Please Help! New 4Runner owner

[MW4Runner]

I recently bought a 2004 V8 4Runner Sport 4x4 (first time buyer) and I love it. I searched high and low to find one with low miles and I finally found one but I am having issues that I can't explain.

My vehicle has 67K currently and has had all 60K maintenance preformed. I was driving this weekend (with the AC on) and I lost power of my heater controls then my check engine light came on along with VCS and TRAC.

Next thing I know I heard a clicking i lost headlights and power everywhere and the car turned off.

Has anyone ever heard of this?

 

[andrewburgessmtn]

can't say that i have, but if i had to take a swing i would say that something got very warm in either ur the bottom of ur fuze box or behind ur dash, how long ago did u purchase ur runner

 

[zopperman]

check the tail fuse

red 10 amp under dash, did that blow?

 

[LOSTR4]

Perhaps a new battery is needed...it should be replaced if it hasn't already been.

 

[MW4Runner]

It blew a Blue 15

 

[MW4Runner]

I have owned it for about 3 months

 

[preacher35]

Hmmm... I would probably start by pulling your alternator and go get it tested at Autozone.

 

[zopperman]

SO you checked the fuses... which one blew? there are a few blue 15's IIRC

 

[zopperman]

Hmmm... I would probably start by pulling your alternator and go get it tested at Autozone.

x2 on this, alternator could be donezoes, but could also be a short if you blew a fuse

 

[preacher35]

I've seen voltage regulators cause fuses to blow as they are dying. Hence, get the alternator checked to rule it out.

 

[emmwhat]

I recently bought a 2004 V8 4Runner Sport 4x4 (first time buyer) and I love it. I searched high and low to find one with low miles and I finally found one but I am having issues that I can't explain.

My vehicle has 67K currently and has had all 60K maintenance preformed. I was driving this weekend (with the AC on) and I lost power of my heater controls then my check engine light came on along with VCS and TRAC.

Next thing I know I heard a clicking i lost headlights and power everywhere and the car turned off.

Has anyone ever heard of this?

I've had this happen in another car of mine, it ended up being my battery; technically the alternator is supposed to power these things while you're driving, and the battery is really only there to power things when the vehicle is off or to start the vehicle, but sometimes when the battery is so low it can replicate the same problems as a bad alternator since it's basically pulling all your current trying to charge.

Have the battery and alternator checked, and remember once a car battery runs all the way down it'll never have the same capacity as it did before, so it would be wise to replace the battery even if it's your alternator that's the problem.

And the clicking is just relay coils charging / discharging as they get little bits of power from your battery.

 

[Gatafly]

Hmmm... I would probably start by pulling your alternator and go get it tested at Autozone.

This!! Sounds like the alternator died and the truck ran until the battery went dead shutting everything down.

 

[preacher35]

I'm sayin!!!

 

[MW4Runner]

I confirmed the fuse under the dash the blew was IG1 (Blue 15A)

 

[emelianenkov]

Sounds like a dead battery and faulty alternator.

I've been through 2 alternators already. Check it out man

 

[MW4Runner]

I'm having it tested tomorrow morning. I was also looking around and has anyone had a similar issue and traced it back to a condenser?

 

[28.]

Never have. But I had an 02 GTP and it did the same thing. Turned out to be a combo of both a dead batt and bad alt.. Good luck. I know when I had electrical gremlins on ANY vehicle before it was a royal pain..