4Runner Went Bat$#!t Crazy - Need Advice

Ridin4Runner

Ridin4Runner

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I was comfortably asleep until I was awakened at 1AM by my trucks horn (alarm) going off. I went into the garage and could not get it to turn off or unlock (electronically).

I then opened the door with the key and tried to start it, made a similar noise as to if it was already running. Would not start. The horn stopped but every single light was going crazy, I mean every light.

I went and grabbed my phone and videoed it, the horn starts back up again at the towards the end. I then popped the hood and disconnected the battery.

Do I just need to replace my 2 year (!) old battery or take to the dealer? Temp last night was around 45 degrees. Thanks!

Here is the vid:
https://vimeo.com/200000978
 
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Looks like you have a dead battery to me and something is trying to draw power that isn't there- like the alarm or something...Get a new battery.
 
Antman said:
Looks like you have a dead battery to me and something is trying to draw power that isn't there- like the alarm or something...Get a new battery.
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At least she was properly dirty for her first video cameo appearance. LOL. I will try that as it was my first inclination.
Glad I thought to video prior to disconnecting, hard to properly describe w/o video.
 
Ridin4Runner said:
At least she was properly dirty for her first video cameo appearance. LOL. I will try that as it was my first inclination.
Glad I thought to video prior to disconnecting, hard to properly describe w/o video.
Click to expand...

Haha. My thought was actually "Maybe she's mad she wasn't given a bath before bed time"

I second the battery issue unless you've recently done any work on it whatsoever. Doesn't have to be electrical maybe something got nicked on accident.
 
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Heavy_GD said:
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Funny. Had that on my LE.

Currently getting battery charged and tested. Then will try again. I did think possible loose connection, so rebooked up and horn went off with authority. AutoZone guy made a good point that if the car thinks it's locked and my hood up I should have cycled my key since truck could think being broken into. More to come....
 
wfo9 said:
All these type of posts usually are a result of the same problem.

Rodents.

It's a super common problem and very expensive to repair.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/229913-incredible-edible-car.html

But I would check the battery voltage first....It could be that simple but doubt it.
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Interesting. The funny thing is I keep moth balls under my "toy car" as she sleeps through winter. Never thought of the truck as I constantly drive it. But of course that would make good sense as the potential problem. Should know if battery shortly.
 
Rodents are strange adaptable little ****ers. My parents suburban about 10 years ago was running really poorly and they couldn't figure it out. The dealership noticed a hole in the air filter and started looking inside and the intake was full of dog food and newspaper packed in there by mice.
 
When I was in college I worked at a VW dealership. I remember a woman with a Passat coming in because of a stench in the AC. Not only did it die buried deep in the evap system but it also took out some wiring in the process. That poor woman was in tears at the projected cost of dash removal and evap electrical work.
 
If you end up trying to track down shorts, The Evap cannister does a daily leak detection test about 5 hrs after the vehicle is turned off. if there was a short here, that could account for why it occured at 1am.
 
Ridin4Runner said:
Currently getting battery charged and tested. Then will try again. I did think possible loose connection, so rebooked up and horn went off with authority.

AutoZone guy made a good point that if the car thinks it's locked and my hood up I should have cycled my key since truck could think being broken into. More to come....
Click to expand...

UPDATE: Last night I had noticed (but it was one of those quick passing thoughts) that the nut loosened up easily on the negative terminal. Turns out the AutoZone guy was correct, had them fully charge battery at no charge. I tightened the hell out of the + & - as the horn blared in my ears. Though, I did remember to put on my ear protection ;-) and sure enough the truck started and the horn stopped!

This time when I hooked up there was no disco party with my lights. All very strange. AutoZone guy said he had a loose connection once and his wipers and lights would randomly go off while car was off.

Glad it was not rodents (which I was leaning towards) and REALLY glad I did not listen to the steelership and tow it there.
 
Ridin4Runner said:
I was comfortably asleep until I was awakened at 1AM by my trucks horn (alarm) going off. I went into the garage and could not get it to turn off or unlock (electronically).

I then opened the door with the key and tried to start it, made a similar noise as to if it was already running. Would not start. The horn stopped but every single light was going crazy, I mean every light.

I went and grabbed my phone and videoed it, the horn starts back up again at the towards the end. I then popped the hood and disconnected the battery.

Do I just need to replace my 2 year (!) old battery or take to the dealer? Temp last night was around 45 degrees. Thanks!

Here is the vid:
https://vimeo.com/200000978
Click to expand...

This happened once to my 2002 T4R. The horn was weak sound, then went to clicking. Replaced battery it went away. Long term there was an intermitent shorting out problem starting in the light and DRL relay. took another year for the lights to fail, and have replaced the two relays.

Rodents are a constant pain in the ass in Maine. On some long winter trips the aroma of roasted acorns wafts into the cabin as the chipmunk nest is turned to ash on the exhaust mainfold.
 
Just a heads up for guys that might want some rodent help. They sell a product called Fresh Cab Rodent Repellant at Orscheln Farm and Home. A friend of mine uses it in Combines that are notorious for having serious electrical problems due to mice. He suggested it to me after having to conduct a time consuming wiring repair on my Jeep. It dosent smell to bad but seems to work very well. Just stuff a couple in the cab and a couple somewhere in the engine compartment. I change them out every six months or so. If you've ever fallen victim to it you understand it is worth the trouble.
 
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I use a peppermint oil in a caster oil base and spray that all around my shop and in the engine compartment a bit. Works very well. I don't get crickets, mice, ants, nothing....
 
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