I love my 4Runner but... Electrical gremlins are driving me nuts!

Effing mice! It's been a slow process of little things not working. First it was the power windows and door locks. The expensive 30A fuse kept blowing, but I couldn't find the problem. Then my brake lights stopped working. And the big one was when I pulled the E brake on and the wire to the micro switch fried! I had to yank the battery positive to keep it from burning up!
So I've yanked the dash apart. Lo and behold, a mouse nest behind the defrost ducting. The little bastards gnawed on the wires...

It has melted wires and plug to the center junction block, but do you think I can find anything on the interwebs about that junction block? Nope. So, I've jerry rigged the wiring and managed to get nowhere. The dash is stripped and I have to be at work tomorrow morning. No stress here!

I know I'm new here.. (Hi all) and haven't introduced myself yet... (I'm Jon) but I desperately need some advise and/or a link or two to the wiring diagrams for this thing.

I live way off the grid, and this is my only transportation, so any help will be much appreciated!

 

You poor soul. I've found a few factory service manual links from another forum. I've shared the links below and where I think you will find your information. I hope this helps.

https://home.69thstreetgarage.com/p/toyota.html - at about page 2000 the wiring diagrams start

https://www.ether3al.com/runner96-02fsm/ - this one is online webpage version - click on wiring, then component location and determine which part you want info on, then back up one level and look for that component. Or click wiring, and then overall electrical diagram.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QIjRuWxylUyfmSA_N-6C-Sy7O0g1ScwL - chapter 33 is electrical but I don't see wiring diagrams at first glance

 

Thank you BroRunner! I'm digging into this now... fingers crossed

 

Oh man that sucks hard core. Glad you found the mouse stuff before it got worse. Make sure to put mouse traps in your car just in case and try and find the entrance and seal it off.

Anyways I know this sounds like common sense but what about just wiring to the matching colors since it appears each cable is color coated? I know that is not always as easy said as done since some of the colors can look the same.

How many wires did they chew through? If not many you can try to strip the wires back that were chewed and just wire them together temporarily to make sure it works.

I wish you the best of luck. Here is the website I use but I don’t believe it has electrical specs:
http://www.to4runner.net/toyota_4runner_service_manual-242.html

 

Thanks for the reply GrantA.

It's hard to tell how many they got because they were all melted together. Five or six anyway... I cut the damaged wires out and soldered new ones in. But it hasn't fixed anything and I don't want to dig any deeper! I can start the thing so I can drive it, sans dashboard, but at least I can get to work. I've got 10 miles of very rough road in and out of here, so hopefully things don't get worse!

 

I have cold beer in the fridge and it's probably not a good idea to start on that right now!

Ho Lee Crap, my poor brain is on overload with this mess.

I sure appreciate the links guys but dang, this isn't my specialty!

 

An update.

I pulled the cowl wiring harness apart and found a few chewed on and melted wires. I pinned tested them and yup, they were definitely the problem.

So I bypassed them with new wires, reconnected everything and still nothing. No power windows, door locks, turn signals or brake lights. But it started and ran and I needed to get to work!

Half way down the mountain to the nearest town it lost power and started to backfire, but it still ran, sort of.

I made it to my bro's place where it died completely. Thankfully he had a car I can borrow so I made it to work!

I am so stumped by this... Is it the ECM that's fried now? I'm thinking it is, so I called the only auto wrecker in the area that specializes in Toyota's, looking for a used ECM.

Well f*** me gently with a wire brush, because it's a rare 2.7 4 banger and 5 speed they don't have any. And Toyota wants almost a grand for a new one! I found a couple on fleabay but I don't trust anything electronic from there.

So, does anyone here have any ideas? Or even a good ECM for a 2000 4Runner with said 2.7 / 5 speed?

 

"I called the only auto wrecker in the area that specializes in Toyota's, looking for a used ECM. they don't have any"

Most of those guys network. Ask them if they'll put out a request for one. just thinking out loud

 

You're right, they do network. He didn't say if he would do that though...

He's a "new Canadian" who just bought the old owners out, he barely speaks English and I don't think he knows what he's doing!

I'll call him again tomorrow and put the bug in his ear...

 

YotaYard.com is a good recovery yard. They have a ton of parts.
4RunnerHouse.com. Joey is a great guy, and smart as a whip. He specializes in 1st-3rd gen toyotas. He also takes any wrecked Toyotas he can get his hands on, and strips them completely. In his spare time, what little he has, he makes, ground up, racing Toyotas for people. For the right price, of course. He's darn good at it, too. He also hes some threads over on YotaTech forums. He will respond to entries in them, eventually.

Use phone to call them, don't rely on their email systems. You'll get better response that way.

A thought, though: Before you go to replace the ECU, which is pricey, no doubt, try tracing the wires that go to it to their other ends. Look for chewed, melted, etc wires. The trouble with the ECU may be nothing more than mouse damaged wiring. Those little buggers get all over the place. It only takes 2 wires touching to make big problems!

Good luck to ya!
Pat☺