Has your 100 ever left you stranded? Discuss!

[RL4x4]

In the interest of preventative maintenance and improving upon an already ready great vehicle I would like to hear from 100 Series owners who have had a mechanical/technical failure (not tires!) that has left the vehicle inoperable.

I have read some chatter about broken front diffs, CVs and starter contacts. What else?

My plan is to replace these items before they cause me grief

 

[agaisin]

My understanding is that under normal conditions (i.e. not stressing the cv joints or diffs while offroading) you would have warning signs well in advance of catastrophic failure for CVs, starter contacts and front diffs.
- CVs should give you warning signs (pop/click when turning and/or leaking) before they fail completely.
- diff would give you warning signs as well (noise or shudder)
- starter contacts also give you warning signs (harder to start) b/f they completely fail on you.

Can someone confirm this assertion?

 

[1loudLX]

A blown diff/broken CV will only leave you stranded if you dont have some basic tools on hand.

 

[RL4x4]

A blown diff/broken CV will only leave you stranded if you dont have some basic tools on hand.

Interesting. What is the quick 'trail fix'?

 

[FullyLitLED]

Interesting. What is the quick 'trail fix'?

Take out the front diff and cv's and roll in 2wd

lol jk!

 

[2000UZJ]

Take out the front diff and cv's and roll in 2wd

lol jk!

not jk. This is the only fix on the trail. Pull driveshaft and flange I believe. I have never had to do this fortunately

 

[coveboy]

Starter ....but yes they do give you signs. It will have trouble starting before it completely goes out though. Of course, mine finally decided to die on me while I was in the middle of the woods...biggest pain to tow a land cruiser with no power steering through trails after it had been raining...

 

[parnoren]

I think you're hooped if the ignition rod breaks. Unfortunately you can't just buy the rod, you have to buy the whole housing. See "Busted Ignition" https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/57050-busted-ignition.html

 

[Liam]

i've always caught the issues before they completely left me stranded. Starter, TPS

although hitting a tree and rolling it left me stranded....does that count?

 

[Dill Pickle]

A few months ago, my TLC (2003, 92,000 miles, Galactic Gray) wouldn't start. It was totally out of the blue, no signs. Ended up being that the ECU was telling the immobilizer system to kill the engine for some reason. Mechanic (local Cruiser expert here in Boise) had to reset the ECU and reprogram my keys. If that hadn't worked, replacing the ECU would have been the only option. Very weird. Luckily, it happened at home, and not up in the mountains. There's not much of a trail fix or preventive maintenance for that one.

 

[imprtazn4]

A few months ago, my TLC (2003, 92,000 miles, Galactic Gray) wouldn't start. It was totally out of the blue, no signs. Ended up being that the ECU was telling the immobilizer system to kill the engine for some reason. Mechanic (local Cruiser expert here in Boise) had to reset the ECU and reprogram my keys. If that hadn't worked, replacing the ECU would have been the only option. Very weird. Luckily, it happened at home, and not up in the mountains. There's not much of a trail fix or preventive maintenance for that one.

Who's the mechanic?

 

[RL4x4]

Good info so far!

The "Busted ignition" thread has made me paranoid about the ignition rod that can break inside the column. I don't mind spending $180 for a new one to carry as a spare but it doesn't sound like a part that can be changed on the side of the road with basic tools

Does the 100 Series have a relay for the starter or fuel pump that can fail? This is a common problem on the 80 Series and many other makes and models - especially Porsches from the '90s

 

[hoser]

As long as you have the key and a few basic tools, I'm sure you can get it running after a busted ignition. I have not had the LC ignition out but I have had to recovery and replace the ignition lock on other cars. It is not complicated at all on Japanese cars. The "security chip" part, to me, would be tough to field bypass.

 

[1loudLX]

just ask Joe Bascal about the field bypass(or lack of ability to)

 

[tarmacblack]

My understanding is that under normal conditions (i.e. not stressing the cv joints or diffs while offroading) you would have warning signs well in advance of catastrophic failure for CVs, starter contacts and front diffs.
- CVs should give you warning signs (pop/click when turning and/or leaking) before they fail completely.
- diff would give you warning signs as well (noise or shudder)
- starter contacts also give you warning signs (harder to start) b/f they completely fail on you.

Can someone confirm this assertion?

My diff didn't give any sign of breaking, it just quickly went clunk and was broke

Knowing they were weak, i deserved it. I shouldn't have been trying what I was trying with a factory diff.

 

[WoodyCreature]

Dead battery in the garage. The battery was less than 2 months old. Heres what I think happend: Lights kept on auto then wife drives it (her DD is the 200), she comes home and turns the key to acc instead of all the way off, lights stay on in the dark garage (on auto) and then I come out the next morning to take a trip to Lowes and dead batt. Good thing for a short wheel base on the 40 so I could get it close enough in the garage to jump it off. No probs since.

 

[hoser]

just ask Joe Bascal about the field bypass(or lack of ability to)

I'd rather ask him how I can easily get more boost out of my brake booster!

 

[GX-R]

no but my 200 did

 

[mechanixhorseman]

not jk. This is the only fix on the trail. Pull driveshaft and flange I believe. I have never had to do this fortunately

I thought you had to have some extra flanges with the splines drilled out on hand for this to work.

Say my front diff sh!ts the bed or I have a cv failure, I can just drop the front drive shaft and roll?

 

[2000UZJ]

I thought you had to have some extra flanges with the splines drilled out on hand for this to work.

Say my front diff sh!ts the bed or I have a cv failure, I can just drop the front drive shaft and roll?

No because the CV's will still turn and rotate the differential. You need to pull the front DS and wheel drive flanges need to be removed