[BWags]

I figured I'd stop being an ungrateful lurking bastard and contribute a bit to the community-

When I came home from work yesterday I had to park on a hill outside my building with the e-brake. We also had some heavy, cold rain last night. This morning when I went to go to work, my ABS and Traction Contol / Skid light were both on and solid. It was like that the entire way to work, including after I turned it off at convenience store and one more time in the parking lot at work.

I was pretty perturbed as I am going to be traveling a lot over the next two weeks and do not have time to stop by the dealer. I searched over here and at TS and couldn't find anyone else with the exact same problem; the closest I found included some other flashing lights and was due to a faulty wheel speed sensor.

Anyway, I went out into the parking lot, checked the gas cap (one proposed solution)- didn't work. I didn't notice any loose or corroded wires. I unplugged the battery (another proposed solution), came back into work, waited a half hour, then went out and plugged it in again- didn't work. Then I decided to turn it on, dropped it into 4WD and drove it around the building twice, popped it back in 2WD and... PRESTO CHANGE-O. Fixed. Turned off the ignition and re-started it, lights stayed off. I feel like a motherloving magician.

 

[tundrafromtherock]

Are your lights staying off?

 

[wildbill23c]

That don't make any sense at all, but glad it worked. This is what happens when you get over-complicated nonsense electronics in things that they don't belong in.

I had a similar issue but had every idiot light on the dash lit up, that was after my bright idea to run some seafoam through the truck...umm well with my 1999 dodge ram 1500 318 v8, I just unhooked the brake booster vacuum line, figured I could do that on the tundra....oh hell no don't do that, it resulted in a simple check engine light. Ok, no big deal, a friend of mine had one of those scanner things to read codes he says bring it over. He neglects to tell me until he plugs it in, that its some programmer deal for his truck, well instead of it just going into the code reader, it powers up and starts trying to program the computer in my truck. Ok, now this is where all the dash lights come on LOL. I called the dealer and they had to do a zero calibration on the truck to reset everything, that cost $95. Learned my lesson don't do anything with these over-electronic vehicles it will cost you.

Still don't understand why putting your truck in 4WD then back into 2WD would fix those lights being on though LOL. Glad it worked, but makes me wonder what kind of electrical gremlins these trucks will have in 10-15+ years.

 

[Toxarch]

I don't get how it worked but glad you got it "fixed".

 

[BWags]

Are your lights staying off?

Haven't had a problem since.

 

[Rusty Bed]

Thanks for posting! Little things like this help. I know the 4wd, abs, and traction control all link together as a system so something as simple as a switch position or stuck sensor can cause crap like this to happen. Better something simple.
I had mine go crazy with flashing 4wd light, traction, etc. Thought I was looking at 2-4k of repairs. Started checking the electrical first and found that my 4wd selector switch had broken apart. $50 for new switch and 10 minutes to install.😎