What would cause an E-locker to lock with no controller plugged in?!

[mastacox]

OK so this is weird... I've been trying to get my E-locker back in fighting shape for a trip in a couple of weeks, and it's fighting me.

I thought that the locker controller had maybe gotten zapped after the welding/body work I had to get done due to a fender bender about 9 months ago. The body harness controller that controls the power locks and windows got cooked and insurance replaced it under the repair warrantee, so I figure great the e-locker got cooked too...

Basically the symptoms were the locker would randomly engage without me pressing the button, and wouldn't unlock without me physically removing the controller and directly powering the wires to drive the motor with the battery. So I bought a new locker controller, plugged it in, and when I pressed the button the locker locked just fine; but then it wouldn't unlock :shake: So I unplugged the controller and haven't messed with it for about 2 weeks...

Then last night my wife's driving the 4Runner to work because her car's rear brakes are scraping like hell, and when she gets to work the locker engages (with no controller in place :screwy: :confused:). I guess this tells me one of the wires to the motor has to be shorted somewhere right? How the f*ck does the motor even get driven with the controller completely removed from the vehicle?!

[Good Times]

you probably have a short somewhere in your wiring loom causing the locker to still get intermittent power. you're probably not going to want to hear this but you'll probably want to trace the wiring from the locker backwards to see where the short is.

it's gonna be a pita... been there on a different car where I ended up redoing the whole wiring loom to the entire car :( lots of work and very expensive if you have someone else trace it.

[Crinale]

Ouch.. good luck!

[YotaFun]

Ill pull up the diagram for it later and see where it gets its power and what else is on the the circuit that is powered, you have a short to power for the lock position but I am not 100% sure on the harness for it all since I did my own completely separate from the stock harness.

[4x4mike]

I assume your 4Runner had the locker as a factory option? Or did you do a retrofit?

I did a retrofit using the Toyota elocker ECU but used my own wiring. I've seen that the factory loom that includes the locker is quite huge and even includes the dome lights. I would do what I did, there is a write up here somewhere.

I used the factory 3rd member and pigtail that comes off of the differential. I ran multi strand wire from that pigtail into the cab and to the elocker ECU. From there I connected about half of the connections that come out of the ECU. For sure I ran the ground, lock, unlock and limits. From the ECU there are the connections to the switch and the dash light (I think that's all). I did not wiring in to the 4Lo or speed sensor.

I used sprinkler control wire from Home Depot and nothing ties into a factory harness. Hopefully this helps and keeps you from too much trouble shooting. I assume all other vehicle functions will still work if the locker is taken out of the picture.

[4x4mike]

Here is my write up: http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=8443.0

I didn't realized I rambled on for 9 pages but it give you an idea of the wiring. I'd have to dig through my binder at home to show what is connected to what. If you'd like that let me know and I'll snap a picture.

[mastacox]

you probably have a short somewhere in your wiring loom causing the locker to still get intermittent power. you're probably not going to want to hear this but you'll probably want to trace the wiring from the locker backwards to see where the short is.

Yeah that's kind of what I was afraid of, not really sure where to start though... The problem basically goes back to the body work I had done on the 4Runner.

I got in a fender bender and claimed it out as a comprehensive collision claim (it was actually about 6 months ago now...). The shop I got done at was the insurance company's preferred provider, and by getting it done there they (the insurer) warantee the work. Thing is, the guys did some welding on the rocker panel and didn't disconnect the battery when they did it. When I picked it up the power locks and windows weren't working and I bitched at the insurance adjuster in charge, he had them look into it and found the body harness controller for the windows and power locks (and maybe even dome lights) was toast, one of the relays in there had popped. So my insurance footed the bill for the replacement...and that fixed that problem :chair:

A few weeks later my locker randomly locked driving down the road, and I immediately thought the motor controller got toasted too... but I was in the middle of getting my new job in Texas and about to relocate so I figured I would just replace it myself and eat the $100... turns out its more than $100.

SO NOW, my options are bypass the factory harness and hope nothing else is wrong in there (and probably give the insurance company reason to deny any future warantee on the work), or call up the insurance and start the lengthy process of getting it fixed :shake:

[mastacox]

Well I called the insurance company and started the fix-it process. Decided if they offer the warrantee they need to honor it.

Drop it off at the dealership tomorrow and get a rental until they figure it out :loser:

[YotaFun]

Ask or a 4Runner trail edition as your rental lol!

[Good Times]

my guess is that dealership will probably just replace the wiring harness instead of locating the short. the time it takes to dig thru the wiring loom and inspecting each line to make sure it's not melted is going to be too time consuming.

can't think of anything else that would cause this but I could be wrong.

hope it's not a big deal!

[YotaFun]

Lance, if they do anything they will have to make there own wiring harness then, you can not get a harness for most older vehicles anymore, I remember trying to get one for a 99 Taco, and they said we would have to look for a junk yard donor...

Hopefully they find the issues and get it fixed for you

[Good Times]

wow really Avy? that's a bummer. damn fixing that by hand is going to be a pita!!

better a tech than me lol cuz if I had to do it it'll take years!

[YotaFun]

Yeah it sucks Lance but such as life,
Older vehicles are now obsolete in Toyota's eyes.

[Crinale]

Lance, if they do anything they will have to make there own wiring harness then, you can not get a harness for most older vehicles anymore, I remember trying to get one for a 99 Taco, and they said we would have to look for a junk yard donor...

Hopefully they find the issues and get it fixed for you


I thought, by law, companies have to stock parts for their vehicles for 15 years from the date of manufacture.. which would mean 3rd gen 4runners would still have parts carried. I'll have to do some research on this.

[Seanz0rz]

It sounds like to me when they welded they might have melted the wiring harness.

glad you are going after the company instead of doing it yourself. there is no reason you should accept this work.

[Crinale]

I thought, by law, companies have to stock parts for their vehicles for 15 years from the date of manufacture.. which would mean 3rd gen 4runners would still have parts carried. I'll have to do some research on this.


nevermind, I can't seem to find any info at all corroborating this claim.. disregard

[Good Times]

It sounds like to me when they welded they might have melted the wiring harness.

glad you are going after the company instead of doing it yourself. there is no reason you should accept this work.


That might be it too! Never thought about that. But welding means the frame got jacked up or something no?

[mastacox]

Feedback from the dealership: "could not duplicate problem, plugged in control module and diff lock operates properly." They also referenced my grey-wire mod which they're calling "customer bypassing/modification of the harness."

So it looks like I'll be on my own on this one... about that sprinkler wire solution again :P

[Seanz0rz]

that sucks to hear brian.

If they welded on the rocker panel near the wiring harness, it could have caused the harness to melt.

Brian, pull off the rear driver side door sill and take a look at the wiring (or really anywhere along where they welded in a new piece to replace the damaged one). you might find melted wires... if that is the case, the fix is pretty easy with some appropriate sized wire, heat shrink tubing, and a soldering iron/gun.

[mastacox]

The welding was done on the passenger side rocker panel (it was smashed pretty good right under the front passenger door). I'm going to drive it with the harness plugged into the new controller and see how it goes. I still think there's something wrong in there but without being able to show the problem on-demand I'm not sure I can get them to do anything. That, plus Toyota probably won't attribute any possible damage since I've "modified" the harness with my grey wire mod (lesson learned, should have reversed it before taking it in I guess).

I'm fine with just bypassing the factory harness with my own if it comes to that though. :wrenchin:

[Good Times]

what a bummer. not surprised the dealership taking that direction (it's definitely as expected with the mod you have).

I guess you're stuck manually swapping stuff out and finding where the short is.

Good luck! and hopefully it won't be an expensive fix for ya.

[Seanz0rz]

even though the fix was on the opposite side, i would still go through the wiring harness and look for issues, especially the elocker harness.

[4x4mike]

PM Slomatt regarding the elocker harness. He tracked one down and installed it in his 2000 4runner that did not come from the factory with an elocker. He'll give you an idea of how big it is and where it goes. Heck, he might have his stock harness that he could sell you. Swap yours out and pick up some sprinkler wire.
That reminds me, I need to dig up that wiring diagram I made.

[4x4mike]

Here is a cell phone attempt at some pictures of my wiring diagram.

I started with Paddlenbike's diagram that's online.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ad11pgr-X8U/UH9mY6JgerI/AAAAAAAAzxs/XO_u9Ryx7Us/s800/IMAG2054.jpg


Then put in my colors and notes. Zoomed out.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vicRzvQL5Ts/UH9mdMGuHPI/AAAAAAAAzx0/XDAoKCKRN1A/s800/IMAG2055.jpg

Here are the portions closer. Sorry for the blurriness. I had a wiggly baby in the other hand.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-o9GGFoOiEbs/UH9mhYiBKYI/AAAAAAAAzx8/schDDku2yB4/s800/IMAG2056.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-u21bHiZtqKc/UH9mlzSZbDI/AAAAAAAAzyE/IH3R_pcfmXU/s800/IMAG2057.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2j7MBp61DMQ/UH9mt1ECwmI/AAAAAAAAzyk/UHiymYGihX4/s800/IMAG2058.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qjzZMw4VtuA/UH9m13hxGAI/AAAAAAAAzyU/-mv19a-0zHg/s800/IMAG2059.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KLXCQTt6VnY/UH9m9t9sh6I/AAAAAAAAzyc/0YyZ2O77rlQ/s800/IMAG2060.jpg

[slomatt]

PM Slomatt regarding the elocker harness. He tracked one down and installed it in his 2000 4runner that did not come from the factory with an elocker. He'll give you an idea of how big it is and where it goes. Heck, he might have his stock harness that he could sell you. Swap yours out and pick up some sprinkler wire.
That reminds me, I need to dig up that wiring diagram I made.


What's the question? It's a major job to replace the body harness. :) I have my stock one still if someone needs one.

- Matt