NEED HELP!! 2010 Tacoma Won't Cold Start

[GJStringert]

Hey guys I could really use some help. I have scoured every forum I can think of and nobody seems to have any ideas on this.

My brother drives a 2010 Tacoma with about 110K miles on it. He lives in Laramie, WY and it has been VERY cold lately. Last week he was trying to start it one morning and it cranked and cranked (very fast, ie, healthy battery) but wouldn't light off. While it was cranking he said he was getting this "A/T Oil Temp" light on on the dashboard, along with the typical oil/battery/airbag lights. I would think this would only be for when the tranny gets too hot? It obviously wasn't, it was like 2 degrees. He hadit towed to the dealership and they pulled and replaced his MAF sensor and that resolved the problem until today. He tried to start it again and same thing, A/T Oil temp, battery, airbag and oil lights all on. It just cranks and cranks and won't light...

Things I've had him try:
-After he got it back from the dealer he took it and got some fresh 91 octane gas (it was only about 1/4 full so that should have ruled out bad gas).
-Fuel pump is new as of last January
-Pulled the MAF (it's only a week old, he said it still looked good)
-Checked tranny dipstick (he said it looked pretty good and red, and wasn't low)
-Tried the "turn key to ON for 30 secs, then start" trick (to try and run the fuel pump for a sec)
-Check battery connections (a little corroded but he wire brushed them so they should be good)

I think that's about it. I'll be up there this weekend for his birthday so I want to try and help him out. I'm most perplexed about that Tranny temp light I don't get why that is coming on if it's just too cold.

Maybe the alternator is on it's way out and this particular patern of lights is just code for that?

Sorry to intrude, I'm usually hanging out in the Fullsize forum, but I could use any advice you guys have!

Thanks a lot!

Graham

 

[Wolftaco]

Try posting this on tacomaworld forum. There are a few experts on that site, lol, that could probably help diagnose this problem real quick. Specifically Chris4X4 is the resident mechanic over there...

 

[toyrunner95]

i wonder if it has to do with viscosity tripping the AT sensor. find out what the stock trans fluid is. it may need to be winterized and its causing the truck to not start because its too thick. OR put a pan heater on it a shop light pointed up at it for a bit of time and see what happens

 

[GJStringert]

Thanks for the replies.

I have one of those magnetic oil pan heaters, I suppose I could stick that to the tranny and see what happens?

I had wondered something like that, maybe the fluid was so thick it was making the computer think something was wrong? I must admit some of the sensors and stuff in these new trucks is a bit over my head...

I'm getting up there this afternoon to have a look so I'll see what I can find and report back!

 

[Mrknowitall]

My 03 Tundra used to do something similar- wouldn't cool start on cold days. Fired right up with a little bit of pedal though. I'd raise hell w the dealership. Either their replacement sensor is junk (unlikely) or they replaced a sensor that wasn't causing the problem. Possible the truck started and ran for a while after getting warm in their shop? (Entirely!) That's a short life on a fuel pump, too. I think your brother might filling up w horrible fuel.

 

[JLee]

Yeah, I'm surprised the fuel pump went out that quickly. I replaced the pump in my '99 Tacoma in 2014 with ~280k miles and I believe it was OEM. I would check for spark and fuel pressure first.

 

[toyrunner95]

Thanks for the replies.

I had wondered something like that, maybe the fluid was so thick it was making the computer think something was wrong? I must admit some of the sensors and stuff in these new trucks is a bit over my head...

all the sensors do is retrieve data to give to the computer. if the data doesn't fall within a certain set of parameters its turns on a light or sends a fault code. thus putting the truck into a fault condition. kinda like when you touch something hot or luke warm. if its luke warm your brain says ok you can hold that. if its too hot your brain says don't do that stupid its hot!

 

[TheAbyss]

First, let me start by saying the dealership screwed your brother. Next time it doesn't start, get under the truck and bang on the tank. If that doesn't work, try starting fluid. If it fires on starting fluid, get a fuel pressure tester and do a fuel volume test. It will tell you if the pump is weak. Unless you know what kind of fuel pump was put it in, if the fuel filter was changed, and have noid lights to test the injector pulse, this is all i have for now. If the thing has an intermittent no start, the odds of it being a faulty MAF sensor are slim to none.

I've worked in dealerships for many years, including Toyota. I've seen them order parts from Autozone and sell them to customers as "OEM." Do not, under any circumstances, take your things to dealerships. You end up with a kid fresh out of tech school making $13.00 an hour diagnosing your rig and they couldn't tell you the 4 stages of a combustion engine, much less what a normal MAF reading is on a scan tool.

Let me know if neither the banging on the tank or starting fluid does not work and we can go from there.