Truck Starts Then Dies in 2-3 Seconds

Hey guys new here. I've been having on and off problems with my truck for a few months now. It is a 2013 TRD Sport V6 with around 140k miles on it. One morning it wouldn't start so I had the local mechanic look at it and he replaced the fuel pump. Everything ran normal for about a month or so and then the truck started and died within 2-3 seconds. I cleaned to MAF and it didn't fix the issue so I had the mechanic look at it again, this time he replaced the MAF. Same thing, it ran fine for about a week and then the same problem occurred, starting then dying.This time I thought I'd have the local Toyota dealer look at it (big mistake). They took a month to essentially clean the fuel lines/tank and put a new filter in, told me contamination caused it. Ran fine for 5 days and I woke up to it starting and dying again. Does anyone know what could be causing this? I really don't want to deal with anymore mechanics that don't fix the actual problem. Thanks!

 

What kind of gas are you putting in it? It almost sounds like you're getting contaminated gas and repeatedly clogging things up.

 

Welcome to TW @Tacoguy1993 !

I hate to say it, but @Too Stroked idea sounds like what the issue is.

Each shop you have had work on it, seems to play with a different section of the fuel system. It is almost all new now, yet the same issue?

You have no dash lights on? Error codes would help narrow it down. Did you have any dash lights and error codes before getting the work done?

The more information you supply to us here, the better chance of getting the correct answer in the end.

 

Start and stall symptom certainly could be a fuel delivery issue. You could try monitoring fuel pressure. I believe there’s a resistor, it’s bypassed during starting and a few seconds after started.

It could also be really worn spark plugs, I’ve seen that symptom with the gap worn too big.

 

I just use regular 87, but have since switched gas stations thinking they may have had a bad batch.

No dash lights. Doesn't even sputter or anything, just starts then dies right after.

I will check the resistor and the spark plugs.

 

I had a similar issue with mine ended up being spark plugs. That's the first thing i would have checked with the symptoms im hearing. Also fuel pump but you've already been down that road.

 

Air leak.

 

Key issue? Sometimes when keys go bad or whatever for the security system, this will make a vehicle start and stall instantly…? Once you put the key in the ignition does the red security light stop blinking. Without knowing anymore info, we’re just guessing at this rate. Try a different key is the easiest thing?

 

Spare key didn't work.

 

I had an issue like this in a different truck not Toyota and it ended up being an ECM issue. It was not communicating properly with the fuel delivery system but that is a much older truck too. I'd go for what @Waasheem suggested. Good luck!

 

I'm changing the spark plugs as we speak (way past due anyways). I would figure that would be the first thing checked but neither mechanic mentioned it. Hopefully it helps, if not it needed it done anyways.

 

Fuel pump resistor.

Its located between the battery and front driver headlight, grey box. Unplug it and use a piece of wire to jump the two pins on the harness side (or pull the fuel pump relay in the fuse box and jump pins 3 and 4)

 

My 2012 did this last year while driving. Was the fuel pump resistor. Mechanic couldnt get one from Toyota, so put in some other resistor and worked like a charm, for 6 months. Bought the expensive Toyota one, and still going strong.

 

Changed spark plugs and it started right up. Drove down the road and it died in the middle of the drive. Luckily i could start it again and get it home, going to check the resistor now.

 

As others stated, look into the fuel pump resistor. You can do it!

 

See here for “where and what”
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/truck-dies-after-a-few-seconds.721665/page-2#post-25699152

 

Kinda hard to tell for now since it will start but when I unplugged the fuel pump resistor and tried to start it without the jumper (to see what it sounded like) it sounded almost identical to what it's been doing so its a good guess that the resistor is bad.

 

If you jump it, and it runs good.
That helps confirm even more it is the resistor.
Or test it. But testing it doesn’t always mean it’s “good”.
Some fail when hot, and read good when cold. Or the other way around.

Test procedure
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fuel-pump-resistor.701103/#post-24849664

 

Thanks for the test procedure! I will do this now

 

The reason why it will start for a bit is when you turn the key on the pump is primed at full voltage (circumventing the resistor) then shortly after starting it goes to the low power mode through the resistor.