Likely my first and last toyota - Wiring Harness and electrical

Welcome

 

If the door locks and windows don’t work...it sounds like there may be an issue with a ground wire or body ecu or something. Could it be rodent damage? Sure. But, I would bet most rodents would go to the engine bay, not inside the vehicle (again, not impossible!). But it sounds like your problem is within the vehicle cab somewhere. If it were in the engine bay - for those systems it would be pretty easy to identify rodent damage (wire bundle through firewall and straight to fuse panel). But, this seems unlikely to be the cause of your problem, IMO.

So, if the dealer tried fixing the problem by replacing the window switch and charged the warranty company $700 why is that your problem? You should still pay the same deductible and the warranty co. should pressure the dealer to find the actual cause - which it sounds like they asked for more time/money to do so - as long as you pay the same amount, don’t worry about what the warranty co. agrees to pay.

Here’s an article from a reliable source that claims this issue is not limited to Toyota, or Tundra specifically... https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a21933466/does-your-car-have-wiring-that-rodents-think-is-tasty/

Good Luck.

Edit: tag op @first and last toyota

 

suddenly Everything started working again last night on the way home from work. ugh!! I had to cancel the appointment with dealer- how can they troubleshoot when there are no symptoms. This is exactly WHY I bought a Toyota, because I trusted that electrical problems were practically nonexistent. I mean they've been making vehicles for decades and NO FINE AUTOMOBILE can have wonky electronics.

I work in electronics/semiconductor integrated electronics and service semiconductor capital equipment for a living.
My Honda Accord been sitting outside for 30 YEARS and no rodent problems, not one - EVER!!
and it's a lot closer to the ground for easy rodent hoteling at the electric buffet...... IDK.

My opinion of Toyota and Tundra is sinking...

I guess they don't make them like they used to.

 

The mistake you made was going used and expecting new...certified means diddly squat. That could have been a flood truck for all you really know.

 

it is local, one owner, 30k miles and clean car fax still under factory warranty and added additional aftermarket warranty. It was not in a flood. or a fire or an accident or a sacrificial ceremony...… even the new tundras come with silly soy goo wiring rodent buffet..... Had vehicles with 100k miles that were more reliable with zero inspection or warranty. seriously, so glad I didn't cancel. anyway, not one single problem in 2.5 years and 25k additional miles until now suddenly.... Rampant Toyota egos wont admit a thing. so you see: your observation doesn't add up. a flood would've been so easy to spot upon both inspections (my own lying eyes and private 3rd party inspect.) before purchase.

 

^ This..

It means they walked around the vehicle and decided it looks OK..

 

Seems you understand electronics? In my opinion you've already diagnosed this with it now working. Find a wiring diagram, isolate the path that talks to ALL door locks AND windows, wiggle the harness and test until you find that they don't work, fix the loose ground/connection. If that doesn't cause a fail, swap applicable boxes. Presto.

 

also posses both Yellow, Green and almost a Black Belt certification in Lean Six Sigma (Toyota Quality Sytems- which is also practiced in other precision manufacturing industries such as medical and microelectronics....) I understand this truck is not what I thought it was. guys on youtube rewiring their tundras to save face..... because after checking grounds, still no results...…
not gonna be me. no time for that. why I didn't by a dodge or jeep. lol

 

Mmm Motorbiscuit, the paragon of integrity in the automotive journalistic world.

Soy based wire coating is not the source of any issue with rodents. Theyre not eating them purely to eat them, rather they use wire, like twigs to make nests. Soy would be a non factor in that issue as rodents eating wires for nesting has been an issue for decades.

None the less, maybe open an account on a Passat forum, as Germans have been using biodegradable materials for sheathing for many years. Of course most of those guys are seeing wire issues as their wire sheathing begins to wear off and short out. Not really your issue, but I dont think that matters.

Let me know when you begin collecting signatures, or have a link to claimants in this, as a class action cause will need many of those. I'd be curious to see if it gathers any steam, or rather, moss.

 

This tickles me, its a running joke. To state it again, Germans have switched to soy based in the past, Mercedes, VW, BMW. All vehicles known for electronic issues.

 

Its a well-known and documented issue. Toyota understands the root cause, it's not debatable at this point, they've confirmed.
the class action lawsuit has been re-opened recently by the 9th circuit court... so no need for signatures.
German cars have terrible electronics, that is why they've ALWAYS been very unreliable and never recommended for used car purchase, unlike Japanese manufacturers who've also cornered electronics market.....BEFORE... they cornered automotive market. history & facts.

 

Having an unreliable vehicle sucks. It’s not worth the time or hassle. I think you’ll be way happier if you get rid of it and move on.

 

yeah I think your right. sadly, I've made it into a very nice truck. CarMax coming over on Wednesday to make offer.... gonna kill me. I'm certainly not gonna run out and buy another Toyota. Although I want tooo..... most of the other trucks seem like garbage by comparison and track record.

 

Yeah, world or global standard is soy, biodegradable, so expect these to start disintegrating over time rendering salvage yards useless for wiring components.... best way to deter rodents is bribing your local stray cats... I place an open can of wet food, or a small bowl of dry food outside on the porch... either the cat gets it, or the local family of skunks get it... either one still deters them..
^^^^^ @NewImprovedRon just beat me to it... lol

 

BTW..... my cat completely disagrees with me sharing her stash... she watches me do it and protests the entire time...

 

30 years ago, no one used the soy based wiring. Now everyone does.

 

Probably time to move on and buy an F-150. World's best selling vehicle. Built Ford Tough.

 

My cat adopted us at a younger stage, and she became domesticated she has no interest in going outside... we brought her partner in crime and she was the leader of a pack believe it or not.... but her partner refuse to stay inside... so we let him out and he stuck around for a week, and we never saw him again.... I don't know if he was eaten, or picked up and sold off to a third party, but he kept the neighborhood pretty clean for the week... I would feed him daily, but one day the bowl remained full, so I continued for about a month and a half and no change, so I put 2 and 2 together... There is another neighborhood cat I thought was a stray, but its got an owner so I bribe I mean feed him too.. LOL...

 

Ssshhh, dont ruin it. Let people believe there is a choice and that they can find the one vehicle that will never fail.

 

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/cats_actually_kill

 

LOL, I'm very familiar with that stance... The cat that left would gloat after its kills...

 

Ok. Well clearly this is a MONUMENTAL failure in your eyes and unsolvable (or not worth solvong?). Therefore you must take a financial loss and get something different.

GLWS. Enjoy your next truck.

 

It is amazing how many things are tied into something as simple as the door locks.

2015 wiring diagrams..

 

All you have to do is isolate it to what talks to ALL of them. Brief glance on my phone says it's the ECU or a connection to or along that run..

 

I've had to replace my wiring harness twice.

Good luck finding a vehicle that doesn't use the same type of wire casing. Unfortunately its used by almost all major manufacturers.

 

@first and last toyota, I have been reading this thread without responding until now. I don't doubt that you have an issue with your truck, and it is obviously annoying and apparently very difficult to diagnose. I really think the ROOT of the problem is the dealer you went to. They might not have an experienced, properly trained technician who could do the proper testing to find and correct the issue. At minimum, they are incompetent.

I DO NOT think that the issue is soy-based wiring, though that could eventually be revealed to be the case. As stated several times, the wiring used in pretty much all vehicles has the same type of insulation.

I DO NOT think it is a Toyota-wide, or even a Tundra-wide issue, or the reliability ratings of the Tundra would look a lot more like the competition (MUCH lower). There is no such thing as 100% reliability for any vehicle. Even 99.999% reliability means at least one vehicle with issues.

I do not envy you your position or situation, but I really think the vast numbers of trouble-free and near trouble-free Tundras on the road speak for themselves. If you were to sell your current Tundra and get another one, I would be EXTREMELY surprised if you had issues with it.

I understand your hesitancy to believe this, because it sounds like your emotions currently have more control over your thoughts than your logic. But it is true.

I wish you the best, and personally hope you either can resolve the issue or get another Tundra to see just how reliable they can be. But it is obviously your call.

 

Nailed it.

 

... maybe posts and UN's like this will be common here shortly. The extra 10-15k price tags on competitors models have to go somewhere besides warrantee and recalls

 

So, to recap.... we have a thread about soy based wiring. And, we don’t even know that OPs wiring issue has anything to do with wire turned rats nest. But, we have a rats nest of a thread.

 

Welcome to the forum, sorry its under bad circumstances.

Has the windshield been replaced?