no tail lights or dash lights - 99 corolla

[StephanieD]

I'm trying to lose the Dumb Blonde image and do some of the "easy" work on my car.

(And yes I realize that posting a msg entitled "no tail lights or dash lights" doesn't help me lose that image - but yes I did check every fuse I could find!!)

Tonight I pulled into the garage, took off my winter tires/rims and put on my summer tires/rims.

When I backed out of the garage, I no longer had any tail lights or dash lights.

The fuse box over the front left wheel doesn't seem to say "tail lights" on it so I checked every fuse in there.

Does anyone know if the tail lights and dash lights are on the same fuse and if they are located in some fuse box other than the one (two) over the front left wheel?

I looked at the fuse box by the clutch but I didn't see any labels at all, and they all seem to be the larger fuses anyway.

Maybe the metal right behind/in front of the wheel where I put the jack is getting soft and wires run over that area and I pinched them?? Just a guess..

I'm glad daylight savings time has kicked in, so I can get home after work before it gets dark (way up here in Canada).

Any help would be appreciated very, very much.

Edit: No brake lights either. Just noticed.

[Buurin]

Originally Posted by StephanieD

I'm trying to lose the Dumb Blonde image and do some of the "easy" work on my car.

(And yes I realize that posting a msg entitled "no tail lights or dash lights" doesn't help me lose that image - but yes I did check every fuse I could find!!)

Tonight I pulled into the garage, took off my winter tires/rims and put on my summer tires/rims.

When I backed out of the garage, I no longer had any tail lights or dash lights.

The fuse box over the front left wheel doesn't seem to say "tail lights" on it so I checked every fuse in there.

Does anyone know if the tail lights and dash lights are on the same fuse and if they are located in some fuse box other than the one (two) over the front left wheel?

I looked at the fuse box by the clutch but I didn't see any labels at all, and they all seem to be the larger fuses anyway.

Maybe the metal right behind/in front of the wheel where I put the jack is getting soft and wires run over that area and I pinched them?? Just a guess..

I'm glad daylight savings time has kicked in, so I can get home after work before it gets dark (way up here in Canada).

Any help would be appreciated very, very much.

Edit: No brake lights either. Just noticed.

When in doubt, read the owners manual.

No wire runs where you would put the jack under. Don't worry.

Where your coin drawer is by the steering wheel, pull the drawer up and out. There is another fuse panel behind. Its legend is on a label on the back side of the drawer.

Tail light is on TAIL fuse; stop light is on STOP fuse. Both are on this fuse panel.

[StephanieD]

Thanks a lot, I found it and replaced the fuses.

Unfortunately... by the time I got home the fuses were blown again.

Any idea what would repeatedly blow the fuses for the tail lights, brake lights and dash lights?

Probably a short somewhere?

[Bdub215]

Originally Posted by StephanieD

Thanks a lot, I found it and replaced the fuses.

Unfortunately... by the time I got home the fuses were blown again.

Any idea what would repeatedly blow the fuses for the tail lights, brake lights and dash lights?

Probably a short somewhere?

there's a short to ground somewhere. Probably two wires that shouldnt be touching each other are and causing the problem.

[StephanieD]

Found it.

The guy who hooked up my trailer lights used black tape to wrap the wires that he twisted together.

The huge glob of black tape got pulled off somehow and pretty much all the wires are touching in other.

Sorry about the newbie question (again) but what is the proper way to join two wires? Like the equivalent of an electrician's "split bolt"?? Or was black tape correct.

THANK YOU!!

[all2baka]

Black tape was the wrong way.

The best way is soldering, but if you're not able to do that, use crimps. If not crimps, caps will be okay.

[StephanieD]

Got it - thanks!

If I go into an auto parts store do I ask for "wiring crimps" or just "crimps" or is there some other name.

THANK YOU!

[all2baka]

You can go into a home improvement store and just ask about wire crimps.

[Buurin]

Originally Posted by all2baka

Black tape was the wrong way.

The best way is soldering, but if you're not able to do that, use crimps. If not crimps, caps will be okay.

My method of choice - tack solder and heatshrink.

[leeor_net]

Buurin's tack solder and heat shrink is probably the best method -- helps to water-proof things, looks good (and professional) and doesn't have the problem of electrical tape falling off.

Kick the guy who did the wiring in the head for me. He should be ashamed of himself...