Dash idiot lights on? Ideas?

[70 FJ40]

Today my wife was driving/idling in traffic when the check engine light came on along with the VSC TRAC and VSC OFF lights. She finished the drive home(about 60 miles), stopped for gas along the way, lights still on after fill up and still on when she got home. I put the battery charger on it for a few hours now thinking maybe low voltage was the problem like some have suggested in other threads but I just started the truck again and the check engine light stays on from when you insert the key and the other 2 lights pop on a few seconds after start up. What should I look for? Where to start?
Land Cruiser is an '01, 143,000 miles. We do have a fridge in the back run on it's own fuse and wiring. Has not been any problems with that to this point though. Oh and battery is an AGM dual purpose from batteries plus. About 11 months old. Has been a great battery so far. Only other electrical mod is a brake controller that I plug in when it's time to tow my RV.

 

[Spike555]

For me it was a P0430 code, the extra lights come on when there is a emissions fault code to help hurry you into getting it fixed from what I understand.
You're going to have to read the trouble code to find out what the deal is.
I cleared my code, it came back a week later. Cleared again, changed brands of gas, it's been a month, it hasn't come back.

 

[70 FJ40]

Thanks Spike555. How does one read the trouble code?

 

[Asanka]

Local parts stores will scan it for free. I have done it at autozone. I got same lights and it was the gas cap not sealing properly. I cleaned the rubber bearing and cleared codes. It never came back yet.. about 6-7k miles. Can't remember the code I got.

 

[70 FJ40]

Ok. Will see if I can swing by AutoZone tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[Spike555]

You need a OBDII scanner, you can buy a cheap one for under $50, AutoZone will read the codes for you but they cannot clear the codes.
You can also rent a scanner from them.

 

[cruzerDave]

I've used this one, price has come down to only $12:

Amazon.com: Veepeak VP11Plus (w/ Ultra-low Standby Power Consumption) Mini Bluetooth OBD2 EOBD Scanner Adapter Auto Check Engine Light Diagnostic Trouble Code Reader for Android Supports Torque Pro: Automotive

I keep it plugged in all the time, use Torque on my Android every so often to check a stat, or help a truck on the side of the road with their hood up

 

[Asanka]

I've used this one, price has come down to only $12:

Amazon.com: Veepeak VP11Plus (w/ Ultra-low Standby Power Consumption) Mini Bluetooth OBD2 EOBD Scanner Adapter Auto Check Engine Light Diagnostic Trouble Code Reader for Android Supports Torque Pro: Automotive

I keep it plugged in all the time, use Torque on my Android every so often to check a stat or reading...

Yes, I have the same setup. Works well for me too. But I plug it only when needed. I think few electronics = few things to worry about

 

[abuck99]

Scanguage II is a great stand alone tool for non- android users. You can check and clear codes, and monitor several systems real time.

For android users Grom Audio has introduced a new BT OBD 2 transmitter that you can pair with the Torque app, or other android apps. $24

GROM SmartScan(TM) OBDII Diagnostic Scan Tool for Android

 

[70 FJ40]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll buy one of those veepeak thingys. I just plug this thing into my Cruiser and connect via Bluetooth and I Will be able to read/clear codes? Wom seams too simple. Do I need to download some sort of app for my phone as well? Is Torque an app?

 

[KC100series]

Yup, Torque is an app. They have a free and paid version. You can get on android and iphone

 

[70 FJ40]

So I stopped at O'Reilly this morning. Code is P0505 electronic throttle control motor. Here is a print out that gave me.

 

[70 FJ40]

I'll order up the Veepeak today but wanted to try and get this figured out now instead of waiting.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Search P0505 and you'll find dozens of threads. Easiest thing to start with is cleaning the throttle body.

 

[Spike555]

UltraGauge OBDII Scan tool and Information Center

I dont want to have to connect my phone, and tie up my phone checking live data or clearing codes, so I bought the wired version 6? years ago and love it still.
Live data in real time everytime you turn on the ignition, read codes, clear codes, and you can have op to 8 pages of info scroll across the screen so you can check all the info all the time if you want.

 

[70 FJ40]

So I got back from work today and my wife tells me that the truck had trouble starting. Like a weak battery. Anyway it started and the idiot lights were no longer on.
Because the truck has not been running poorly(like I would expect it to if I actually had a problem bad enough for it to throw the p0505 code) I'm starting to wonder if it's all related to that mod I did for making the 12volt outlets always hot. I took out that jumper wire quite some time ago but it still causes us problems from time to time. Sometimes the truck won't start but if I pull that relay and plug it back in it starts up like it should. It happened last week too apparently but my wife popped the hood and all she had to do was bonk on the top of the relay and the truck started up fine. Worst thing I ever did to my truck was putting that jumper wire in.

I know that jumper wire was the culprit because it wouldn't start one day after doing the mod and so I just took the jumper off plugged the relay back in and everything was good. Thought it must be a fluke so I put the jumper back in. One week later same thing. Stupid me, I thought I should try one more time cause everyone else said it worked great for them. This time it did work well for several weeks until one day the truck started making a buzzing noise that wouldn't quit. So I went right for the jumper wire. Sure enough. Plugged the relay back in. No more buzzing. This time I threw the jumper wire away but it's still been causing us trouble ever since. I'm really starting to worry I've done something really bad to my electrical system.

 

[70 FJ40]

I don't know how it could help but I'm thinking of buying a new relay. It just seems like the problem must be somewhere in the electrical system or maybe I've messed up some computer in the truck? By pulling and replacing the relay I must be resetting something? I don't know. I'm kinda lost. There is nothing consistent enough to even hope to duplicate the problem for a technician.