Installed a new battery and immediately had some electrical issues (Brakes, VSC, ABS)

[arisyn]

Hi all,

I installed a new battery last week and right away started experiencing strange electrical issues.

List of issues:

-Auto up/down on drivers side power window doesn't work.
-VSC, traction, ABS lights are constantly on
-right and left brake lights are out (the top/middle one works)

I've pulled out all of the Type A fuses and none of them look blown. I did find a blown fuse in the engine compartment (a larger fuse) and replaced it, but it didn't fix anything (I think it controlled the trailer brakes or something unrelated).

I've searched other threads and saw that it could possibly be the brake light switch (http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/237836-vsc-abs-lights-no-cel-2.html). However, I'm sort of doubting that solution since the middle brake light works just fine.

Any ideas?

 

[Montego Murph]

Not trying to be "that guy" but this is a common thing.. Might even be in a sticky somewhere.

When you replace the battery, there are a bunch of things that need to be "re-trained." Anything involving the rear hatch (window, wiper, and defogger) won't work until you run the window all the way up and all the way down), the sunroof will need to be re-trained, and same with the windows and a few other things.

As for the VSC/Traction/ABS lights, you likely have to do a Zero Point Calibration. You can either do that with paperclips, bring it to the dealer, or (do what I did) and buy an OBD2 Pigtail and make a little box with a button. The procedure is on here somewhere.

The brake light bulbs confuse me though -- I misread your post at first that it was the upper brake light and thought maybe that was part of the initialization process too. I'm assuming you checked the bulbs?

 

[arisyn]

Not trying to be "that guy" but this is a common thing.. Might even be in a sticky somewhere.

When you replace the battery, there are a bunch of things that need to be "re-trained." Anything involving the rear hatch (window, wiper, and defogger) won't work until you run the window all the way up and all the way down), the sunroof will need to be re-trained, and same with the windows and a few other things.

As for the VSC/Traction/ABS lights, you likely have to do a Zero Point Calibration. You can either do that with paperclips, bring it to the dealer, or (do what I did) and buy an OBD2 Pigtail and make a little box with a button. The procedure is on here somewhere.

The brake light bulbs confuse me though -- I misread your post at first that it was the upper brake light and thought maybe that was part of the initialization process too. I'm assuming you checked the bulbs?

No, please....be "that guy". I'm very new when it comes to DIY on cars so I need all the help I can get (even with pointing out the obvious).

Is it normal for both brake lights to go out simultaneously?

It wouldn't be the switch, right? Since the middle one works?

 

[Montego Murph]

I'm going to agree with you that it's most likely not the switch because like you said, if one works, they all should be working.

As for bulbs blowing out in pairs... well, I mean it's not normal in the sense that Toyota engineers designed them to burn out simultaneously. They generally don't go out at the same exact minute, but it seems like whenever I replace one bulb, I end up replacing the other one sometime that month. I've now gotten into the habit of just replacing both left and right, then throw the good one in a drawer for when friends come by and I see they have a bulb out. I'm going to guess that they've both been burned out for quite some time, but you're just noticing now.

We were all new once too. Don't be afraid to ask questions here, but try to do a quick search first and you'll be amazed at what comes up. The tricky part is knowing what to search for -- that's what always trips me up.

Since you're new at wrenching, I'm going to guess you don't have a whole bunch of tools. Grab a cheap multimeter, you'll need that for lots of things later on down the line. When you pull your bulbs, set it to Ohms/Resistance and make sure you have a circuit. Smear a little dielectric grease on the bulb base before installing, you'll thank me next time you have to replace it.

 

[arisyn]

Thanks for your help on this.

I did a few things to fix the problem:

-Replaced the ETCS fuse (found from reading other forum posts).
-Reset the battery for 10 minutes
-Replaced the tail lights
-Did the "re-training" like you said

So far so good. The engine lights are off (without having to do a zero point calibration), brake lights work, and rear window wipers work. Fingers crossed that it stays this way.

Thank you for the recommendations on tools and devices to grab - I will definitely look into that.

 

[Seymore Butts]

I can't find anything about the ETCS fuse. Where did you read about it?

 

[Ralph Blake]

Read in your manual it explains how to get windows, reset after battery is disconnected and connected again.
Also read this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-a-Car's-Automatic-Window-After-Replacing-the-Battery

 

[TheUltimateBohab]

I'm having the same issue as the OP I disconnected my battery yesterday to do a rust prevention didn't want anything sparking when I reconnected my battery my brake light, ABS light, and my traction control are on and my vehicle stability control is flashing.... all of that stuff worked fine before I disconnected the battery and as far as running and driving I still don't have an issue.... Brake lights work fine....

I know this is an old post but why make a new thread when someone had same issue...

 

[TheUltimateBohab]

Has anybody seen this? I'm in a panic I figure if I don't get some kind of response by the end of the day I'll just start another thread

It crossed my mind to get myself a scanner and reset the codes considering it's running fine and stopping fine I'm assuming something just got whacked out because I had all the tires off and up in the air when I connected everything back up I don't know but I'm panicking it's my Runner!!

I keep thinking what if I burned out some kind of sensor with it rust encapsulator how would I ever find it!