Hello once again guys, as much as I'd like to put my thread to rest, my 4runner persists on giving me this gauge issue. Hope everyone is healthy

So some updates

1. I have the pin on the plug that goes into the cluster that resets the issue on a switch now so its not a HUGE pita to fix the issue when it happens, engine does have to be shut off though

2. I have replaced the alternator with an OEM reman one, no change to the issue

3. I believe we can rule out the relatively recently replaced ABS tone ring on the right rear because I can confirm the issue has happened while vehicle is not moving.

4. It DEFINITELY seems to happen under hard acceleration/downshifts to pass other vehicles (I drive like an old man, but it still definitely happens much more commonly under these conditions than not)

5. I tried EMI suppressor filters on the cluster plugs - no change

6. I get radio static under hard acceleration too - could this be related??

7. I just did valve cover gaskets thanks to this awesome forum and now have a leak-less 4runner!!!

Thank you everyone for all the help this far and going forward - lets solve this! Truck has had this issue for about 12k miles now.

I am leaning towards trying the big three mod to see if that has any effect?

And just so we all know what the truck that we are all so confused about looks like - towing sleds in VT (truck is rust-free!)

Attached Images

   

Did you ever get a chance to work through the FSM combination meter testing?

Reazile the clusters been swapped with no results but conventional theory would point to something in the dome circuit.

Other than that my best guess is something screwy on the communication bus.

#6 is weird

Not sure Big 3 is going to help right now.

Glad #1 works.


Cheers!

P. S. Interesting to note there have been a couple other posts of this happening. Super uncommon but still there.

Oh crap! OP you have the same problem that I do.

The only thing that has "fixed it" for me was removing my OBDII Bluetooth thing form the socket. I still feel like there's something going on, electrically speaking. My door locks only respond to the fob and very rarely to the buttons inside.

Would really love to solve this before it breaks shit. I've noticed that my cargo light, (some light in the very back) super gently flickers at night. And my cab dome light (the one that lights up when you open a door) just "burned out".
The little green lighted ring around the key cylinder only works sparingly

Edit. As of this morning, dome light is working again.

Hey man!

I will be working through the FSM combination meter testing today if the rain clears up, yea the radio static is interesting to me too - I have swapped 3 different radios in case the head unit was the issue - same thing happens
could that be EMI from spark plugs/wires/coil packs? I changed plugs and wires already.

If it was engine speed/load related, that would explain #4 and #6, but what could be the cause?

Also, I believe the dome fuse goes dormant when the engine is running because cutting it while engine is running has no effect on the cluster's operation, hence why I have the shut the engine off for my switch to reset it

And there are??? I couldn't find anyone with similar circumstances but would love to read what they have tried so I am not wasting more time!

Woah! someone else has this problem!!! I am no longer alone!!!

I don't think it is going to break things as I have been dealing with it for 15k miles.

MY CARGO LIGHT FLICKERS TOO - could this be related??

I have a scangauge II in my OBD socket - that has had no effect on the issue for me, I used to have a bluetooth one for torque app in there and that did not effect the issue either

But have you tried taking the OBD2 adapter out leaving out for a while? I have not had the problem since I removed mine, mind you I don't think it's the source of the problem but I think that whatever the real problem is has an interaction with it.

It's got to be something electrical, I just don't understand how it could cause things to mess up like this but not trigger any codes or make the truck run poorly.

By chance do you have led dome lights?

Also, if you're using something like torque pro, did you have the issue of all the values jumping up and down occasionally? like say you're reading the transmission temperature at 150, and then all the sudden it jumps to negative 450 for a second and then jumps back.

I have an LED rear cargo light, and yes my torque did that very thing. My scangauge does not. I really think OBD is unrelated though as I have been dealing with the issue for so long and it still happens with nothing plugged into OBD port

I have no idea why it could be related, but did the issue start before or after you put in the LED?

Mine was after, but it was a pretty good amount of time after.

Also, how fast does your starter crank? When I first switched over to my mega agm battery my starting went from da--da--da--da--da to dadadada. I mean it greatly improves the start times. but eventually it went back to the way it was before, so it makes me wonder if there's something going on with that as well.

I think we both have some kind of electrical issue. I believe you mentioned that it only happens during hard acceleration, I'm pretty sure that's the same for me. Although again, it has not happened in a while.

Do your door locks work if you use the buttons on the doors?

It started happening long before I added the LEDs

My door locks function fine from both fob and buttons on doors

Starter cranks strong and fast - I have a new battery, fuel filter, and alternator

Hmmm... Trying to find a common relation. I think you said you had your charging system checked right? I'll add that to my list to of things to do.

By chance, do you have fog lights, oem or otherwise? Mine has some strange ones that someone hack****ed together.

And you changed your body ecu? I was looking at that as well, I wish we had a way to test it.

I do have LED fogs that I added, but that was a while after the issue started happening. Yes, I changed body ECU with known working one and no change to issue at all.

Will be doing combination meter tests tomorrow - however I am almost certain it is engine related because of how it happens almost solely under hard acceleration/load. Maybe CPS or some other sensor???

Yes, like when you're going up hill and had to give her more gas? I'm glad it's not doing it right now... Ah...

What about the engine ecu? I'm wondering if we have a capacitor going bad or something like that, it really seems like it has something to do with instability.

I replaced - gauge cluster, engine ecu, body ecu, abs ecu, and abs center sensor -- all to no avail

Yes, definetely more often up hill/step on it a little

I think it is something on the input side of the cluster like the tach data from the engine

Wow. The battle continues.

What about the electrical power going to the cluster? I still feel as if it is something with general electrics since it effects other things like lights.

Man I hope we can figure this out

So do I. I think general electrical issues cause more typical and predictable symptoms. Our situation is so weird and complicated that I think the issue will be equally weird and complicated.

Any other insights?