2004 TOYOTA TACOMA Electrical System Problems

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) main fuse had blown due to a short circuit. The dealer replaced the Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) main fuse; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed that the subframe was severely corroded, including transmission components and fuel system components. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as unknown recalls had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF, WHILE STATIONARY. I GRABBED HANDLE TO OPEN DOOR LIKE NORMAL, AND PART OF IT CRUMBLED IM MY HAND AND THEN FELL TO THE GROUND. IT COULD NOT BE PUT BACK ON DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THIS IS A HUGE SAFTY RISK OF SOMEONE GETTING TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE IF SOMETHING HAPPENED AND THE HANDLE FELL OFF AT THE MOST IMPORTUNED TIME, IT COULD EASILY CAUSE FATALITIES. WHILE SEARCHING FOR A REPLACEMET PART I MET SEVERAL OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE FACT THAT TOYOTA IS CHARGING AND EXUBERANT ABOUT FOR THE HANDLE ASSEMBLY'S ($4251

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE TRUCK INSTANTLY BEGAN DECELERATING EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED. THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED AFTER TURNING THE TRUCK OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. THE PROBLEM RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STOPPED AND WHILE DRIVING OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT MONTH. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE. UPON READING, AND INSPECTION BY A MECHANIC I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE THROTTLE SENSOR HAD FAILED, AND THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS A RESULT. UPON RESEARCHING THIS I DID DISCOVER THAT THIS IS THE CASE THE '03-'04 TACOMA (I HAVE AN 04), FOR WHICH A THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR IS NOT AVAILABLE, AT LEAST IN THE U.S. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT WITH '03-'04 TACOMA TRUCKS. REPLACING THE ENTIRE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY IS AN OBNOXIOUS AND EXPENSIVE CONSEQUENCE FOR A...

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA V6 3.4L 5VZ-FE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. TOYOTA ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED THIS VEHICLE WITH A THROTTLE BY WIRE SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY DOES NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION. TOYOTA ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM DOES NOT DETECT FAULT THUS DOES NOT LOG ANY ERROR CODES OR ILLUMINATE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. OCCURRENCE RATE AND DURATION OF EVENTS IS INTERMITTENT AND INCONSISTENT. VELOCITY OF THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DECREASES UNEXPECTEDLY AND MOMENTARILY AS IF FOOT WAS TEMPORARILY REMOVED FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE ALSO UNEXPECTEDLY AND MOMENTARILY DOES NOT RESPOND WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TO BEGIN MOVING OR SUDDENLY DECREASES SPEED WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD IN SITUATIONS SUCH AS CRUISING IN TRAFFIC, CLEARING AN INTERSECTION, CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS, ETC... OCCURRENCE RATE AND DURATION OF PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSENING OVER TIME OR WITH INCREASED AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR'S ELECTRONIC LOCK SYSTEM FAILED. THE DOOR LOCKED ON ITS OWN AND DID NOT UNLOCK WITH THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS USED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN; UPDATED4/16/18*JB *TR

FROM A DEAD STOP TO ANY SPEED, IT FELT LIKE I NO ACCERATION. I WOULD HAVE TO FEATHER THE GAS PEDAL TO GET UP TO SPEED. I'VE REPLACED FUEL FILTER, 02 SENDER ( FRONT), MAF SENDER ,FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR ,CLEANED ALL GROUNDS, HAD FUEL PUMP TESTED , HAD HEAD GASKET CHECKED ,CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AND WIRE'S, CLEANED THROTTLE BODY AND PRESSURE CLEANED FUEL SYSTEM. EVERY TIME I CHANGE A PART OR DO ANY CLEANING , THE TRUCK WILL RUN FINE, FOR AWHILE , BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNS. I NOW HAVE 150K ON TRUCK ,AND I WANT TO GET 150 K MORE. I FELL THIS IS A EXTREMELY HAZARDS SITUATION. ALL I'M LOOKING FOR IS A ANSWER TO WHAT'S WRONG!!!! TOYOTA IS AWARE OF WHAT'S WRONG ,BUT THE DEALERS ONLY TO KEEP REPLACING PARTS ($) . THE TOYOTA FORUM S ON WEB HAVE 1000S OF ANSWER S, BUT, NOTHING DEFINITE. PLEASE...

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOSES PEDAL RESPONSE DUE TO THE THROTTLE CONTROL MOTOR SHUTTING DOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. THE ENGINE EITHER SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY OR THE BECOMES VERY JERKY AND CANNOT SUSTAIN AN IDLE. INCIDENTS BEGAN TO OCCUR AROUND 95,000 MILES ODO BUT STOPPED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER A MECHANIC WORKED ON THE VEHICLE AND SAID THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. MORE RECENTLY THE TRUCK HAS AGAIN BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE: LOSS OF PEDAL RESPONSE, AND IN ADDITION IT NOW SHUTS THE ENGINE DOWN AND THE GAUGES SHOOT UP TO THE TOP OF THE CHARTS AND TICK UNRESPONSIVELY UNTIL THE KEY IS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES NOW IN TRAFFIC AND ALONG THE ROADWAY WHERE THE TRUCK BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE AND IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SAFELY OFF OF THE ROADWAY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. I HAD TO PUSH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO GET UP TO SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TROUBLE SWITCHING BETWEEN GEARS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. THE CODE THAT HAS COME UP IS TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH I HAVE TWO SEPARATE TIMES, BUT AGAIN THE NEW REPLACEMENT PART IS QUOTED AT $1000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK TO A WORK LOCATION AND STOPPED AT A T-INTERSECTION TO YIELD TO THE NORMAL TRAFFIC FLOW. WHILE STOPPED, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I WAS NOT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT HAD MY FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE. AT FIRST, I HEARD THE ENGINE NOISE BUT DID NOT REALIZE THAT IT WAS MY VEHICLE MAKING THE NOISE. THEN WHEN I LOOKED DOWN AT MY INSTRUMENTS, I SAW THAT MY ENGINE RPM'S WERE ABOVE 1800 AND STAYING STEADY. THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE CLUNK NOISE AND THE TRUCK SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD (TRANSMISSION ENGAGING I WOULD GUESS) AND I PRESSED THE BRAKE WITH INCREASED FORCE TO KEEP FROM ROLLING FORWARD. THEN THE ENGINE RPM'S RETURNED TO A NORMAL IDLE JUST AS SUDDENLY. THIS OCCURRED WITH A WARM ENGINE AFTER SEVERAL MILES OF NORMAL DRIVING. WHILE THE SAME EXACT THING HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE...

EMERGENCY FLASHERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES. UNABLE TO DISENGAGE SWITCH AND TURN SIGNALS WILL NOT WORK. *TR

HAVE A 2004, TOYOTA TACOMA, V6, 4X4. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND EVERY NOW AND THEN IT IS LIKE I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS BUT I DIDN'T! IF I STEP ON IT, IT IS FINE. *JB THE PROBLEM: IS THROTTLE BY WIRE THROTTLE BODIES ON 03 AND 04 TACOMAS. THE ACCELERATOR PETAL POSITION SENSOR ASSEMBLY HAS A SHAFT ONTO WHICH THE LEVER FOR THE ACCELERATOR CABLE IS MOUNTED WITH SOME RETURN SPRINGS. THIS SHAFT ALSO TURNS THE POTENTIOMETER. THIS LEVER (A PLASTIC PIECE) LIMITS THE TRAVEL OF THE ASSEMBLY, SO THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST RESISTANCES OF THE POTENTIOMETER ARE NOT ENCOUNTERED IN THE POTENTIOMETER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE POTENTIOMETER CAN ALSO TURN IN THE ASSEMBLY, LOOSING ITS REFERENCE TO THE ARM AND LEVER. THEN THE RANGE OF RESISTANCE THAT IS POSSIBLE CAN BE CHANGED. IF IT TURNS TOO FAR ONE WAY, THE HIGHER RESISTANCE WILL...

ALARM AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB PRERUNNER SR5 PICKUP. ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AT 5:30 AM SEP 18-05 AND COULD NOT DISENGAGE IT. LOUD ELECTRICAL CLICKING NOISES EMITTED FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AROUND THE ASHTRAY THAT COULD BE HEARD FROM OVER 100 FEET AWAY, EVEN THROUGH WALLS INSIDE A HOUSE (CLICKING/POPPING NOISE) LIGHTS FLICKERING INSIDE TRUCK. LEFT TRUCK WITH TOYOTA IN SAVANNAH ALL DAY MONDAY. (THEY HAD TOLD ME WHEN I DROPPED IT OFF THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR SHORTS OR FAULTS.) WHEN I PICKED IT UP I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK, AND NOTHING HAPPENED ALL DAY WHILE IT WAS THERE. WHEN I WENT TO GET INTO THE TRUCK, AND PUSHED THE BUTTON TO DISENGAGE THE ALARM AND UNLOCK THE TRUCK, THE HORN BEEPED 4 TIMES (INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 2 TIMES) SO I...

THROTTLE BODY RELATED AND RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM. WHERE THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR MAL-FUNCTIONS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. TOYOTA DOES NOT SELL THE SENSOR BUT DOES SELL THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY AT A COST OF OVER $700. WARRANTED VEHICLES WITH CALIF. EMISSIONS, GOES FOR 5 YEARS OR 60K MILES. BUT FED EMISSION VEHICLES ONLY HAVE A 3 YEAR 36K MILE WARRANTY ALTHOUGH IT IS THE SAME EXACT PART NUMBER IN QUESTION.*JB

WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, PASSENGERS ARE SHOCKED WHEN THEY TOUCH THE DOOR TO CLOSE IT. THE SHOCK IS MORE THAN WHAT WOULD BE FELT WHEN TOUCH THE CONTACTS ON AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET. OFTEN LEAVING A SHOCKED FEELING IN THE FINGERS FOR AOME TIME AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE.