2004 Tacoma Truck ABS light on Easy fix?

Hello forum,
I'm in the market for a first gen Tacoma crew cab, the truck that I'm looking at is a 2004 TRD Tacoma 4WD 6 cylinder truck. The only issue is that the ABS light is on. What does this means and from your experience will this be an expensive or complicated repair?

Thank you for your help.

 

It means your ABS system is not working .

Could be as simple as a broken wire at a sensor or the very expensive computer valve or something in between.

Getting the ABS Code pulled will point you in the correct direction.

 

Thanks for your response.
The current owners says he has had that light for years and he has never bothered to have it looked at. He says the truck runs and brakes with no issues.

 

A lot of people disable the ABS on these trucks on purpose (usually for offroading reasons), I would start with checking the fuse for it and going from there. But getting the code pulled is probably your best bet. I personally wouldn't let it deter me from buying a truck if it met all my other requirements.

 

Take it to a mechanic for a pre-sale inspection. It'll cost you a bit, but the inspection can save your wallet. Be sure the mechanic writes down any needed repairs or maintenance.

Definitely, take it for a test drive. Make sure all the systems work.

Open hood, check fluid conditions and look for leaks.

Slide under it, look for substantial rust or leaks.

As said, the ABS could be nearly anything from simple (low $$) or complex (big $$). Its a gamble until diagnosed and repair quoted.

If this were me, I'd walk. ABS brake issues are serious safety issues.

 

Of course he does. He's the seller. Although I'm not sure what 'it runs' means related to ABS issues.

And he is assuming that not having ABS is not an issue for a buyer. Only you know that answer.

Looks like a Fl vehicle, so no inspection to fail.

But if I was a betting man, my bet would be he had a repair estimate at one time and opted out. Meaning it was one of the pricier bits, like the brain.

My suggestion would be to pay for a professional inspection (of the whole vehicle) and ask them to pull the code and make a repair estimate as part of that inspection. Then at the very least lower your offer by the repair amount.

 

Yes, it could be a one of two fuses under the hood (less than $20 to fix) or the ABS module, which is over $1200 new. Hard to find used and if you pulled one from a junkyard, it's a gamble if it works anyway.

 

For what it’s worth, the abs in these trucks does more harm than good in my opinion. I pulled the fuse and the light so it could reliably stop in slick conditions and would never go back.

 

Thank you guys for your responses, it feels great to be a part of this community. If you know of any crew cab 1st gen for sale in Florida, please send them my way.

 

This question probably has been asked before, how do you know or how can you tell if the truck is a real TRD edition or not. People can just put a vinyl TRD sticker to it. I've read that a real TRD 1st gen has rear differentail lock, and tokiko shocks. Can there be a TRD 1st gen truck with no rear diff lock?

 

First time you need a panic brake and steering to avoid a collision. When your wheels begin skidding and control is lost.........you'll be wishing for the fuse and a working ABS system.

Stopping distance has been proven many times over. ABS allows the vehicle to stop in less distance, regardless of the road surface or tires. A skidding wheel has less friction with the road than a rolling wheel. Look up the differences between STATIC and DYNAMIC friction. This is a physics thing.

 

Yes there was a version of the TRD package that did not include the e-locker, but it was rare...usually found on the 4cyl models.

I would say 99% of the time you see a TRD 1st gen, it should have the e-locker otherwise it's probably not a real TRD. Especially if it has the 3.4l v6

Run the VIN and that will verify. I wouldn't go based off the shocks as by now, the shocks should have been replaced or they will most likely need replacing. Only real perk to the TRD package was the e-locker.

 

I just ran the Vin, what indication should I look for?

 

Should be listed as a TRD model, at least I would think. Or if you plug it into the Toyota owners website it should tell you there.

https://www.toyota.com/owners/my-vehicle/vehicle-specification

 

Excellent, great source of info. I just ran it and it comes up as Grade: Prerunner. I did not see TRD anywhere in this report.

 

If you have photos of the truck, you can also verify by looking for the RR Diff lock button which should be to the left of the steering wheel on the dash.

The rear diff will also have the e-locker actuator housing on the outside of it which will confirm either way.

 

Yes, I did look for the RR Diff lock button on the left of the steering but I did not see it.

 

Ya sounds like someone just put the TRD stickers on the besides then

 

I appreciate your input and you are correct that a rolling tire has more traction than a skidding tire. I will not argue with that. but I drive in the snow every winter and prefer to disable abs in vehicles for winter driving conditions. It’s just my preference. While brake pedal modulation can’t control individual tires from locking up, controlled stab braking or just good modulation of your brake pedal creates, in my opinion, a more controllable panic stop scenario. Driving without abs isn’t for everyone, but is very safe if you’re competent enough to drive without it. Also, I wasn’t arguing about abs in the general sense. The first gen’s abs system is less safe for my driving style, which admittedly is more aggressive than your average consumer. I think the biggest problem with the abs system on the 1st gen is that it treats both brakes on the rear axle as one unit (there’s only one brake line coming off the frame past the proportioning valve on the frame to the rear axle), which drastically reduces the braking effectiveness of the rear tires when the abs is activated.

EDIT: More than anything, I like being able to lock up my brakes if I choose to throw the vehicle around in a corner if things start to go sideways (no pun intended).

 

@ToyotaDriver

Well, drive as you wish. There are many driver's in the snow belt running on ABS every day on all types of winter road conditions.

I would urge you to avoid advocating the disabling of a proven safety brake system solely based on your preference.

BTW, many of us ol' coots learned to drive in RWD vehicles on bias plies and drums on all 4 in snow, snow pack, ice, black ice......., well before the advent of ABS on common vehicles. The new driver's do not have the same level of skill.