wierd warning light problem - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

HoboJoe · 08-01-2005, 05:47 AM

The warning light on the temp gauge that indicates there is a burned out light somewhere on the car is being funky. When I push down on the brake pedal, not immediately, but after about 10seconds of holding the pedal down that warning light comes on. I parked the car in the driveway and weighted the pedal down with the ever high-tech brick and went around the car when the light came on. All of the lights, inside and out, were working perfectly

. Does anybody know what is wrong???
Will

Cyorke · 08-01-2005, 08:59 AM

You may have one that is about to go out but hasnt yet, you cold have a rpoblem with teh sensor. or you could have a bad ground. OD any of the lights seem to not be as bright as the others. If so replace that one and try it again. I cant rememerb how you can test the sensor but here is a way. Then you can check all the grounds on the tail lights themselves. Just a couple of things you can try out for now.

***Knailgun*** · 08-01-2005, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoboJoe

The warning light on the temp gauge that indicates there is a burned out light somewhere on the car is being funky. When I push down on the brake pedal, not immediately, but after about 10seconds of holding the pedal down that warning light comes on. I parked the car in the driveway and weighted the pedal down with the ever high-tech brick and went around the car when the light came on. All of the lights, inside and out, were working perfectly

. Does anybody know what is wrong???
Will

probably a tail light......fuckers can be tempermental...use dialectric grease too...the cure all

95camguy · 08-01-2005, 10:03 AM

have you checked the 3rd brake light bulb. my 95 was doing the same thing you stated and then one day my friend noticed that my 3rd brake light was not working one day when he was driving behind me,

i know it seems obvious but i missed it for months. then i replaced the bulb and all is well.

hope this helps

skewe · 08-01-2005, 10:15 AM

possible that one of the fuse is about to go out

Keep · 10-11-2005, 12:37 PM

I did a search on this subject before making a new thread. Good thing I searched, because this same problem has arrose on my car in the last few weeks.

Exact same symptoms. The 'bulb-out' warning light only comes on after I press the break pedal. It doesn't come on immidiately, but rather after about 3-5 seconds of holding it down.

All lights are functional.

I just wanted to check on TN before I started doing current-on and current-off continuity tests on the associated lighting circuits within the car.

So before I get my hands dirty tonight, anyone have had this problem? Got any quick fix's that haven't been mentioned in this thread yet?

Brujo · 10-11-2005, 03:13 PM

There is a known problem with Gen 3s and the wiring that goes into the trunk. I believe the problem arises when a wire gets stripped down because of the opening and closing of the trunk or the wire gets pinched and it touches the metal causing a ground. Search for older threads since this has been discussed many times before.

Keep · 10-11-2005, 04:41 PM

Thanks, Brujo.

I've already searched this subject, but decided to post in this revived thread.
I will look for chaffed wires in the trunk area, before I start my diagnostic routine.

HoboJoe · 10-11-2005, 07:05 PM

I can't get the clips off the trunk lining to get to the wires, just enough to get to the tail lights.

Is there some kind of tool that can get those little bastards off? The screw driver took forever and made it so the clips wouldn't go back in.

***eyeball96*** · 10-11-2005, 07:16 PM

Third Brake Light! Replace that first. That may save ya alot of time!

Keep · 10-12-2005, 09:44 AM

Well here's the update.

The culprit was the passenger side brake light.
It is an 1157 bulb (2 fillament) and both filaments were fine.

The problem was that the brighter filament's positive contact point was slithly oxidized on the surface of the metal. Therefore it was an intermittant 'open' in the circuit.

I used some emery cloth to shine up the contact points, and used a little dielectric grease.

Everything is fine, back to normal.

While I had the carpet pulled I decided to shine up and dielectric all of the bulbs in the rear as preventative maintenance for this winter. I'm glad it was something easy to find/diagnose. Normaly electrical problems are a PITA

***eyeball96*** · 10-12-2005, 01:24 PM

Glad you got it fixed, guess I was wrong!

Keep · 10-12-2005, 03:48 PM

I still took your advice

The third break light was the first thing I checked!

That is probably a common fault, it just didn't happen to be that fault THIS time

Thanks for the replies nonetheless

***eyeball96*** · 10-12-2005, 05:36 PM

Your Welcome! Thanks for the acknowledgement!