another tundra problem

[ClownColor]

Two winters ago my brand new Toyota Tundra went into it's infamous "limp mode". Supposedly a software patch fixed that.

Now I'm experiencing rough starts in the cold weather. I was hoping it was a bad battery, but after replacing it...the problem still exists.

So...I take to the internet for help. I've discovered that many many many tundra owners have experienced this...all with flex fuel engines. Somehow the engine thinks its getting e85 so it starts different.

Is there anything I can do to reset this? This Toyota is not making me feel secure about this purchase...I just don't trust it, and its almost brand new with under 50k.

Oh, and I've never put e85 in my truck. Never.

[Mr.Seaguar]

How is it with door dings. My wife has a 2013 Avalon that a kid did $700 dollars damage bringing her groceries to the car. Friggin tinfoil.

[ClownColor]

I read i shoukd fill a tank with e85, then run a tank of zero ethenal to zero the sensor. Is non-oxy zero ethenal and is that safe to run in modern vehicles?

[aanderud]

I read i shoukd fill a tank with e85, then run a tank of zero ethenal to zero the sensor. Is non-oxy zero ethenal and is that safe to run in modern vehicles?

Yes, non-oxy is zero ethanol. Should be plenty' safe' to run in any vehicle that consumes gasoline. However, it's not legal in modern vehicles. It's only legal to use for off-road vehicles, small engines, and collector cars from days long ago that weren't designed to handle ethanol. That being said, I don't know if they're going to send the gas station's CCTV video in and hunt you down for trying a tank out to clear up your computer...who knows though.

[ClownColor]

Well, I inserted e85 into my tank...something I never wanted to do, and the truck started fine. I guess I'll go public and say I'll be running non-oxy in my next tank. Bring it on fuzz...

This truck is beginning to be a joke...and definetly not desinged for cold weather use.

[srj]

There is a TSB to fix your problem. Some of the flex fuel engines are affected, most not. Mine was....very annoying but the fix only takes a minute when the tech hooks up his computer and does the TSB.

[Jeremy airjer W]

T-SB-0058-13. Covered under the federal emissions warranty for 8 years/80,000.

The PCM is reflashed with better logic to help or eliminate this condition.

[ClownColor]

T-SB-0058-13. Covered under the federal emissions warranty for 8 years/80,000.

The PCM is reflashed with better logic to help or eliminate this condition.

Good info and thanks. Let's hope it "fixes" the problem. Been reading that the problems seems to reoccur.

[delcecchi]

How does the truck know what kind of fuel has been added? Does it figure it out by how the engine is running? Lean, rich, etc?

[ClownColor]

How does the truck know what kind of fuel has been added? Does it figure it out by how the engine is running? Lean, rich, etc?

Good question but yes, it has sensors that monitor the gas blend. I'm not 100% sure "how" but I think it takes vapor sample?????

Just talked with the service rep at a local toyota sensor. He said there is a reflash fix...but only if the computer shows a code that it had a problem. Get this, written in the reflash procedure, it stated that a code may or maynot be present????

I never had a service light some on. But it's obviously this problem cause as soon as I put e85 into the vehicle, it started to start just fine. Sounds like it'll be a battle to get this resolve. I'll keep you posted after I go there today.

[srj]

For what it's worth, I never ran E85 either. The sensor is in the tank and determines the percent of alky. My tech told me the sensor works fine, the main computer needed the new programming. It seems I had the first and only problem in my area last year (truck is a 2012). The tech applied the TSB software update and it was fixed....until this year with the first cold spell. Back in and the update was applied again. Fixed. I was told that last year the update likely wasn't completely installed. Whatever. It was annoying, but the truck is perfect again. I do hope it doesn't act up again next year even if it only takes a minute to fix.

This is my third Tundra and first hiccup of any kind. You shouldn't get any guff about getting the TSB installed. If you do, maybe go to a different dealer.

[ClownColor]

Great...that's kind of what I read online. Its a temp fix.

Well, its going to be great wondering if it'll start every winter!

[ClownColor]

UPDATED:

After over 4 hours of them messing around doing who knows what, the truck has been reflashed.

First it took an hour for them to diagnos the problem. Then since they had to complete the reflash and "ADD 3 GALLONS OF GAS" to complete the fix, it took the tech over ONE HOUR (actual time over one hour unknown cause I had to leave at that point) to go 15 miles so they could fill atleast 3 gallons of gas (truck on only 30 miles on fresh fill up so they want at least 45 miles gone thru the tank so they could put 3 new gallons in once reflashed). OVER AN HOUR! I bailed out cause I had to go to work for a little while since original is was only supposed to take 1 hour to fix. What a joke. God only knows what the service tech was out doing in my truck for over an hour. Service manager was a pompus [PoorWordUsage].

Anyways, truck is fixed (not gauranteed though). He stated there were cases when people had to come back. AWESOME! (joking)

[TR21HP]

Check for McDonalds wrappers under the seat.

[srj]

I know of 2 others who had the software update last year with no problems this year and several others that didn't have the problem period. Hope you are done with your troubles. Your experience at the dealer sounds like you need a different shop. Last year, being the first time doing the update, I was probably at the shop for 10 minutes max. THis year, I didn't have time to finish a cup of coffee. I wouldn't be very happy with your experience. Too weird.