FRS Electronics shutting off for split second?
 

I've had my FRS since August. The following problem has occurred 5 times. Once Friday, Three times Sunday and once this morning.

When driving, the car jerks and all the electronics shut off for about a half a second. Then they all come back on. All the lights light up just like you are starting the car. The car then drives normally.

The first time it happened, I was pulling out of first gear.
The 2nd time I was accelerating going about 60 on an interstate ramp.
Third and fourth times I was coming to a stop.
5th time I was accelerating from a stop.

Has anyone had a problem like this? I don't really know how to replicate the issue.

I'm taking it to Toyota tomorrow.

It hasn't happened to me (owned since last August). It only (almost) happens when I get dangerously close to stalling. Does your RPMs dip really low and your engine starts sounding really grumpy?

However, you said that it also happened when you were accelerating. That's definitely an issue so yes, bring it in.

Assuming you have a M/T. 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th times sound like you're almost stalling the car. Give it a bit more gas when you're rolling from a stop. Sounds like you're letting off the clutch pedal without enough gas. When you're slowing down, you may be letting your engine RPM drop too low by leaving it in a higher gear, or depressing the clutch too late. No idea about your 2nd time.

That's what I thought after the first time. I thought I just screwed up and stalled it. I wasn't paying any attention.

The time when it did this when I was decelerating, I was only going about 5 mph and the car was in neutral. There's no way I stalled it.

The tachometer drops to 0 when this happens, but I'm not so sure the engine is stalling.

I've been driving a manual for 12 years now. I know I'm not stalling it, but I have no clue where the problem could be coming from.

You may not have been but the car was most likely very close to stalling. When my car was new the car would have a fluctuating idle and come very close to stalling on its own every so often, even when decelerating.

Hmmm, It does have a really rough idle when I'm sitting at stoplights.

That could have something to do with it. I wonder why it just started though?

Take it to the dealership and hope they fail trying to fix it 3 times. Start the lemon process and get the new model without the problems. Good luck.

check that the battery terminals are tight

If it feels like someone just unplugged the car for a second then plugged it back in, I had this happen on a car a few years back. Even after a dozen trips to the dealer (under warranty) no one could ever figure it out. They guessed it had to be something electrical shorting out but could never track it down. And the circumstances when it would occur were never consistant.

It made me crazy to wonder when it would happen next so I ended up dumping the car. I hope you have better luck with yours. At least the diagnostic technology is better today.

Toyota fixed the issue.

Somehow the metal battery holder came loose and came into contact with the positive battery terminal.

Not sure how that happened as I never touched that piece.