My Mechanic is Baffled

[scrbear11]

I have a 2004 SR5 with 150k miles on it. It's been the best car I have ever owned until recently....

I had to drive it through some high water (up to the running boards) about six weeks ago. The day after (coincidence?) my car started making a loud winding noise when it started. This turned out to be the lower belt bearing and the pulley.

I did drive it for a while with the lower belt bearing issue, and right before I took it to my mechanic the car started to shake when I started it. It would shake for about 15 seconds and then it would run fine; I would put it in drive and go. No issues once it was moving forward. Finally after doing that for a few days I started it, the check engine light and VSC lights came on. I dropped if off with my mechanic. He fixed the bearing and belt. The code the car was throwing was a miscellaneous misfire code he said. He pulled the coils and spark plugs and put everything back. The light went off and I went and picked it up.

It still shook when I started it. 150 miles later (after the check engine light cycled) the light came back on. I dropped it off again. He replaced a fuel injector (threw the code for this) and ran some fuel cleaner through it. I brought it home. It started fine at the mechanic. The next morning, again it shook when I started it, but ran fine. And again, after 150 miles the lights came back on.

I have dropped it off with him again. He called this afternoon and said he's been driving it for a week. Each time the check engine light comes on it throws a different code. He told me to come pick it up and drop it off with Toyota... he's baffled.

So now I'm panicking... I can see this costing $$$$$ to fix. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Troymclure]

When the truck throws all these codes, are the parts checked to see if theyre actually bad? Or has your mechanic just assumed they were bad and replaced them? If they are actually bad, that is odd, but if not, maybe the computer somehow got wet and is freaking out saying all these things are wrong when theyre actually ok.

 

[Calimander]

I hate to say it but it sure sounds like you have just joined the bad head gasket club. If you research all the threads here , I think you have to at least assume that this is a possibility with the mileage you have there.

 

[Greydog]

Try to get him to document all the codes, see if there are repeaters or things related to the cylinders such as spark/coil code, misfire code, specific cylinder misfire , etc.

Could also be fuel vapor purge issue, but lots of guys get these random codes and have injectors and coils replaced and after a culinder check for coolant it turns out to be head gasket many times.

 

[4RChappy]

This may be hopeful over-reaching but weird code symptoms would have me checking battery and charging system.

 

[earthrealm]

bookmarked

 

[MrTom]

....
I had to drive it through some high water (up to the running boards) about six weeks ago. The day after (coincidence?) my car started making a loud winding noise when it started.

I am not a mechanic by any means. I have apprehensive feelings about water and coincidences. .
High water (up to the running boards) mentioned could be 12"-18" deep or more.
Depending on how fast you were moving and the speed and direction of the water no telling where it managed to get into.
Have any checks been done to see if water got into any of the electrical and or electronics?
Possibly under the hood or even under the vehicle.
Suspect some of our more informed members could advise on what to inspect.
.

 

[Calimander]

I think the water thing and the rough morning starts are unrelated. That rough morning start and the code throwing are exactly what my car did.

 

[TRDCal]

I think the water thing and the rough morning starts are unrelated. That rough morning start and the code throwing are exactly what my car did.

Unfortunately for the OP, sounds like Calimander is right, you haven't mentioned yet but what engine do you have? If its the V6 then your looking at a bad head gasket and the whole water crossing is just a coincidence.

 

[Calimander]

"This is the best car I ever had"-----After you get through sinking a couple of thousand dollars on this problem you will have to think back to another of your cars to say this about. I know I haven't spent this much money on problems in any Toyota I have owned , and I have owned 6.

 

[scrbear11]

I called my mechanic and asked him to check the head gasket for any leaking. He did, called back, said nothing. No leaks, head gasket seems fine. He did check the fuel pressure regulator and it is not holding pressure at all. Could that be the problem?

 

[chmura]

I doubt the issue has to do with you running through deep water. Did you go quickly through it?

Here is me going through some deep water past the running boards. I never had any issues. You just have to go slow through the water.

Baby Lion's Back Moab Utah - YouTube

 

[longobongo]

check your MAF...
maybe water got into it...

*edit: check your o2 sensors as well.

 

[TRDCal]

I called my mechanic and asked him to check the head gasket for any leaking. He did, called back, said nothing. No leaks, head gasket seems fine.

Don't take this the wrong way but your mechanic didn't check hard enough. You can fix as many other things as you want but the problem isn't going to go away until you change the head gasket. Do a search, its a well documented issue with the 4.0L V6 4runner.

If your above 120k miles, getting random misfires and rough idle on start up. Its the head gasket everytime. Eventually you'll see the coolant reservoir level get lower and thats when you really know theres a problem.

If I was you I would leave it for a couple weeks and see what happens as opposed to dropping all kinds of money just to find out you need to spend 2k on a head gasket.

Sorry for the bad news but that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Mida]

head gasket

Don't take this the wrong way but your mechanic didn't check hard enough. You can fix as many other things as you want but the problem isn't going to go away until you change the head gasket. Do a search, its a well documented issue with the 4.0L V6 4runner.

If your above 120k miles, getting random misfires and rough idle on start up. Its the head gasket everytime. Eventually you'll see the coolant reservoir level get lower and thats when you really know theres a problem.

If I was you I would leave it for a couple weeks and see what happens as opposed to dropping all kinds of money just to find out you need to spend 2k on a head gasket.

Sorry for the bad news but that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Does this affect the 2006 V6 too?

 

[michaelreed]

Does this affect the 2006 V6 too?

I believe there have been cases of 06's well. Toyota changed the head gasket part number at some point though so they know there's a problem. Everyone needs to call the 1-800 number and report it so they will do a recall if it happens to enough people.

Here's the complaint number: (800) 331-4331

 

[TRDCal]

Does this affect the 2006 V6 too?

I don't think its documented that well hahah...Toyota hasn't come out with anything so no one is sure exactly what years are affected. It's just a problem that has been surfacing on the internet. Most, if not all are older models with above 100-120k. That could just be because older models reach the high miles first, I don't know.

I don't want to speculate and not every 1GRFE will have this problem, plenty with high mileage on original gasket. It not something to worry about until your truck has the symptoms

 

[absolute yota]

It seems like a lot of 04 V6 runners have head gasket issues. I actually drive my 05 V6 through water quite often and had muddy water enter my engine through my intake and stall and would no restart.(due to my removing most of the fender liner when I installed my winch bumper. ) After I dried the mass air flow out and cleaned upthe intake and removed the wet air filter( the best I could while standing in a mud hole)after about 30 mins it started rough, shook a bit and ran great after that for the next 3hours of trails and an hour ride home. Did a few oil changes a good cleanout and no problems so far. Didnt even have a check engine light ! I would say that since I have put my rig through all that water abuse and have none of the symptoms you have your problem is either the ECU or the head gasket. Especially if it was only up to the running boards when you drove through the water unless you were really hauling ass through it . Im going to do either a snorkel or the interior snorkel, because ive had the headlights under before and the stock intake is too low . Deep happens quick.