Another Check Engine Light thread - but this one is different, I hope!

[Cammer]

Not long ago I purchased a fantastic 2006 V8 4wd Sport. Absolutely beautiful truck! And I got a great deal on it because it had a very expensive smog pump and knock sensor issue that was making it run like crap. And that leads me to this issue:

The guy I bought it from didn't drive it. He purchased it with the intention of exporting it. He found out that his country would not allow it to be imported so he put it back on the market. Prior to his purchase he noticed that the check engine light (CEL) was on, undoubtedly because of the aforementioned smog pump issue. He purchased the truck from the "shady corner dealer" with the agreement that the CEL would be fixed. Which they apparently did. They did not fix the issue, but instead disabled the CEL.

All this backstory leads to a single question: How would a shady corner dealer disable the CEL? What's the easiest way the dealer would do it? Because once I know that I can reverse the damage done.

Currently the truck is running perfect. There are no codes in the ECU and everything is working 100 percent. But the CEL will not light up, ever. It is skipped on the diagnostic check when I start the motor.

So if you were an unethical person, how would you disable the check engine light? Perhaps I should reword the question to ask if the CEL was not working then what could be checked/fixed to make it work again?

 

[Bossman]

Here is a thread that might help:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/158650-disabling-check-engine-light.html

 

[Cammer]

Here is a thread that might help:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/158650-disabling-check-engine-light.html

Thanks Bossman. I've spent the last hour searching and perusing multiple check engine light threads, including that one, with no luck. It seems that this is not something that the guys on this forum have knowledge of, which speaks highly of the members here, but it doesn't help my issue.

 

[TowMeOut]

Are you saying the CEL doesn't light up on startup along with all the other dashboard indicators? Any chance they just cracked open the cluster and broke/removed the bulb for the CEL?

 

[Cammer]

Are you saying the CEL doesn't light up on startup along with all the other dashboard indicators? Any chance they just cracked open the cluster and broke/removed the bulb for the CEL?

That's correct. The CEL does not light up on startup. And the bulb theory would be possible except that the CEL, to my knowledge, is an LED soldered to a circuit board. To disconnect it would require someone to disassemble the instrument cluster and desolder the LED. Which, of course, is also possible, but that's a pretty involved operation. I would think there's a simpler explanation. I'm hoping so anyway.

 

[Cammer]

I think I'm just going to have to take the dash apart and see what they did.

 

[Trumpet]

I think I'm just going to have to take the dash apart and see what they did.

20 minute job. I'd bet they twisted the led off, no desoldering involved. Hopefully you'll be able to solder the new one in.

 

[Cammer]

20 minute job. I'd bet they twisted the led off, no desoldering involved. Hopefully you'll be able to solder the new one in.

Okay cool. That's reassuring. If it's too damaged maybe I can pick up a new/used circuit board online.

Something else... the door open indicator light flickers when any of the doors are open. It's not a steady light like the others. Perhaps the clumsy fool who broke the check engine LED also messed up the door open indicator. They are right next to each other after all.

 

[Trumpet]

Okay cool. That's reassuring. If it's too damaged maybe I can pick up a new/used circuit board online.

Something else... the door open indicator light flickers when any of the doors are open. It's not a steady light like the others. Perhaps the clumsy fool who broke the check engine LED also messed up the door open indicator. They are right next to each other after all.

Hmm, a trend? Post up a pic of the pcb when you get there.

 

[Cammer]

Hmm, a trend? Post up a pic of the pcb when you get there.

Today I pulled apart the dash. It's not good. The idiots who had this truck did a lot of damage to the PCB. There are at least 14 components broken off. Here are a couple pics.

 

[Trumpet]

[MENTION=163652]Cammer[/MENTION]

I'd give the dealer a chance to make it right. Then a chat with whatever state department regulates dealers and repairs. Very not ok. Pretty sure they'd be on the hook.

Also while that is totally repairable, I'd try to get them to replace it first.

 

[Cammer]

[MENTION=163652]Cammer[/MENTION]

I'd give the dealer a chance to make it right. Then a chat with whatever state department regulates dealers and repairs. Very not ok. Pretty sure they'd be on the hook.

Also while that is totally repairable, I'd try to get them to replace it first.

Unfortunately I didn't purchase the truck from a dealer. I bought it from a private individual. The story about the dealer is from the individual I bought the truck from, and I am only going on his word about what happened.

 

[Seymore Butts]

Somebody went through a lot of trouble just to disable one light. I'd check the mileage too. Compare the odometer to Carfax and Toyota's owner's portal.

 

[Cammer]

Somebody went through a lot of trouble just to disable one light. I'd check the mileage too. Compare the odometer to Carfax and Toyota's owner's portal.

It actually only takes a very few minutes to pull the instrument cluster in my truck. There are seven 10mm bolts, a few wiring plugs, and the rest just pops apart.

I verified the mileage, etc. via Carfax and previous records before I purchased the truck.

This is actually a very easy thing to fix and it's going to cost about 250 bucks. It's really not that big of a deal, just annoying that someone would be this dishonest.

 

[Legender]

Had a similar situation on a Miatia I purchased out of Louisiana..
Seems the previous owner had pulled the bulb out of the CEL and it was OK for that state. Not ok, for Texas. Put the bulb back in, changed out a sensor and it was good to go. Hope it turns out to be an easy fix. Good Luck.