Taillight Problem - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Tom 2000 · 11-02-2008, 11:59 PM

On my friend's 2000 Camry, the rear light failure warning light on the dash came on. He found that the inside taillights (the taillights on the trunk) stopped working. He changed the 3157 bulbs with new ones and the tailights still didn't work (the brake lights still work on the same bulb). The outside taillights (the ones on the body) as well as the side markers work.

All 5 brake light bulbs (2 on trunk, 2 on body and 1 High-mount) work, reverse lights work, license plate lights work.
We checked the appropriate fuses, they were all fine. We are baffled

. Anybody have an idea what may be wrong?

***new echo owner*** · 11-03-2008, 12:05 AM

Broken wire by the trunk hinge. Same as the past gen.

N.E.O.

97CamryCE · 11-03-2008, 12:29 AM

Yeah, mine does that too...

I haven't looked into in any details, but have found by hitting the driver's side taillight (for my situation) with my fist...the taillight comes on and the dash light goes out.

Problem fixed.

***ASG14*** · 11-03-2008, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new echo owner

Broken wire by the trunk hinge. Same as the past gen.

N.E.O.

My dealer just chaged the trunk harness on a '98 for the same reason.

If you find where the break is, just solder the wires back. I'd also check for other wires about to break while your at it.

GtariSSt · 11-03-2008, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new echo owner

Broken wire by the trunk hinge. Same as the past gen.

N.E.O.

Which hinge, driver or passenger side? I hadn't heard about this. All my lights work but the dash light comes on first time I hit the brakes after starting it up.

Mike Gerber · 11-03-2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GtariSSt

Which hinge, driver or passenger side? I hadn't heard about this. All my lights work but the dash light comes on first time I hit the brakes after starting it up.

Driver's side, attached to the hinge itself.

Mike

chullen · 11-03-2008, 03:26 PM

yeah you just need to crawl in there and solder the two end back together a little awkard but will fix the problem remember to put a bit of electrical tape on it also heat shrinking would not be a bad idea

GtariSSt · 11-03-2008, 03:48 PM

Or, I could do what I've been doing. Ignore the dash light. LOL

cool-vibes · 11-03-2008, 06:22 PM

I had the same problem, i fixed it 2 days ago. All it was a broken wire just like the other poster said i sauldered it and check engine light went away warning light went away. What suprised me was i was also getting a vibration from my brakes when i applied them. that was also fixed.

GtariSSt · 11-03-2008, 06:31 PM

Interesting about the vibe going away. Do you have ABS?

97CamryCE · 11-04-2008, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

Driver's side, attached to the hinge itself.

Mike

Do you have any pictures?

BamZipPow · 11-04-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chullen

yeah you just need to crawl in there and solder the two end back together a little awkard but will fix the problem remember to put a bit of electrical tape on it also heat shrinking would not be a bad idea

I find that Liquid Tape works really well in cramped spaces. Comes in various colors, too!

Mike Gerber · 11-04-2008, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97CamryCE

Do you have any pictures?

Sorry, no pictures and my Gen. 3 Camry is in the body shop right now for some repaint work. It's really pretty hard to miss what everyone is talking about. Just open up your trunk and it's right there by the driver's side trunk hinge. It's a black loom of wires wrapped in plastic. Just open the trunk and take a quick look.

Mike