intermittent taillight/reverse light problem

[Novice_cardude]

My taillight out indicator lamp has been coming on about every other time I start my Camry. I also recently noticed that my reverse lamps no longer work. I've been searching, and the most likely cause of this is either the guage fuse, or a damaged wiring harness in the trunk area.

I will check both at work today, but where exactly on the wiring harness should I be checking for breaks? Is there a certain part that flexes every time the truck opens? Because as I recall the wires run along the hinge so they don't have to bend too much when the truck opens.

Also I suppose I could have burned out both my reverse lights at one time ... i'll have to check that too :P

BTW, it's a '96 sedan 5-speed (5sfe). I dunno if there's also some problem with the reverse light switch on the 5spd transmissions that I should be looking into.

Any help would be great! Thanks!

[shimpi]

Originally Posted by Novice_cardude

My taillight out indicator lamp has been coming on about every other time I start my Camry. I also recently noticed that my reverse lamps no longer work. I've been searching, and the most likely cause of this is either the guage fuse, or a damaged wiring harness in the trunk area.

I will check both at work today, but where exactly on the wiring harness should I be checking for breaks? Is there a certain part that flexes every time the truck opens? Because as I recall the wires run along the hinge so they don't have to bend too much when the truck opens.

Also I suppose I could have burned out both my reverse lights at one time ... i'll have to check that too :P

BTW, it's a '96 sedan 5-speed (5sfe). I dunno if there's also some problem with the reverse light switch on the 5spd transmissions that I should be looking into.

Any help would be great! Thanks!

I have a 96 XLE. I do not have the tail light indicator problem, but my reverse lights work intermittently. There is a little wiggle in my shifter when I am in reverse. Turns out I have to apply a slight downward pressure on the shifter while it is in reverse just to keep the reverse lights lit.

I took my car into a toyota dealership and they said its some bad cable that needs replacing. They gave me a 500.00 buck quote.

[xtremeskier97]

Originally Posted by shimpi

I have a 96 XLE. I do not have the tail light indicator problem, but my reverse lights work intermittently. There is a little wiggle in my shifter when I am in reverse. Turns out I have to apply a slight downward pressure on the shifter while it is in reverse just to keep the reverse lights lit.

I took my car into a toyota dealership and they said its some bad cable that needs replacing. They gave me a 500.00 buck quote.

I have the exact same problem. I can move the shifter front to back while in reverse and the Reverse light(s) (both on the dash and on the back of the car) go on and off. I have to make sure that the R is lit on the instrument panel so that I know for sure they are lit on the car. I think it has to do with some switch or something below the shifter....not sure though.

[Mike Gerber]

"Is there a certain part that flexes every time the truck opens? Because as I recall the wires run along the hinge "


That's where you should be checking. The wires inside do flex enough over time to cause some of them to frey and break. Open up that loom of wires and look.

Mike

[xtremeskier97]

If he, like I, can move his shifter up and down or front to back and the lights go on and off....then it's not the wires in the trunk that are causing the problem.

[Novice_cardude]

Yeah, i can move my shifter up and down ... and left and right ... hehehehe.

It's a 5 speed, which is why i'm worried about the contact switch or the reverse sensor in the transmission. Although I can slam it into reverse and they still don't come on back there. I'll check out those wires tomorrw, I only had time to check the guage fuse today, and it's good.

[kamrhee]

I second Mike Gerber's suggestion. Check the wire that runs from the body to the trunk hinge. I had like 3 or 4 wire that were bent to a point that it was barely touching, thus the intermitent contact. Used the smallest wire connector with crimp ends. Its a cheap check if it is the culprit. Try it, nothing to loose.

kamrhee

[xtremeskier97]

Originally Posted by Novice_cardude

Yeah, i can move my shifter up and down ... and left and right ... hehehehe.

It's a 5 speed, which is why i'm worried about the contact switch or the reverse sensor in the transmission. Although I can slam it into reverse and they still don't come on back there. I'll check out those wires tomorrw, I only had time to check the guage fuse today, and it's good.

Yeah...see mine is an automatic..and I can move the shifter a little forward and backward while in Reverse and it will cause the R light and the lights on the trunk to go off and on.

Im pretty sure its a switch under the shifter or something like that.