ABS / EFI / VSC Oddities

[architectx]

2002 Cruiser with about 202k on it. I've owned it for maybe five months now and it has generally been a good truck.

Two or three days after I purchased it I couldn't get it to start. Looked like a problem with the immobilizer, but thanks to you good folks, I was able to reset the fuse for the EFI in the engine compartment junction box and it started right up. Ran fine till a couple of weeks ago.

Now it periodically won't start. It turns over, but that's it. If I pull the EFI fuse and put it back in it starts right up. Note it has always been just a little bit slow to start.

Then, last week, I drove to a grocery. Got back in the truck maybe 20 minutes later, started it up, and the ABS / VSC Off / VSC Trac lights were all on. I turned it off and restarted it immediately. Lights were not on, but the ABS momentarily had a mind of it's own (left front wheel ABS motor engaged hard on dry pavement at low speed in a gentle turn). The problem quit, and I drove maybe 5 miles to a gas station. Filled up, started the truck - no lights, but the ABS went really crazy as I was leaving. After a frustrating moment or two, the ABS / VSC Off / VSC Trac lights came back on, and it seemed to drive fine.

I took it to my local mechanic (great shop, but not "Cruiser specialists" or anything). The indicated it returned a code saying one of the speed sensors is bad. They have ordered the part, but it isn't here yet.

Same issue happened twice more, once later that evening and then again the following day.

I left it parked over the weekend. Sunday evening (after it had been parked since Friday morning, and not started at all) I pulled the three relays related to the ABS system in the engine compartment junction box. Contacts all looked clean and I re-seated them. The ABS system has not acted up since, but sometimes the three lights mentioned above are on, sometimes they are not.

I should also note that the starting problem has become more persistent.

Finally, I should note that the service records from the previous owner had some difficult to read notes about the junction block "might be damaged", but that it was not replaced. I have inspected it as best I can without removing it and fail to see anything that looks suspect.

Sorry for the lengthy post. Any ideas what to do next? Should I replace the junction box? If so, how difficult of a job is it?

Thanks!

 

[architectx]

Darn, any ideas at all?

If nothing else, has anyone replaced the junction box in question? If so, any commentary on how difficult, photos of the project, etc.?

Thanks so much.

 

[marshotel]

Hi there~ first thing I would check is the terminals at the battery. The slow starting symptoms could be due to dirty battery terminals, or even an old battery. I was blown away by how much better my LC starts after replacing the old battery with a Die Hard Gold; it never had trouble cranking before, but sometimes it would be slow to start in the winter. With the new battery, it starts immediately every time. Check your battery and clean the battery terminals.

The ABS trouble sounds like a different issue and likely related to a bad or dirty wheel speed sensor.

If there is no obvious damage, then I would not replace any junction box before checking some other things first. check the battery and the terminals at both ends of the battery cables; the wheel speed sensor sounds like a separate issue.
hope this helps. others will know more about this.

Cheers.

 

[architectx]

Great advice, thanks so much. As of tonight, the Check Engine light has come on as well. Hoping this will work out alright...

 

[Texasknowhow]

I know this is an older post, but did you get this sorted out? My VSC lights are also on and I have a Check Eng. Light.