This has probably been answered before, but I couldn't find what I was looking for when searching.

After my smash the other weekend I finally finished repairing my TF and I put the battery back in today and took her for a solid run from Brisbane to Ballina and back after work and everything is fine except for the idle

When I pull up at lights the idle fluctuates between 2000 and 500rpm a couple of times before dying and the car stops. I had the lights on when I got home and the all the instrument lighting and headlights dim quite badly before going back to normal and then not long after the cars dies again.

Anyone got any ideas on what it is and how to fix?

Alternator

The ecu will need to re-learn idle etc i gather,but is the battery OK?,because the alternator will never charge a flat battery,thats what battery chargers are for,put a meter on the alt to test it,battery should be about 12.5 when not running but around 13.8v to 14.4v when idling/running

The lights go dim because the car is about to stall!,check em both

Steve

another vote for battery/alternator

+1 for relearning

Mine did it to some extent but never stalled but sounds pretty similar.

my VRX had to relearn the other week, it was insanely dangerous really.. driving down the road it would just stall if i let off the accelerator, losing power steering and power assist braking. give it a good 30-40 minutes to learn.

my VRX had to relearn the other week, it was insanely dangerous really.. driving down the road it would just stall if i let off the accelerator, losing power steering and power assist braking. give it a good 30-40 minutes to learn.

yeah you just gotta ride the brakes a crapload with heaps of throttle, saves stalling.

Helps to leave the car to idle in the driveway for a good 10-15mins for the ECU to learn the idle, will still be a little too eager to stall but will correct itself over a few days.

Brisbane to Ballina and back is some 300 - 400 kms should have fixed the ECU by now ....its either the battery or the alternator. How long was that battery off?

When my Chaser shipped from Japan I had a similar problem it ended up being one of the sensors in the air intake, yes Toyotas are different , but it could be something to do with MAF / MAS

Cheers and good luck