Startibilty Issues- Flex Fuel - Reading 85% Ethanol

Truck started having really bad starting issues over the past few weeks. ALmost happening every morning. Takes 3 full key cycles/cranks before it actually starts. Runs rough for a few seconds and blows some smoke and then seems normal. Starts fine the rest of the day

Checked the Ethanol reading with my scanner and its reading 85.1%

It did this last year, but maybe only 2-3 times total.

What's the latest on the fix? Is the dealer flash still just a temporary fix?

Should I look at swapping fuel pump and possibly doing the mod to bypass the flexfuel/low pressure return at the switch valve?

 

Most recent fix is fuel pump and update. T-SB-0166-19

 

Thanks. Guess I Will plan to take to dealer. Will let you know how it goes

 

Just buy the $30 software on Ebay and reset it yourself. Every time I had it to the dealer for the fix the problem came back. No surprise since they jacked me for $150 each time. Since I reset it myself it's never happened again but I still have the software if I ever need it.

 

Do you have any more info on this or a link? Would like to give it a try

 

Thanks ! ordered the techstream- Will update once I receive it

 

What is the software needed?

 

You can find on ebay or Amazon. Tech Stream - search
OBD2 Diagnostic Cable for Toyota Lexus Scion or

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403927130010

thanks, took me a little while to get my laptop situation figured out. Ended up using a newer laptop with virtual box. Got my ethanol reset to 0%. Will continue to monitor but truck starts and idles a lot smoother. Hate I waited so long

 

So far so good. Put about 700 miles on it since reset

just checked and it’s reading 1.2%ethanol.

Truck is starting perfect and seems to be running smoother

 

Glad it worked out for you.

 

Yeah, Thanks for turning me onto it.

Used it today to program my spare key I bought off Amazon

 

Sorry you're having this problem, but this is why I would never own a Flex Fuel vehicle of any kind.

 

Yeah. Didn’t research it it before I bought. Would definitely prefer to not have the ff but that really limits what you can find

now that I have the alcohol density reset truck is running great. Especially considering it has 282k miles

just wish I would have looked into re-setting it myself sooner. Was easy enough once I got software setup

 

just an update. Truck has been running great and no starting issues at all. I have been driving a bunch and have racked up about 5k miles since reset. Unfortunately my ethanol reading is creeping back up. I just checked and it was at 48% before a fill up and after fill up was reading between 55-60%

Will plan to reset again and monitor. Not sure if I will eventually need to take it in to dealer and get re-flash of the computer also

 

I have had to reset my density 3 times now since i first did it back in December. I have been driving a lot, but looks like it doesn't take very long to creep back up

I checked this am it was at 54% . I can tell by the way the truck runs/sounds if the density is reading high. IT runs so much better when its at zero (or under 15%)

Wish there was a permanent fix, but I guess i'll just plan to reset every month or so

 

Jeffro22 I’m having the same issue on my 2016 for the second time. Had the TSB done in 21 and now it’s back. No permanent fix that I can find. I ordered the Amazon cable and software to reset the density myself and cannot get it installed correct. Anyway you may be able to help?

 

I couldn’t get the software that I received with the cable to install either

go search on Google Techstream in 5 minutes find and follow the instructions on IH8MUD think YouTube has some videos also

 

I tried that as well and can’t get the virtual box to work, it constantly says “aborted”. I am going to try uninstalling everything and starting over. After that I guess I’ll drop the $400 on a vf tuner. Thanks for the feedback.

 

reset mine again. 5/10/23 @289,877.. ethanol reading was up to 68.2%

doesn't seem to be lasting long between resets. going to try to start logging readings, but guessing its only making it a couple thousand miles before reading is high

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/reset-flex-fuel-alcohol-ethanol-percentage-level-with-bidirectional-scan-tool.123799/

This seems like an options as well.

 

Thanks. Good to know other options although it’s a lot more $ than the tech stream for sure. I am really not having any difficulty with the tech stream other than the inconvenience of having to reset so often.
Just wish there was a more permanent fix

 

I guess that's the woes of flex fuel owners. I have yet to experience any issues yet, but assume eventually I will. Definitely one thing I didn't do my research on when upgrading my gen 1 to a gen 2. Other than this issue I know I'll still get 300k out of this rig before I pass it along though. I have that much faith and past experience in the Toyota brand. They just plain own my loyalty.

 

Not making it very long before having to reset

293,128 mileage - fuel density 76.1%

 

So does it help any to once in a while run a full tank of ethanol-free gas through it or to use some kind of fuel additive?

 

having to reset about every week. and when I read my alcohol level ive been getting 0% not sure if im looking at the correct thing

 

How high are long term fuel trims?
On mine, trims and alcohol % readings were both high. There were 2 things i reset and then added 3 gallons fuel per the TSB instructions before starting/driving. No problem since. Took a while for numbers to stop fluctuating though. 3 tanks worth maybe.

 

so what did you reset all I reset was the alcohol density. my ft long have ranged between 7%-25% the times ive seen it sometimes less then 7%

 

I did one called "learning value reset" and another called "fuel density learning value reset". Then added 3 gallons gas. Then started it and went on a long test drive.

The adding gas is part of the TSB instruction that Toyota would do. I noticed first couple of fuel-ups after resetting the numbers fluctated a little so there must be something about adding gas that triggers the computer to take a reading.
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10170730-9999.pdf
Basically did steps 7-14 from that TSB except I used the other tool instead of Techstream.