Mystery HICAS Issues

[jlabsurf]

Here goes a long and probably hard to follow list of another ATESSA/HICAS thats going on with the car.

So whenever I put my 4WD fuses back in the car to run ATESSA I get issues with my HICAS light coming on every 10 seconds or so and then I could feel my steering jerk/get heavy for about half a second whenever the light came on.

When I'd pull my 4WD fuses I wouldn't have the issue of the HICAS light coming on every 10 seconds anymore and I could drive fine with perfectly fine power steering and everything would be fine apart from not having atessa working or abs.

I finally decided to install a GKTech lockbar yesterday and ever since I have I'm running into even more issues. Now with the lockbar installed my HICAS light will come on for ~3-4 seconds at a time very sporadically and the steering jerks/gets heavy for no apparent reason. Also my cars headlights will get dim and my idle will drop randomly along with these issues. Only since installing the lockbar.

What the hell is going on? There's no way these issues can all be related can they? Power steering fluid is topped up and I've googled so much but cant seem to find whats going on. 

I know this thread is a lot but I really appreciate the help.

[GTSBoy]

Get the codes out of it and find out what it is unhappy about.

[jlabsurf]

HICAS wont go into diagnostic mode. No matter how many times I've tried (100+).

[Duncan]

unless your location is incorrect, you have the major benefit of a billion mechanics nearby with consult tools. I would start with that for sure.

when you installed the lock bar, what did you do with the hicas solenoids in the engine bay, and the power steering pump's second port?

The idle dropping and headlights diming is almost certainly due to the power steering pump activating and adding drag to the engine. With the steering rack there is a pressure switch where if you turn the wheels the ECU ups the idle. I'm not familiar with HICAS but presumably when it is pumping fluid the same issue occurs (ie, the ECU needs to know to keep the revs up)

 

[GTSBoy]

39 minutes ago, Duncan said:

unless your location is incorrect, you have the major benefit of a billion mechanics nearby with consult tools. I would start with that for sure.

This, and more of this. The smart approach to codes is scan tools. You cannot make a system go into diagnostic mode if the song and dance required to make it do so relies on one of the inputs that might need diagnosis.

[jlabsurf]

While there are a lot of places around here that can take a look at the car it is illegal for Japanese dealerships and/or mechanics to work on cars that are illegally modified. Basic mods or even stickers on windows make a car illegal here. You will not pass JCI/shaken inspection with these and you will get denied anytime you try and get work done on your car. These people do not take risks with the law out here. 
 

That being said, being in a very remote part of Japan it is up to myself to fix these issues. I know that the car has to make up for the power steering pump when you turn your wheels but it still happens even when the car is sitting still with the wheels straight forward. 
 

for the lines I used the nuts and fittings they supply in the gktech kit to block off the lines at the end near the rear hicas pump. Nothing done with the hicas solenoids. It’s very hard to find 10mm power steering line here so I am waiting for some to come from online so I can loop the power steering pump and delete a bunch of the junk. 
 

[jlabsurf]

A similar issue was still happening before I even installed the lockbar just in a different fashion. Hicas light would come on for a second every 5 seconds or so whenever I had the 4WD fuses in.  

[GTSBoy]

Borrow a scan tool. Pay deposit. Walk it around the corner. Use it. Take it back. Take a mechanic with you if they won't let it out of their sight.