Car Sometimes Wont Start After Driving Through Heavy Mud

[justinfetalvero]

Hey everyone, I started to have an issue with my 4Runner where it sometimes won't start. Let me explain and hopefully someone can help diagnose this.

Yesterday I went off roading and found a big mud puddle. I drove through the mud multiple times. I had the center locker on in 4HI. I have a V8. On the 3rd time I was going through, the car started making a beeping sound and the A/C light was flashing. I stopped and opened the hood and there was mud everywhere.

Drove home, rinsed off the car, and everything was fine for the rest of the night.

The next day, it started up fine. After work, I went to start it up and it would not start. All the lights were on, and all electrical worked so I knew it wasn't the battery. After trying to start it up multiple times, it finally started.

Ever since then, it takes multiple attempts before the car will start up. When it does start up, I get a P304 CEL and the VSCOFF and VSCTRAC lights are on.

Does anyone know where I should start in fixing or diagnosing this?

Thanks so much!

 

[Ralph Blake]

For sure you got water into some part of the system, now the problem is just where is it and what it will take to get it fixed, i had a car get flooded got it started and home then it would not again start, needed a $700 part the rest was labor drying everything out came to $1500 dollars.
Hope your problem is just getting something dry again.

 

[Morphyne]

I would disassemble the intake box, make sure it is clean and dry and while i am in there clean the MAF and the throttle body.

 

[Ralph Blake]

From reading this forum and talking to people doing repair, these 4Runners are great trucks that said, but they have their limit's and many discover that they really need special treatments for their 4Runners if your going to go into water.

 

[RAD4Runner]

... it would not start...

First, please define "no start"
starter would not turn? (no "crank")
Starter would turn but you do not hear, smell, or see the "VROOM"?

Water and mud must have gotten into one of the many electrical/electronic parts and connections. Those you would have to find.

If no crank, check and/or clean the starter solenoid and connection. Mud could cause plunger to get stuck, preventing contacts from closing, OR get in the connector preventing control voltage from getting to the coil. It happened to friend's Wrangler. Tapping the solenoid got it started.

It is not advisable to mud a modern vehicle with too much computers/electronics. For example, brake sensors would act up if covered with mud.

For real mudding, older, simpler vehicles with diesel engines are best because they do not require electricity to keep on running. They abound in the third-world where trucks are really used for that purpose and smog requirements are less stringent, do not exist, or you can bribe people to pass your vehicle - LOL!

Perfect examples:
https://youtu.be/_Dc9QV2e5kc

and since you're on this forum, you should have seen this already

 

[justinfetalvero]

Thanks for the suggestions and help. I also forgot to add that when the car does start up I get a P304 Cam Sensor error (I think thats what it was) and the VSCOFF and VSCTRAC lights are both on.

Any suggestions?

Starter or some other issue?

I did check the air box and there was some mud on the under side of the filter but the top side was totally clean.

 

[lightfreak]

PDF attached showing all the sensor locations for the V6 and V8.
Your V8 would be the 2UZ-FE

Check the connection to the cam sensor and while you're at it the crankshaft sensor since it's nearby.

 

[justinfetalvero]

PDF attached showing all the sensor locations for the V6 and V8.
Your V8 would be the 2UZ-FE

Check the connection to the cam sensor and while you're at it the crankshaft sensor since it's nearby.

Thanks so much! I will do that now. Aloha!

 

[justinfetalvero]

Ok, so I checked both connections and they physically looked fine. I did disconnect both connectors and blow them out with canned air. Yesterday, my 4Runner started up fine every time and no check engine light. So I am not sure what fixed the issue, but it seems to be working now.

I also was using a scan tool to diagnose the CEL and ran some diagnostics that ended up turning off my VSC and VSC TRAC. Which I was stoked since those systems just get in the way when off roading. So that's one good thing!

Thanks for all your help everyone!

 

[GLP]

Hey everyone, I started to have an issue with my 4Runner where it sometimes won't start. Let me explain and hopefully someone can help diagnose this.

Yesterday I went off roading and found a big mud puddle. I drove through the mud multiple times. I had the center locker on in 4HI. I have a V8. On the 3rd time I was going through, the car started making a beeping sound and the A/C light was flashing. I stopped and opened the hood and there was mud everywhere.

Drove home, rinsed off the car, and everything was fine for the rest of the night.

The next day, it started up fine. After work, I went to start it up and it would not start. All the lights were on, and all electrical worked so I knew it wasn't the battery. After trying to start it up multiple times, it finally started.

Ever since then, it takes multiple attempts before the car will start up. When it does start up, I get a P304 CEL and the VSCOFF and VSCTRAC lights are on.

Does anyone know where I should start in fixing or diagnosing this?

I had this exact same issue after getting mine stuck in water. Were you getting a clicking noise when you would attempt to start it? That's what mine is still doing but no more CEL, so I'm hoping my no-start problem goes away on it's own. I've checked everything and the only thing left for me to do is to go after the starter which is a PITA on the V8.