pouring rain didn't help anything down in that area.

I'm sure it's unrelated but has me curious still, when I was inspecting the relay box and pulled out the starter fuse, I noticed a bare strip of fine copper wire running between both the heater and starter fuse nodes. I took a pic of it.

 

You know they say....every truck has a story......

 

Ha ha Ha count yourself lucky that you had 6 years or so without any problems .

The fact that you never had a fire is so very lucky my luck would never be that good!!

This is a up close and in person adventure .Have any friends that know Toyota`s

You have a very messed up starter circuit . I can only say look for strange wiring . Where it might be I would think a very easy place to access.

When the starter circuit some how was energized if the blower motor switch was closed the engine will crank .

Fresh water is a very poor conductor of electric now if it was ground water slop that might have had metallic grit that is another story. A very interesting physics experiment in my youth.

That has to be in the Top 5 of the strangest vehicle wiring I have seen.

I wish i was close enough to help in person!!

Good luck!!