Tail Light problem URGENT! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

EEngineer · 07-27-2009, 03:00 PM

So, after a long time of having a dead bulb in the rear panel, I went ahead and replaced it.
Soon after, I got pulled over by a cop and he gave me a ticket for not having tail lights working?

i was like wtf....no warning on dash whatsoever.

I checked, the cop was right....I have no running tail lights, but when I step on the brakes, all the tail lights light up. now i'm really confused.

I thought it had to do with some DRL module. The car was bought in US, and imported to Canada. The car had to install a DRL at canadian tire and they did a shit job. I had low beams and tail running lights hooked up to the DRL so they were on ALL the time. I disconnected the relay for the DRL a long time ago but the other day I found that the relay broke down and I replaced it and tried to hook up the wires, but still no luck tail lights still dead.

if anyone can help me, please give me a shout

JCamry94 · 07-28-2009, 02:21 AM

Didn't this happen toyou not so long ago man?

Check out the brake light failure switch (yellow box) in the trunk I believe on the right side towards the top/side.

Open it up and if it is burnt, you need a new one.

This happened to me not too long ago from using a dual filament bulb in a single filament socket

Mike Gerber · 07-28-2009, 08:36 AM

Check the loom of wires in the trunk by the driver's side trunk hinge. Open up the loom and look for frayed or broken wires, Repair what you find. The wires in there can fray and break over the years from all the flexing they are exposed to as the trunk is constantly opened and closed.

Mike

EEngineer · 07-28-2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCamry94

Didn't this happen toyou not so long ago man?

Check out the brake light failure switch (yellow box) in the trunk I believe on the right side towards the top/side.

Open it up and if it is burnt, you need a new one.

This happened to me not too long ago from using a dual filament bulb in a single filament socket

thanks for the input, but i don't have a box on the top right side of my trunk. I pulled the lining as well, nothing inside except the antenna stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

Check the loom of wires in the trunk by the driver's side trunk hinge. Open up the loom and look for frayed or broken wires, Repair what you find. The wires in there can fray and break over the years from all the flexing they are exposed to as the trunk is constantly opened and closed.

Mike

I did that first thing and I didn't find any broken wires or anything. All the wires seem ok because afterall, they all light up when i step on the brakes.

anyone know where's the fuse for the running tail lights?

Zviator · 07-28-2009, 02:19 PM

^ Somebody sticky this somewhere, I hate to take it out everytime =D

EEngineer · 07-28-2009, 02:23 PM

^oohhh, i go check right now

it's behind that little drawer box right?

EEngineer · 07-28-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camricer

^ Somebody sticky this somewhere, I hate to take it out everytime =D

i just pulled it and replaced it with another 15A fuse ....nothing....same problem

baaah, i don't know what's wrong any more.

Zviator · 07-28-2009, 03:03 PM

Can you be able to turn the side markers on without the headlights ?

EEngineer · 07-28-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camricer

Can you be able to turn the side markers on without the headlights ?

yes i can.

Zviator · 07-28-2009, 03:23 PM

^ If none of the tail can turn on, and no dash light. I would start looking into the control switch. Take it out, take it apart and clean the dirt off (if there's any).

EEngineer · 07-28-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camricer

^ If none of the tail can turn on, and no dash light. I would start looking into the control switch. Take it out, take it apart and clean the dirt off (if there's any).

control switch meaning the switch attached to my steering wheel?

I'm still very confused about this problem

cruisn76 · 07-28-2009, 06:00 PM

^ Cody u moron, remember you have a very loose fuse box in the engine bay? Get that fixed first. TODAY!

EEngineer · 07-28-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruisn76

^ Cody u moron, remember you have a very loose fuse box in the engine bay? Get that fixed first. TODAY!

shuttap, i found the problem already -_____-'

it's the yellow box...it's completely burnt out. there's literally a hole on it with black stuff around and it smells like a burnt tuna dried up.

EEngineer · 07-28-2009, 06:38 PM

tnx for the help people....

bach and jcamry94 especially you guys did great point out the yellow box.
I'm going to the junkyard tomorrow
dealers quoted me $363.63 for this piece of shit.

btw, before the box got burnt out, my rear lights had a bulb that was dead and I replaced it with the same bulb. they were both dual filaments though...i checked on the computer and made sure it was the right one. how come the box burnt anyway? -_-'

hopefully i can grab a few of those yellow boxes in case i burn another one.

***Eye8Pussies*** · 07-28-2009, 08:09 PM

wow wtf? how'd that happen?

double check the bulb or get another bulb

also, check the bulb holder itself. I had a similar problem on my (sis') solara once as well. and it turned out to be the bulb holder, except on the solara, instead of a relay, there is a different fuse for the tail lights and the brake lights, so the brakes would still work but the running lights wouldn't. It turns out that the bulb holder was defective and would ground together every time I plugged it in and burn my fuse.