Warning dash lights intermittently on

[john123drury]

Hey gang - 4Runner SR5 2005 170K. I'm having a wierd intermittent issue with the lights on the right side of the dash cluster. See attached image. Thing is it's not consistent. Sometimes when I start the car, the lights will stay on until I turn off the car and start it again. After the 2nd start, usually they go off. Sometimes they don't. But even if they remain on, at some point while running my errands, the lights eventually go off like normal after the initial start up.

And then other times everything is fine. I could go days or weeks with no problems at all. The lights behave normally.

I don't notice anything else out of the ordinary. And it's only on this particular cluster (all of the other dash lights are fine). I even changed the brake light switch thinking that might cause the issue. Can't think of what else it would be. Any suggestions?

 

[john123drury]

pic of issue

 

[DMX512]

This is gonna sound strange, but....It is probably your gas cap. My 2007 was doing the same thing and, through this forum I discovered the fix.
I just went to one of the auto parts stores and got a generic gas cap. It has been fine since.

 

[Burt]

Pull the codes. Could have ABS issue.

 

[Sithrebel15]

I'd put money on it being a wheel speed sensor.

 

[jcaino]

Definitely pull the codes before spending any money. Unless you want to buy a code reader.

 

[ScooterMD]

This is gonna sound strange, but....It is probably your gas cap. My 2007 was doing the same thing and, through this forum I discovered the fix.
I just went to one of the auto parts stores and got a generic gas cap. It has been fine since.

fully agree. i had the same issue. i don't recall if i pulled any codes. there are many posts on this. i didn't believe it but decided to buy a Toyota gas cap anyway because it was a cheap possible solution; problem fixed immediately. i believe it has to do with pressure in the fuel lines. you might just make sure your current gas cap is tight as hell.

 

[rmstucky]

I had this same issue (eventually with an intermittent shift interlock over time, couldn't' shift out of park) although no CEL and no codes! Ended up being the Brake Light Switch...

brake stop lamp switch

 

[wc11]

Brake light switch

 

[john123drury]

Thanks. As mentioned in the OP, I have already replaced the brake light switch. I don't have any codes coming up. I will try the gas cap fix and will report back in time with a result. Much appreciated everyone

 

[ScooterMD]

Thanks. As mentioned in the OP, I have already replaced the brake light switch. I don't have any codes coming up. I will try the gas cap fix and will report back in time with a result. Much appreciated everyone

Sugggest buying an OEM cap online, and in the meantime before it arrives, try tightening your current gas cap really well and making sure there is no gunk on its threads.

 

[hgill]

I recall having a similar issues a few years back because of my gas cap. Went and bought oem from the dealership if i recall. Hopes its as simple as the gas cap OP. Best of luck.

 

[john123drury]

UPDATE - gas cap did NOT fix the issue. Same day as installing a new Toyota cap, the lights on the dash came on. Again the problem remains sporadic. Some days there are no lights, and other days they stay on. The issue seems to be more prominent on cold starts (e.g. morning after the car was sitting in the garage for a day or 2). Once it's been driving for a bit, if I restart the car, the lights usually (but not always) will go off as they should.

Again - I have already replaced the brake light switch. And there are no codes on the ECM. Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[john123drury]

UPDATE: still experiencing this same issue. Extremely intermittent. I've gone weeks with no light issues at all. Then all of a sudden on a morning startup, the lights stay on. I can't find anything on the forums where people have experienced similar issues. Does anyone have any suggestions???

 

[djpope09]

UPDATE: still experiencing this same issue. Extremely intermittent. I've gone weeks with no light issues at all. Then all of a sudden on a morning startup, the lights stay on. I can't find anything on the forums where people have experienced similar issues. Does anyone have any suggestions???

This is going to sound dumb, but do you have your phone charging in the cigarette lighter?

My wife was driving ours recently and had all these lights come on. I drove it for a couple days and couldn't get it to happen. Check for codes and there were none. She's driving it again and it happened again. For her it's the tire slip indicator with beeping and then the beeping stops and the VSC lights come on. She unplugged her phone and it stopped doing it. Plugged her phone back in and it started up again.

I don't know if it's the charger or her phone or if either is really the issue, but it only happens when she's charging her phone. I'm going to be testing out another charger when I get a chance to see if I can narrow it down.

 

[john123drury]

So after YEARS of attempting to figure out the issue, I believe I have isolated the problem. Let me say that I tried every single thing an internet search (and forum suggestions) yielded. So all the things like calibration, gas cap, brake booster, electrical lines, sensors, brake light switch, etc. - ALL of it was looked at or replaced and nothing helped.

About a month ago I swapped out my rear brakes and decided to remove the ABS sensors on the bearing assembly (simple one-bolt, pull out removal). They were caked in bearing grease. The REAR wheel bearings are no good. The grease that's been flinging from them internally covered up the rear sensors and caused the issue. I cleaned them, put them back, and the lights now function perfectly as they should. I have since replaced the driver side wheel bearing / axle, and have plans to do the passenger side next when finances allow.

For anyone who has struggled with this issue as long as I have, this may be your solution. Check your rear wheel sensors to ensure they are clean. Hope it helps someone out there in the future.

 

[Zero0575]

Same lights were on for me, but it was my rear wheel speed sensor/abs wire harness. For any future readers of this thread, a gas cap will NOT cause ABS lights without check engine light!

For OP, if your lights do come back, I suggest you get a code reader that is capable of reading ABS codes and it will point you in the right direction.