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Just as a side note I have had the gearbox fault come up a few times if the engine did not start fully, for example by accidentally lifting my foot off the brake before full ignition was achieved. When the engine is started properly immediately afterward the gearbox fault appears and I then need to shut the engine down, restart, and the fault is cleared.
This again leads to a brake switch and software problem where the computer is getting it knickers in a twist.
6 days now and no faults. Pretty much a record for the last few months.
Had the crank angle sensor replaced and fingers crossed....seems to have stopped the frequent faults. This sensor had been showing up on the fault codes but this is one that can give false readings.
According to the dealer, method of attack for the earlier D3 4.0 petrols with these problems (in this order) are battery, earth cables, crank angle sensor (if its showing faults) and then starter motor and one of these will usually fix it.
The other common reported fixes of globes, brake switch, steering angle sensor are not as applicable to the petrol compared to the diesels.
Hope this is the answer.
Faults are back again after nearly 2 weeks of clear running
This is really @#$$ing me off. I could also barely start the car. Seemed to be a immobiliser problem as it took several locks and unlocks before i could get it to turnover. Just what you want day 1 of a 2 week touring holiday. I'm sure this is going ti leave us stranded somewhere!!!!
Faults are actually a little different now. Getting just a HDC fault on a semi regular basis. Eg every 3rd or 4th start. This fault then seems to clear straight away as I can then turn HDC on without any probs. Posted in another thread about rear fogs turning on by themself. Not sure if this is related. Had no further probs starting the car. Also thought my passenger side rear parker was blown as it wasnt indicating when hitting the left indicator or locking/unlocking the car. But mysteriously is working again. I also will have to do a hard reset as I've lost the radio display when I had the starting problem earlier in the week. Didnt want to do the reset away from civilisation. Must be a few clues here as to what is going on?
Faults are actually a little different now. Getting just a HDC fault on a semi regular basis. Eg every 3rd or 4th start. This fault then seems to clear straight away as I can then turn HDC on without any probs. Posted in another thread about rear fogs turning on by themself. Not sure if this is related. Had no further probs starting the car. Also thought my passenger side rear parker was blown as it wasnt indicating when hitting the left indicator or locking/unlocking the car. But mysteriously is working again. I also will have to do a hard reset as I've lost the radio display when I had the starting problem earlier in the week. Didnt want to do the reset away from civilisation. Must be a few clues here as to what is going on?
G'day Ashes,
It sounds suspiciously like a faulty earth triggering a brake system fault that's then causing the bcu to inhibit starting. I'd be checking the earth post connections for the left rear light cluster (inside the cubby hole) and the globes' connections in the cluster itself. I'd also disconnect the DBS controller for a while to exclude it as a candidate just to be sure.
I agree that the problem is starting to sound like corrosion and grounding concerns. I note that you changed the brake light switch but was unclear re the tail light bulbs, in particular the signal and brake light bulbs.
The business of the one rear signal light fixing itself is probably ground and corrosion related, however a filament could be near broken. If so, it may be generating out of norms resistance signals that are being picked up by the monitoring circuits and hence triggering faults.
I would certainly be replacing that one bulb and perhaps all the rear bulbs, but with genuine LR sourced bulbs rather than chain store bulbs due to quality control issues. I figure the LR bulbs go thru some sort of quality control test and the chain stores get the rejects.
I find a low battery/hard start situation can sometimes cause the radio display to disappear or display oddly. Usually for me, the display returns after a few normal engine restarts however on occasion, I have had to do the hard reset thing. Most recently, I recall having to do the hard reset just after the alternator was replaced but do not know why, just needed it.
The business of the rear fogs going on suggests corrosion. I have a theory that with each the rear light assembly grounds being sort of common, that if the ground was faulty, that power would flow "backwards" into many of the filaments. The backup lights are a case in particular and perhaps also the rear fogs as well, but I have never thought much about them.
Overall, it sounds like you are resolving the problems. I think that as is often the norm, there is more than one problem and hence that is what makes resolution so difficult.
Rear earth point on the LH side is a possibility. I've had abrake controller wiring installed ther. We are camped here for 4 days so can disconnect the brake controller and check the wiring.
Rear left indicator blew and has not been replaced.
Still getting just the HDC fault which clears straight away so possibly a trigger. May look at replacing all rear globes with genuine globes which I have not done yet. No further problems with not starting or the wider range of faults.
It sounds like the rear indicator bulb or bulbs may be part of the problem. When you remove the burned out bulb, perhaps put an ohm meter across the contacts and see if any strange readings occur. The signal light filament should now show infinity. Maybe the numbers will now show nothing unusual but it would be interesting to check.
Per the links below, when Toyota has a brake light switch concern, you do do walk at the transmission interlock circuit can be affected.
Since we are now well conditioned to tolerate most of the LR nuisance warning lights and nasty messages, I guess this time, it is not as much of a nuisance as it could be. It also sounds like your problems are slowly getting resolved as solutions appear. Thanks for the updates.
Toyota Recalls Nearly 700,000 Vehicles for Potential Brake Light and Air-Bag Failures - NYTimes.com
Toyota recalling 680,000 vehicles - Mar. 7, 2012