Clicking Relay and Dead Battery

[woomammoths]

Hi,
I was parked at the airport for 3 days. When I got back to my 1999 4R I clicked the keychain to open the doors.....nothing. I unlocked with the key, tried to start the car, nothing. Got out and heard a clicking relay. Opened the relay/fuse box to find that the HEAD relay was clicking. I disconnected it and the relay stopped clicking, imagine that. Plugged it back it in and it started clicking again. I tried to put the car into neutral to allow someone easier access for a jump start. The car would not go out of park. I found a guy will long jumper cables who ended up giving me a jump start....although it took a while since my battery was obviously very low. I drove home and have not have a problem since.

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this or know what would have caused this?

 

[kball]

3 days isn't very long. You have a pretty good drain somewhere. Have you installed anything new recently?

 

[Maxil]

3 days isn't very long. You have a pretty good drain somewhere. Have you installed anything new recently?

Agreed, you got something that is sucking some juice pretty bad.

You might want to keep an eye out for a new battery, they are not meant to be fully drained and it probably won't last too much longer. Hopefully you can find the cause of the drain before it bites the dust.

 

[ski_co]

Same thing happened to me, battery dead. I took it to the dealer, checked out fine. Since the one time no issues. Possibly a relay stuck and is now working correctly?

 

[BrianSD_42]

3 days isn't very long. You have a pretty good drain somewhere. Have you installed anything new recently?

I have dealt with battery issues off and on for several years on the 4Runner. You might not have a drain at all, it might be that your battery is not strong enough to hold a charge without slowly degrading over time. Maybe during normal use you get by just fine but after 3+ days it just isn't able to turn over the engine properly.

If you really think you have a drain you need to eliminate the battery as the problem and that is not easy to do. Assuming you had possession of a new, guaranteed working battery, do this to determine if you have a drain:
-- check the battery voltage every 12 hours over a period of 3 days, do not charge it or run the car during that time.

If the voltage is slowly dropping over 3 days then you definitely have a serious drain. IMO, you probably just have a bad, or semi-operational battery, this is quite common.

Perhaps your alternator is just barely up to par and slowly your battery has been going bad, there are so many possibilities.

:lookout: good luck.

:bat:

 

[Stick Figure]

Google

read a couple of those posts or read the directions on your multi meter, its not that hard to measure if you have a constant drain on your battery from something. Just don't forget you will have at least some constant draw from things like the clock, stereo memory, and ecu constant. You can pull the fuse from those circuits to completely eliminate them though.

 

[alleghenyman]

I had the exact same thing happen and I think it was a fault with the alarm. I had it parked outside overnight and I don't actually think my alarm went off.

 

[RMS3RD]

Similar issue - not seeing a resolution regarding "alarm"

2002 4R 260k: Car has sat a few days and when we went out to use it it acted like the battery was dead. Did not notice any clicking until I tried to start it but when I turned the key I got nothing. It was then that I noticed the clicking. I checked to see if there was anything left on but not that I could tell. The dome light was blinking in time with the clicking. I traced the clicking to the Head Relay (90987-02006, 056700-6912 12v 11C15 NOTE: the "11C15" turned out to be the important cross reference at the parts store). Pulled the negative off the battery and all went quiet as expected. Replaced that relay and the clicking started up immediately and then the horn sounded (and lights flashed) like the alarm was triggered. Pulled the terminal connection again and all quiet. Seems I now have two working relays. I have seen reference here, and elsewhere, regarding the "alarm" but no discussion? I also do not see resolution in this thread? It is possible that I am not using the forum correctly.
NOTE: previously a couple of weeks back I had left the truck sitting a few days and when started it ran unsteady at starting idle...like it was challenged to keep the RPMs going - I could keep it running by feathering the throttle but if left alone I am sure that it would have stalled out. The gist that I get from this thread so far is that I could have a bad alternator and probably have a bad battery already.
NOTE Additionally: Recently my rear hatch "open" sensor has been flickering that the hatch is not secure even though it is...haven't pulled the trim panel off to investigate (I have "reasonably" isolated it to the sensor or its connection) but that indicator bulb draws so little amps that I did not think it to be much to worry about -although this predates the previous start-up faltering but not by much).

My next steps: tomorrow a new battery since this one is twice as old as the last one I replaced; 4 or 5yrs first and 8 or 9yrs second so probably due - for what it is worth the replacement was the Wallmart store brand. I will then see how that fairs. After that, if the truck starts up, I will have the alternator looked at...and will get after that rear hatch sensor.

Anyone that can weigh in on this their thoughts would be highly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!, RMS3RD

 

[jeremyc74]

My next steps: tomorrow a new battery since this one is twice as old as the last one I replaced; 4 or 5yrs first and 8 or 9yrs second so probably due - for what it is worth the replacement was the Wallmart store brand. I will then see how that fairs. After that, if the truck starts up, I will have the alternator looked at...and will get after that rear hatch sensor.

Anyone that can weigh in on this their thoughts would be highly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!, RMS3RD

You very likely just have a bad battery. 8-9 years is a long time for a cheap battery to last.


Just for future reference, when a relay is clicking that means it's switching back and forth between normally open and closed contacts, and the coil is being triggered by something upstream. It's perfectly normal, you just don't usually hear it because of all the other noise when the truck starts.

 

[IBallEngineer]

You very likely just have a bad battery. 8-9 years is a long time for a cheap battery to last.


Just for future reference, when a relay is clicking that means it's switching back and forth between normally open and closed contacts, and the coil is being triggered by something upstream. It's perfectly normal, you just don't usually hear it because of all the other noise when the truck starts.

I'm just floored by the number of people who want to blame, relays and current draws without even testing the battery. As a young man I was the service writer for an auto electric shop. We rebuilt our own alternators and Starters, but the number of people misdiagnosing their problems was huge, so our 3 man service dept would troubleshoot these cars. And bad batteries, even 2-3 month old ones, were most often the problem. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

:ybrick:

 

[RMS3RD]

Resolution: After replacement, and silencing the alarm, the truck started right up and the snapping relay is quiet.

Correction: The Walmart Maxx 24FN was a January 2010 thus not as old as suspected and a little younger than the original but then the last 3 winters here have been brutal, thus I call it a tie for a truck that lives outside.

Question: The truck is idling at approx 400RPM now and as such is barely idling. Previously it idled at 600RPM. Is this related to the changing out of the battery but I do not remember this being an issue 5+ years ago? If this should be a different thread - I will address elsewhere.

NOTE: In 2010 when I purchased the previous battery it had been rated highly in real world testing against similar by CR and for $90 it served adequately and the replacement was $118 for reference.

 

[IBallEngineer]

Resolution: After replacement, and silencing the alarm, the truck started right up and the snapping relay is quiet.

Correction: The Walmart Maxx 24FN was a January 2010 thus not as old as suspected and a little younger than the original but then the last 3 winters here have been brutal, thus I call it a tie for a truck that lives outside.

Question: The truck is idling at approx 400RPM now and as such is barely idling. Previously it idled at 600RPM. Is this related to the changing out of the battery but I do not remember this being an issue 5+ years ago? If this should be a different thread - I will address elsewhere.

NOTE: In 2010 when I purchased the previous battery it had been rated highly in real world testing against similar by CR and for $90 it served adequately and the replacement was $118 for reference.

Huh? Just kidding, don't be so serious!

Yes the low idle can be related to the battery being disconnected. I don't know if there is a learn procedure for our trucks and I'm too lazy to find out at the moment. On my L/C, with a GM motor, it will "learn" by itself after running and driving. Good question though.

:thumb3:

 

[RMS3RD]

Thanks, I will give it a few days to see if it will "learn".

 

[BrianSD_42]

Ive had a lot of bad batteries on the 4Runner, 3 in fact, and the idle has never been a symptom. Ive probably also disconnected the battery dozens of times.

Of course I have a 97. Perhaps yours is different.

I'm thinking its the IAC.

 

[RMS3RD]

Clarification: The "idle" was not considered a symptom but that I was questioning whether having the battery disconnected that long could affect the idle setting? Likewise the battery has been disconnected in the past but I do not remember the idle being affected. This is new since this episode...the idle was not an issue prior. Not sure what "IAC" is and will look that up.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Idle air controller

It is a small green part attached the the Throttle Body. Symptoms include random intermittent low idle and dying but the engine comes to life if you give it gas manually. Another trait of IAC (at least for me) was the fact it rarely ever triggeres a CEL.

Did I mention to look up "the big three" mod.

 

[TheDurk]

I would just comment that [MENTION=24980]RMS3RD[/MENTION] has a 2002 model and therefore the throttle-by-wire system, that is very different from the traditional setup on 2000 and earlier trucks. The IAC, for one thing, is not replaceable; you have to score a whole throttle body at a junkyard or pay over a grand for new one.

I wish I knew more about your system to give you good advice but I don't. I just know it's quite different from mine.

 

[jeremyc74]

Given the fact that this happened right after a dead battery and replacement, I'd hold off on doing anything drastic until you've driven it around a little. It's possible that the adaptations in the ECU have been reset and it needs to do some learning. What you're describing seems to be too drastic for that but I wouldn't rule it out completely.

In the mean time I'd go back and have a look at all the connections on and around the battery. It's possible something isn't tight, and low voltages will do funny things to the ECU.

 

[RMS3RD]

UPDATE: Although I will continue to monitor I went out this morning and started the truck and it idled sweetly at 750RPM which is probably correct (my statement of 600RPM sounds a little low in the light of day and with a good night's sleep).
Thank you everyone for the assistance!

 

[TheDurk]

UPDATE: Although I will continue to monitor I went out this morning and started the truck and it idled sweetly at 750RPM which is probably correct (my statement of 600RPM sounds a little low in the light of day and with a good night's sleep).
Thank you everyone for the assistance!

FSM idle speed spec is 700 ± 50 rpm. You're good.