The Toyota Land Cruiser is a desirable off-roader.
It has lots of tech and safety features that use various beeps, tones and chimes.
If your Land Cruiser keeps beeping and you’re confused why, this article is here to help.
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Toyota Land Cruiser Beeping
The most common causes of beeping on a Land Cruiser are the sunroof is open, a speed warning, the lights are on, aftermarket stereos, navigation alerts, dash cam beeps and weight on the passenger seat.
By process of elimination, you should be able to find the source of the beeps.
1. Sunroof Open
A very common cause of beeping on a Toyota Land Cruiser is that the sunroof is open and the key is turned OFF, if this is the case the beeping will come from the overhead console. To stop the beeps, simply close the sunroof.
This beep is most commonly associated with the JDM 80 models.
Land Cruiser owners on forum.ih8mud.com had this to say:
“Could be sun roof. Open the sun roof and take out the keys from ignition. It will give warning beeps.”
“I’d say it’s your sunroof. Check to see if the beep is coming from the overhead console. If so, your sunroof is open, or the electronics think it is still open.”
“Is your sunroof properly closed? On the 80 series there is a warning chime that alerts you when the sunroof not being fully closed.”
2. Speed Warning
On certain Land Cruiser models a warning beep will be emitted when you exceed speeds of 65 mph / 105 kph. If you notice the beeping occur when you reach these speeds then you will know what is causing it.
“Basically, there is a speed sensor that trips a buzzer over 105 km/h. Some sort of Japanese safety thing, I guess. Look under your dash to the left side of your steering wheel. You will see a small black square box with a few slots on one end (the buzzer end) and two wires attached to a connector on the other end. It is attached to a bracket with one bolt. Unplug and remove this box and the buzzing should go away.” – forum.ih8mud.com
“speed warning – beeps over ~107km/h” – forum.ih8mud.com
“Anyone know how to shut off the beep, beep in a 70 series. It seems to kick in over 105km/hr. What’s the big idea? Anyway, thanks in advance!” – forum.ih8mud.com
Another owner reported that a bad speed sensor was the root cause of their LC beeping.
“I had this happen in my 100… but had indicator lights on the dash all light up…ended up being a bad speed sensor.” – forum.ih8mud.com
3. Lights ON and Drivers Door Open
The Land Cruiser will beep if you have left your headlights on and open the driver’s door.
This is to help prevent the battery from draining – simply turn the headlights OFF or to AUTO.
4. Not Turning Key All The Way Off
The cause of your beeping could be as simple as not turning the key all the way off. It’s an easy fix – be sure to turn the key all the way.
“Worth a check…..My 62 was doing the same thing until I realized I wasn’t turning the ignition key all the way off before removing the key. One more position or “click” toward you before removing the key. Like most cruisers I can pull the key right out while running. Cheap fix….worth a look….and possibly a smack to the forehead!” – forum.ih8mud.com
5. Low Brake Fluid
If you hear a beep coming from the driver’s side of the dashboard, this beep could indicate that you have low brake fluid or that there is a malfunction with the booster.
The Brake Booster is designed to increase the force applied from the brake pedal to the master cylinder.
“When brake fluid is low or there’s a malfunction with the booster, a constant high-pitched tone is typically emitted from the dash.” – forum.ih8mud.com
6. Aftermarket Stereo Unit
A number of Land Cruiser owners have traced the source of the beeping back to an aftermarket head unit.
If you have a Pioneer stereo fitted this could be the cause, especially if the beeps occur when you turn the vehicle off and you hear a series of 5 beeps.
- With the keys in and contact on, turn off your pioneer by holding the SRC (OFF) button.
- Then press and hold the main volume wheel button and keep scrolling to find an option called Warning Tone and set it to off.
- This option is to remind you, after 4 seconds of ignition and contact off, that the front panel of the car stereo hasn’t been detached off of the head unit.
- This is due to a chance of the stereo being stolen.
Owners on forum.ih8mud.com had this to say:
“Some aftermarket stereo head units do that. What brand of stereo is in the truck?”
“My pioneer did the beep thing… I bet that’s it”
“It’s your Pioneer alright. Mine does it, do you have the manual?”
TIP: The source of the beeping could be linked to any number of aftermarket devices so check these too, especially alarm systems.
7. ABS Low Pressure
If you have low Anti-Lock Brake System pressure then you may hear a warning beep however this is typically accompanied by an ABS light on the dash.
“When the ABS sees low pressure (or other anomaly) a constant beep/tone sounds. Usually (but not always) accompanied by an ABS light on the dash. Most often caused by a failing ABS Pump Motor. Happen to be replacing mine as we speak.” – forum.ih8mud.com
Related: Toyota Land Cruiser Alarm Going Off? (14 Causes & Solutions)
8. Water Damage
Any kind of water damage or ingress that has reached the electrics can cause a wide range of issues, including mysterious beeps.
Inspect the vehicle for any signs of water ingress particularly around the windshield.
You may need to remove the windshield trim, although this can be a bit tricky and you may want to leave this to a trained professional as you will need to reinstall it correctly afterwards.
“Yup. Any moisture in that area can affect the fuse box and cause funny things to happen. That water either came from below from road splash, or above from a windshield/sunroof drain leak.” – forum.ih8mud.com
“Electrical gremlins can usually be traced back to leaking around left or right side of windshield. Water enters and drips down the A pillar into the fuse boxes located on the drivers or passengers side.” – forum.ih8mud.com
“Either rust around windshield frame, or leaks where the windshield trim is attached with either rivets (or screws if the windshield has been replaced ) is the most likely suspect.” – forum.ih8mud.com
9. Weight On The Passenger Seat
The seatbelt alarm is a known suspect for annoying beeps.
There might be a faulty sensor that isn’t recognizing that your seatbelt is fastened.
Alternatively, you may have some weight on the passenger seat like a bag of groceries or your pet pooch which is triggering an alarm.
In this case you can try fastening the passenger seatbelt.
“Is anything sitting on your passenger seat? Sometimes going around a corner can shift the weight of a package etc… sitting on the passenger seat, and trigger the seatbelt alarm, then stop once it shifts back.” – fjcruiserforums.com
“Sometimes I rest my arm on the passenger arm rest and the weight on the armrest will set the seat belt warning chime off.” – fjcruiserforums.com
10. Navigation Alerts
Many mysterious beeps can be attributed to navigation alerts and this is common on many vehicles.
You can disable the navigation or the navigation alerts to see if the problem goes away.
11. Key Fob Battery
Make sure your key fob battery isn’t running low, try swapping out the battery.
Ensure the battery is inserted correctly and the inside of the key fob is free from dirt and dust.
12. Dashcam Beeps
If you have a dashcam equipped, check to make sure it’s not the source of your beeping. If you hear the beep after going over a bump or a rough patch of road etc. then this is likely the dashcam recording an incident notification. You will need to adjust the sensitivity and/or volume settings.
13. Faulty latches Or Switches
If you are experiencing beeping whilst driving your Land Cruiser, this may be caused by a faulty door switch or latch, if you have a ‘door ajar’ light on the dashboard then this is almost certainly the case.
Faulty latches are quite common – you may need to have it replaced although you should first try giving all latches a good clean and spraying with something like WD-40.
Similarly door switches can fail over time – they report the open/closed status of the door and might be sending false readings to the cars computer.
14. Spare Keys Left in Vehicle
If you’ve left a spare set of keys in your Land Cruiser you may hear a warning beep when you go to lock the vehicle as it thinks you are trying to lock the keys in the car.
15. Phone Alerts
Your phone could be the source of your beeping, especially if it is connected by Bluetooth.
16. BSM
The Blind Spot Monitor warns the driver if someone is in their blind spot or if someone is coming up behind your vehicle when you start to reverse, a warning light will flash in your mirror and it should also make a beeping sound.
17. Faulty Headlight or Ignition Switches
A faulty headlight switch or a faulty ignition switch may be the cause of the beeping.
Since the headlights being on, or the key being in the ignition will cause the chime to sound, one of these switches may have a loose connection or be faulty.
18. Weak 12V Battery
A weak 12V battery can cause a myriad of problems.
To rule this out of the equation, simply have a battery health check performed.
These can be done at AutoZone for free.
Also check to ensure the connections are tight and free of dirt and grime.
19. Electronic Devices Inside or Outside of The Car
The beeping may not actually be coming from your Land Cruiser.
Do you have any other electronic or battery-powered devices in your vehicle or your garage that could be causing the beeping?
Usually, it’s their batteries going bad – For example, a garage door opener, a smoke alarm, a carbon monoxide detector, or a dropped wristwatch.
Alternative Suggestions
Check for Recalls or TSBs
By entering your car’s VIN number on Toyota’s recall page or the NTHSA’s Safety Issues & Recalls page you can determine whether or not there is a TSB or recall for your vehicle and if there is you’ll want to get it addressed.
A recall is issued by a vehicle manufacturer for issues that are safety-related, while a TSB covers components that may be malfunctioning but don’t compromise the safety of the vehicle.
Watch the Dash Display
This could give you a clue about what’s causing the beeping.
Also, keep an eye on the radio / infotainment screen, this might give a clue too.
Disconnect the Battery
Sometimes mysterious beeping problems can disappear with a simple reboot, there are no guarantees here but it’s worth a try.
Disconnect the battery for 20 seconds and this resets many of the electronics in the vehicle.
“Try resetting truck electronics by disconnecting the negative terminal of battery for a few minutes. If it was a glitch that set it, this could clear it.” – forum.ih8mud.com
Check For Warning Messages
When the beeping occurs can you see any lights or warning messages on the instrument panel?
This can give a clue as to what’s causing the beeps e.g. ‘Door Ajar’.
Take it to a Toyota Dealership
If needed, take your Toyota to the dealership.
- Tell them you are NOT paying for a check on what the problem might be.
- Ask them if they will check it for free.
- Most dealerships and other places do quick/initial diagnosis for no money as they plan to make money for the repair of your vehicle.
- If your unit is still under warranty then they should fix and resolve the issue for free.
Diagnosing Beeps With a Scanner
Another possible option, if you’re hearing a beeping sound, is to use an OBD2 diagnostic scanner tool.
These are fairly easy to use, you simply plug them into your car – there’s usually an OBD2 port under the steering wheel.
Once you have the scan codes you can research these online specifically for the Land Cruiser.
There are also OBD apps available so you can connect your car straight to your smartphone (either with a cable or Bluetooth) without even needing a scanner.
Resources
https://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/warranty-owners-manuals.sequoia.2020
https://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/warranty-owners-manuals.sequoia.2019
