Bad Fuses or Electrical? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

rookeworld6 · 05-08-2008, 09:33 AM

I have a late model 1990 Toyota Camry and I believe I have some bad fuses. The interior lights will not come on, and the sunroof wont open either. The windows will roll down most of the time, but sometimes they wont, same goes with the automatic door locks. The odometer and speedometer also doesnt work, but I dont know if that is directly related to the fuses or electrical situation.

Im trying to start with the simpiliest trouble shooting first, but I dont have a diagram of the fuse boxes. I would appreciate any trouble shooting input or advice. And if anyone can tell me where I can find a fuse box diagram I would really appreciate it.

Kep · 05-08-2008, 02:36 PM

The sunroof and dome light might be a fuse. The locks & windows probably are not a fuse (a fuse either is good or bad, it doesn't go back & forth). The odometer/speedometer on my 3sfe was driven by a cable to the transmission. I don't believe that you will find this to be electric related.

I believe that there is a diagram of the fuses in the owner's manual. Also, if there is a cover it is usually printed inside the cover.

The locks and windows are likely a breaking wire in the loom running between the body and the drivers door. It gets opened and closed so often that the wires begin to break. When it is in one position the wires inside the plastic don't touch so they don't work. When you open or close the door it changes the position of the wire and it may make connection. Get a multi-meter and start troubleshooting between the plug inside the driver panel and the master switch inside the driver door. There are several posts on this if you want to search for more detail.

If you're lucky you can add graphite into the speedometer cable and it will work. However, it is probably too late for this and you will need to replace the cable.

Kep

rookeworld6 · 05-08-2008, 03:15 PM

Thanks for the advice. I will begin troubleshooting immediaately. As for the speedometer and odometer cable, how would I access it?

Also, I figured that the fuse diagrams would be in the owners manual, but the problem is I dont have one. So im looking at the fuses blindly.

Kep · 05-08-2008, 11:02 PM

Look in the engine compartment behind the speedometer. Look for a cable running from the firewall down to the transmission. Mine was a two part cable with a knurled connector about half way. I ws able to squirt some graphite in that connection both ways. You may have the same set up.

Kep

rookeworld6 · 05-09-2008, 08:12 AM

Thanks, thats going to help a lot! I do think its the cable. I will go get one from the salvage yard this weekend. Well I figured out why the dome lights werent working . . . There wasn't any bulbs in the compartment! I think all of these things are totally unrelated, now I just have to fix the odometer cable and I'm all set. By the way, the windows work just fine now, I havent had any problems with it since.

One Question . . . Whats graphite? can I get it at AutoZone? and does the spray actually fix the problem, or is it just to get the connection off?

I guess thats more than one question

Kep · 05-11-2008, 01:39 PM

Graphite is a specialty powder lubricant. I expect that you can get it at an auto parts store. The stuff I use is sold in a squeeze bottle tube. You open the speedometer cable and sqeeze some in each end and rotate the inner core to distribute it throughout the cable. If you get a used replacement cable do this before you install it.

If you have some left over, squeeze it (sparingly) into the door locks and ingnition. You use graphite where you do not want a liquid lubricant attracting and congealing with dirt and grime to clog up the thing you're lubricating.

You said the windows (and locks?) are working fine. If you didn't do anything this is very much like a breaking wire. It will get into position to work for a few days or months and then quit again. Sooner or later it will just fail all together and you'll need to fix it.

Kep

TBayToyotaBoy · 05-11-2008, 02:29 PM

Kep is right, you'll want to fix the door wiring properly, even if it's not acting up right now.

If you're replacing the speedo cable, I agree that you should spray it thoroughly with graphite or grease. All the gen2's are getting old, and the cables tend to start acting up after 250,000km or so (not sure in miles). There's no point in putting a scrap yard speedo cable in your car if it's just going to act up the same way in a few months.

rookeworld6 · 05-11-2008, 04:45 PM

Thanks for all of the advice. I did get the odometer cable replaced ( found it at a junkyard for 3 dollars). It works fine now, and didnt take much effort to get it on.

Still havent taken the time to tackle the window power, but the cable was definately the most urgent troubleshooting issue. Thank you guys for all of your help and advice.

TBayToyotaBoy · 05-12-2008, 12:38 AM

Heh heh, that window will become a high priority the day you roll up to the drive-through for your morning java and the window won't wind down!

Just a question I thought to ask: the window/lock problem, does it happen on all four door switches, or just the master switch on the driver's door? If just the driver's door, it may be the fraying wire theory, or it could be a fried switch assembly. Mine went wierd after some rain water dripped on it, worked sometimes and didn't other times. I replaced the switch panel (the one with all four window controls on it) and the problem evaporated...