Tailight fuse blows instantly

[mdemco]

I have my 96 camry that is driving me up a wall. The dash lights quit working as did the tailights. I noticed if I wiggled the headlight switch the tailights would flicker so I figured I had a bad switch. I happened to check the fuses and noticed the tailight fuse was blown. I changed it and it blew immediately. So is researched here on the site and found the instances of the wiring harness breaking wires on the trunk lid. I found two broken wires in the harness, fixed them and the fuse still blew. I put a piece of wire in for just a second to see if the tailights actually worked which they did, and by the time I walked around the car and back to pull the wire, smoke was coming out from under the dash. Is this all linked together? The dash lights and the tailights? And any common places I can look for a short?

[LynchburgCSI]

Smoke coming out from under the dash. Okay. For future reference NEVER EVER EVER BYPASS A FUSE THAT IS CONTINUALLY BLOWING.

Looks like you need to take out your multimeter and do some probing around. Although, if you asked me to look at your car after smoke came out from electrical issues.... I wouldn't TOUCH it.

[mdemco]

Yes, it was a dumb move on my part. I thought it would act like putting in a test light for a jumper to wiggle wires and watch for dimming. It was for 2 seconds and I just didnt think the heat would build so quickly, but thanks for the insight.

[hairball]

If you EVER have issues like that again, come to the forum and ask a few old timers first before you attempt to check anything. That's what we are here for. So if you ever want to figure something out, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK me or someone else.

We're here to help!

Good Luck! Really. Let us know what you figure out.
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[hairball]

So, with today's lectures out of the way...

Did you figure anything out yet? Yes, the dash lights are connected in part to the tail lights. "How" you ask? Well, they are both lights and both are operated by the light switch. SO, areas you might want to check next are your headlight switch. Also, I'm not sure if the 96 has the tail light warning sensor in the trunk but if it does, that would also be a good place to check. Or maybe unwrap some more of the wire loom in in the trunk. You may have missed a wire.

The reason your dash lights go out at the same time you tail lights do is again because they are part of the light circuit. Usually not the same fuse, but they all come on at the same time. I'd check your light switch if you can get to it.

Do you have a multimeter? Hopefully NOT a test light. You should never, ever use a test light on vehicles equipped with airbags! Use a multimeter.

Let us know if you need our brains picked again. Sorry to razz ya in the last post but I just had to do it.

[reluctantmechanic]

aside from the safety issues...crossing your fuse with a wire will cause the wires around the bad wire to melt...so now, instead of one bad wire, you could have several.

Pop the hood, and start looking for the wires that looked burned. They'll be clumped together. usually the first place I start looking for a bad wire is at the firewall - those wires are squeezed tight, and sometimes get rubbed raw.

of all the problems on a car, electrical is my least favorite.

PLEASE keep us posted - my guess is your going to save someone else a lot of trouble further down the road.

Good luck!

[mdemco]

The two broken wires I did find went into the small loom traveling up into the trunk deck. I was happy when I found it, figured if the wires were so broken that 5" pieces had broke out that was my short, but no. As for the box that can be located on the left side of the truck, my research found it was black and about the size of a pack of cards, I dont see that back there unless I am looking in the wrong spot. I will keep probing tomorrow night, annoyed at this point for tonight.

Side note, just realized my dome light is out, likely unrelated but info.

[hairball]

Black Box? Oh good! That's the same thing as the yellow box! In fact I saw some black ones on newer models like 93's and stuff at the wrecking yard! I look at EVERY Camry around 88-91 now for the yellow box so I can have spares!

So, here is a test/check you can do and it will not harm anything....

Unplug that black box on the left side of the trunk. There ARE tests you can do but you might be better off leaving it to the pros. Just try this: Use a very small flat head screwdriver and pry it open. A little flat circuit board will come out. Do a close inspection and see if you find ANYTHING burned or melted. This is what the ones for my Gen of Camry looks like. Yours should look pretty much the same or close. Regardless of what it looks like on the inside, all you really care about is if something is burned or melted. Let me know what you find.

The earlier ones (88-91) or at least the 90 & 91 for sure, look like this:


And when you open it up, there is a circuit board (this is from the YELLOW boxes:


Yours might have burned something else than the one I circled, but this is what usually burns on my model Generation of Camry. I wish I would have saved my last couple that I replaced to show what they look like burned. Either way, this is the tail light warning sensor so you'll know if you lose your tail lights by the "Lights" indicator on your instrument panel (unless the bulb is burned out). If something shorts out or fries inside this unit, it's logical that it could blow fuses or burn something else.

Again, keep us posted as to what you find.

[mdemco]

I searched for that box, but was unable to find it. Any idea what side it is on?

[LynchburgCSI]

Alrighty. PM coming your way with something helpful.

[hairball]

Originally Posted by mdemco

I searched for that box, but was unable to find it. Any idea what side it is on?

IF your car has one, it would probably be on the driver's side behind the felt-type trunk liner. Just peel it away from the quarter panel and you should see it mounted. It's pretty close to the main wiring harness that runs into the trunk area.

[Mister_Perkins]

with the smoke, I would say its time to go to the salvage yard and pull the harness that runs from the front to rear. Your wires are probably all melted together now

Never ever bridge a wire on the fuse panel

[Pvt-Public]

Never ever bridge a wire on the fuse panel

There is a self-resetting circuit breakers that can be plugged into the fuse holder just to test for these issues. It will just keep clicking on and off letting you probe wires while not starting any fires. Just be sure to get the right amp rating.

[mdemco]

Well I had a bit to look at this. Previously my headlight switch was getting worn out, you would have to wiggle it to get the dash and tailights to come on. This morning I went and pulled one out of a low mile car, plugged it into my car and the fuse still blew when I turned the headlights on. Then I unplugged each rear harness to the lights, one at a time, fuse still blew. Then I unplugged the lamp failure module in the rear quarter and the fuse still blows, instantly when the lights are kicked on. I must have an aggressive short to ground somewhere. Hooray.

[hairball]

Dang, what a bummer. I pitty you. You're checking just about everything you can check. Glad to hear you got the switch replaced. That's one problem solved even if it didn't solve another.

I'd now suggest checking wires near/around EVERY exterior light! Corners, heads, turn signals, brakes, tail, etc. They ALL get voltage when you turn on your light switch, so the short could be anywhere between the switch and the lights.

Let's just hope something isn't fried deep inside a place you can't see or get to.