Estima

[1doitmy5elf]

Hi.

I recently brought a couple of Estima, both diesel. One is a 4WD, both the same year, so most of the parts are interchangeable. They need some repair to get them warranted, and re - registered as both have been off the road for over 2 years.

I've had both motors going and given them a good driving test of around 50 km, and by the soundz of things, everything runs ok. The 2WD which I am working on was almost ready for the pre-registration check, and while I was test driving it, I smelt a burning plastic smell then the smell went away and stopped, and again everything started regularly and seemingly ok

I parked it up and went away for the weekend, and when I got back the battery was dead. I recharged it, then put it in the car, and tried to start it. It tried to start, then stopped trying, and the glow plug relay made a clicking sound, which when I tested, proved that the on and off switch was constantly switching alternate-over (on & off) (though it isn't broken, as I used the relay out of the 4WD to test and both work... so the problem is something else). The ignition lights no longer switch on, and I found out that the whole car takes on a positive charge instead of the norm --earth. I'm theorising that somewhere along the wiring circuitry, one of the positive wires has fused to the chassis or something that is causing it to earth. so naturally when the battery is hooked up as per normal, a short is created and the juice of the battery by-passes all the circuits and discharges; just like hooking a wire across your battery from the positive terminal to the negative terminal (I'm also theorising that it must be one of the main {white} wire lines that has fused as the amount of by-passing current is huge).

A symptom that there is a short like the one I've described is that the negative lead that connects to the battery heats up.

So, I have a circuit tester, but I can't use it the normal way as the entire car has a positive charge. So I've had to develop a unique way to eliminate the likely causes, using the other car to test the parts as well. i.e. leave only the positive battery terminal connected, disconnect where I suspect the fault lies and then with my tester, which is earthed on the battery itself and then touch anything that is normally earth on the car to see if the light switches on. everything I've tested so far aluminates the light.

I can't find a circuit diagram for the estima, let alone a workshop manual. And I've been everywhere I can think of, and used all the google tricks too.

I've started investigating likely shorts, and have tested all the easily accessed places and all the obvious likely candidates, slowly going through the lot and eliminating them as causes one by one. Short of going through the entire wiring to isolate the problem, I was hoping that someone here may have a circuit diagram, or know where I can get one? Or may have suggestions as to where I might find the fault?

I’m also thinking that the fault may lie in the glow plug area, but I don’t know where that circuitry is, or where the glow plug is located. If anyone could help me please? If worst comes to worst, I’m going to have to remove the plastic cover and go through the entire circuit, and trace back all the main feed lines. There’s one more test I can make which can eliminate about two 3rds of the entire circuit, or one 3rd depending on the results.

P.S. I've tested the entire control box, there's no problem there.

any help is welcomed, thanks,

Cheers,

Another do it yourselfer

[1doitmy5elf]

I manage to isolate the faulty wire, now I just need to find where along its line, the fault occured.

anyone know the wire code of Toyota? what is the blue&white main positive wire feed? Is it ignition? it feeds directly from the positive terminal (battery).

well, at least I was able to find the fault wire, and without opening any of the wire casing. are there any bodys here that has a bit of knowhow? the best would be a blemmin diagram and even suppliers can't get the blemmen things.

[1doitmy5elf]

Gee, what a helpful bunch.

has anyone in here ever tried to remove the dash from an estima? a bugger of a job. don't recommend doing it yourself, unless you have a visual photographic memory to put it back together, cause its damn impossible to get a manual. and you better have a bit of nouse and good tools too, because there are a number of tricky jobs.

yeah well, I found the problem wire, and it just happened to be the most difficult of all blemmin wire to get at. not only was it behind the dash, but it was also behind the airconditioning and heater unit.

if anyone ever wants to know a bit about this model, I can and do help.

[john & lynley]

Gee, what a helpful bunch.

has anyone in here ever tried to remove the dash from an estima? a bugger of a job. don't recommend doing it yourself, unless you have a visual photographic memory to put it back together, cause its damn impossible to get a manual. and you better have a bit of nouse and good tools too, because there are a number of tricky jobs.

yeah well, I found the problem wire, and it just happened to be the most difficult of all blemmin wire to get at. not only was it behind the dash, but it was also behind the airconditioning and heater unit.

if anyone ever wants to know a bit about this model, I can and do help.

sounds like you have had a mission yes i have had the dash out of a estima i thought it was quite easy once you sused it

[yodeller]

Gee, what a helpful bunch.

has anyone in here ever tried to remove the dash from an estima? a bugger of a job. don't recommend doing it yourself, unless you have a visual photographic memory to put it back together, cause its damn impossible to get a manual. and you better have a bit of nouse and good tools too, because there are a number of tricky jobs.

yeah well, I found the problem wire, and it just happened to be the most difficult of all blemmin wire to get at. not only was it behind the dash, but it was also behind the airconditioning and heater unit.

if anyone ever wants to know a bit about this model, I can and do help.

Hi!

Well, it's a bit of a time since you posted this - you might have sold the Estima and cleared off by now!

But - it's not a unique problem.

I've not had the heater / aircon working for over a year because there is a short somewhere. I've ended up running new wires to all the heater parts I can find, but I still have not found the fault itself.

Now I have a break in the wire going form the ignition switch to the solenoid valve and te ECU. I think it's somewhere behind the dash!

If you have any hints on taking the dash off, and where your wire was shorting I'd love to know.

Was it caused by the wire being trapped or worn away?

Oh, sorry about not being able to speak Aussie - Poms get everywhere - even here in Austria.

Thanks,

Yodeller

[1doitmy5elf]

Gee, what a helpful bunch.

has anyone in here ever tried to remove the dash from an estima? a bugger of a job. don't recommend doing it yourself, unless you have a visual photographic memory to put it back together, cause its damn impossible to get a manual. and you better have a bit of nouse and good tools too, because there are a number of tricky jobs.

yeah well, I found the problem wire, and it just happened to be the most difficult of all blemmin wire to get at. not only was it behind the dash, but it was also behind the airconditioning and heater unit.

if anyone ever wants to know a bit about this model, I can and do help.

Hi!

Well, it's a bit of a time since you posted this - you might have sold the Estima and cleared off by now!

But - it's not a unique problem.

I've not had the heater / aircon working for over a year because there is a short somewhere. I've ended up running new wires to all the heater parts I can find, but I still have not found the fault itself.

Now I have a break in the wire going form the ignition switch to the solenoid valve and te ECU. I think it's somewhere behind the dash!

If you have any hints on taking the dash off, and where your wire was shorting I'd love to know.

Was it caused by the wire being trapped or worn away?

Oh, sorry about not being able to speak Aussie - Poms get everywhere - even here in Austria.

Thanks,

Yodeller

You're in for a bit of a challenge. to get the dash out, you have to remove the windscreen. then just cut through the glue that was used to attach the dash, where the dash meets the windscreen & body to which it's attached.

once you get that off, you'll have access to remove the brace that secures the ACU, and you also have to remove the hoses and the bolts under the hood. you'll need some glue to reseal the hoses when you put the unit back together.. so the hoses are sealed inplace -you need to carefully break that seal to remove the unit.

Assuming the short is behind the ACU.

Yeah, mine happened to be the small wire that feeds power to the relay/starter, such that it was earthed to the chasis. it happened to run behind the ACU, and was a B**TARD to get to.

[Icarus Falls]

Just letting any interested know that My Toyota Estima - after years of great service - is being auctioned this Thursday (2nd December) at Action Auctions in Bendigo. It is a '93 automatic Turbo Diesel Import with the hotbox, electric curtained windows, 2 moon roofs, central locking, seat warmers, sonar (front right not there any more). It is in full working order (needing a service and the cabin moon roof is currently disconnected) and I'm only getting rid of it as it is simply too big with a reduced family. (Certainly a heart breaking decision). Could be used for parts if you want. If you're interested, the address is: Action Auction Bendigo Jewell Ct, Bendigo East VIC 3550 (03) 5442 5044 ‎ actionauction.com.au.