4Runner PCS malfunction

[tangobravogarage]

I’m down in the San Juan’s for the week with the family and was up in Silverton exploring Corkscrew, Hurricane, and California passes earlier today. As I’m coming into Animas Forks my 5th gen 4Runner starts beeping at me that the Pre-collision system has malfunctioned and the dashboard has multiple alerts flashing. I stopped the truck, cleaned the radar sensor on the grill, but it wouldn’t go away. Adding insult to injury I realized my steering wheel was out of alignment too. Ugh. I only hit one or two rocks .

I made it back to where we’re camping at Vallecito Res. Despite the wheel being crooked, it runs straight and doesn’t pull to either side.

I’m gonna disconnect the battery tomorrow morning, check the fuses, clean the windshield near the camera sensor to see if that’ll clear the PCS issue.

Has anybody experienced this with a newer 4Runner or Taco? Can anybody recommend a good alignment shop in Durango? I don’t want to chew my tires up on the drive home on Thu.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Pz10420]

Hi Tom,
I don't know squat about anything on yotas less than 20 years old. But I would bet that you bent a tierod or something and the computer is seeing differing wheel speeds that it is not happy about and that is what is triggering the issue or perhaps it knows the steering wheel is no longer centered? I would also give a good look to make sure no wiring got got pinched or crushed down low near the wheels as well.

 

[HDavis]

It could be something as simple as doing a zero-point calibration or a broken wire to the wheel speed sensor. Ive done it on our Land Cruiser and a Lexus sedan but never a 4runner, but it appears to be the same process.

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/293712-yaw-rate-acceleration-sensor-zero-point-calibration-regular-people.html

 

[RDub]

We had a similar festival of stability control lights suddenly pop up on our 4th gen 4Runner. It has different systems than yours, and the steering wheel being off center after your drives is probably the real clue, but on ours after I did a zero point cal and a ton of other diagnostics it turned out that the gas cap was loose. Tightened the cap and everything went back to normal. I had to reset a code or two on the diagnostic bus with a simple code scanner, but it was the evap system that caused all the lights to go on. Maybe worth a check.

 

[AimCOTaco]

The fact the wheel is off center when driving straight suggests something moved and an alignment shop is a good idea.

I expect the steering angle sensor is freaking out from the unplanned adjustment and may or may not need a re-set after the alignment issue is corrected.

Rock on!

 

[tangobravogarage]

Quick update (and resolution). I limped the truck back to Denver last Thu and took it to Lakewood Alignment this morning. They confirmed it was just the steering gear that skipped. They did an alignment and cleared up the whole PCS malfunction thing. $115 out the door. No need to go to the dealership. Unbelievable. They've done alignments for me previously, and I can't recommend them enough.

 

[twentyfooteighty]

Quick update (and resolution). I limped the truck back to Denver last Thu and took it to Lakewood Alignment this morning. They confirmed it was just the steering gear that skipped. They did an alignment and cleared up the whole PCS malfunction thing. $115 out the door. No need to go to the dealership. Unbelievable. They've done alignments for me previously, and I can't recommend them enough.

They usually get all my alignment business.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Quick update (and resolution). I limped the truck back to Denver last Thu and took it to Lakewood Alignment this morning. They confirmed it was just the steering gear that skipped. They did an alignment and cleared up the whole PCS malfunction thing. $115 out the door. No need to go to the dealership. Unbelievable. They've done alignments for me previously, and I can't recommend them enough.

They usually get all my alignment business.

Glad you got it figured out! And for a reasonable price too! I’ve been going to Lakewood alignment for years. They have always done a great job for me.

Lakewood Alignment & Brake Service · Lakewood, Colorado

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