Cam position error after TSS / brake controller error

Last week I had a TSS and Brake controller error and the truck went into limp mode. I had to shut it off before I got it to the dealer but the next day the dealer said It only had an over cam / under cam error… they rest it and it was ok…

The next day I got another engine light but no error message, I took it back to them and they said it was a cam position error…

The MPG dropped, and it drives like it’s in tow mode…. No more engine check lights yet.

But it’s a pain dealing with 2 mpg less per gallon.

 

Get a code reader and see if a cam position related code is stored.

 

It was stored, I had shut if off and they were still able to pull it both times.

 

What are current symptoms?

 

The first time I was traveling around 35 mph and I thought it stalled in fact I thought the fuel pump died the way it acted. I was in traffic so I had to get it over to the side and when I did it seemed to recover at 20mph… so I kept it moving trying to find a place to park. Under 25mph it went fine, when I went faster it stalled out again… that’s when I noticed the error which said TSS and Brake controller error if you are hauling a trailer slow down using your mechanical breaks and stop.

After I pulled over and stopped, then restarted - no alarms, no problems.

The next day I got to the dealer…. They said no problem other than the code, if the engine check light comes on bring it back.

The very next day I was accelerating up a hill and at 28 or so MPH while going up a slight hill it started shuddering like it was starving for gas, or something…. And the check engine light came one.

I took it to the dealer and they said - error code but no problem, bring it back without shutting it off if it occurs again.

 

Any recent oil changes? And also can you verify oil level is good?

 

Nope - In fact it was due for an oil change, and I had them change if when they checked the first error…

 

Are the codes for one cam or all four?

 

I have no idea..

 

It is any of the possibilities

bad cam position sensor
bad crank sensor
bad cam phasor solenoid
or mechanical issue with cam, phasor, or valvetrain.

 

Did you run your vin to be sure you aren’t part of the fuel pump recall?

https://www.toyota.com/recall

 

Thanks for the link - nope no recalls for mine

 

I am down to 13 mpg, when I normally got 15.5.

 

Unhook the battery for 15 min. This resets the ecu and mpg. It’ll take a tank or 2 for it to learn your driving habits, but might fix it.

My DTE goes to about 600 when I do it, but drops to about 450 after a couple of tanks. That’s my driving though. I usually get about 12 mpg.

 

Just before it went haywire I started getting 15.8-16.4 mpg… it was great…. That is as long as I kept my foot out of it.

I’ll give that a try, right now my mpg sucks big time.

 

So I did the “disconnect the battery” for a hour (you guys said less but that’s fine) and sure enough it did forget about everything and started re-learning.

I’m now up to 14.2 mpg…. So that’s better but still an 1 mpg less.

I’ve now see this same error across the board - so My guess is Toyota did a software update and screwed up the new software that caused this to happen across many years.