T4R electrical issue - no start

[T4R_Finally]

My daughter left yesterday for college. Two days before, I replaced the 5 year old battery with a brand new one. She called this morning and said it was dead - no lights, no door chime, nothing. It started right up 10 minutes prior. Had her check battery connections and they are good but while she was fumbling around that area she hit the fuse box and the door chimes started going off and then it started right up. Had her shut it down and push down on each fuse - then everything was dead again. She put fuse box cover back on and smacked it with her hand and it came alive again. She's 5 hours away so I'm probably going to have her take it somewhere to be checked out - but any thoughts or ideas if maybe this is a fuse issue or a lead that is connected to the fuse box?

Also, before changing the battery, we've had a couple of issues where she got in the vehicle and the radio had been reset. Not sure if related or not.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I would say it sounds like a bad (loose) ground or relay. Start by making sure all the battery connections are tight, then move to check the tightness of the ground right below the Diagnostics port right above the oil cap. Then move to the relay box and check all of them, starting with the EFI relay, and if you need to remove the box itself, here is how:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/93048-abs-fuse-replacement.html

Going to Chapel Hill for undergraduate matriculation?

 

[T4R_Finally]

No, I'm afraid she's further and higher in the hills than Chapel Hill.

I didn't bring this up because I don't see how it could be related, but since you mentioned loose ground, I will throw it out. I put a subwoofer in for her a couple of weeks ago. I bought a wiring kit specifically for amps/subs which included a fused power wire that I ran directly to the battery and attached at the positive post. For the ground, I wired that to the tie down in the cargo area closest to where the sub is mounted. I unbolted the tie down and ran the bolt back through the tie down and then the eye of the ground wire and tightened it back down - so it should be solid. Is there any way that a bad ground or some sort of ground loop caused by that could be affecting things? The sub comes on as it should and works and sounds great.

Update: my daughter was able to take it by the local shop. They claim they see nothing obvious around the fuse box area but the negative battery cable was a little loose. They tightened it for her and didn't charge anything for it. I'm dubious, but we shall see.

 

[LittleCaesar]

That would explain it all. Start with the simple things and progress from there. You may want to give both battery cables a cursory look for looseness and corrosion next time.

I would guess then your daughter is a Mountaineer or a Fighting Camel if still in NC. Both are good schools. I looked at going to Campbell Law over a decade ago when it was still in Buies Creek and not in Raleigh. Good luck to her.

 

[T4R_Finally]

The camels aren't exactly in the hills. She is a mountaineer. I just had the battery replaced on Monday and instead of doing it myself, I got lazy and took it to advance and let them swap it out. Also had then check the alternator and I watched as they did it and all seemed ok to me. I would like to think this was a loose cable and hope that's all it was. This is why I usually do things within my ability myself.

 

[wheelds]

sounds like a ground + power issue. I had a buddy that replaced his battery but swapped the (+) and (-) terminals on each other and the lights and horn flashed for about 20 seconds before the fusable link blew.

Hitting the fuse box makes it go off, i would say you have power being grounded somewhere but not severe enough to blow the fuseable link.