[colvilletacoma]

Ok for some reason my rear taillights went out and they worked before. The bulbs seem fine, and the fuses seem fine (all of them, haha) I dont have the original owners manual so i dont really know which fuse is the taillights one but I did check every fuse and they all seem fine so im thinking the wiring got messed up somewhere from the elements (water, snow, dirt, etc.). Anyone got an idea of where to check. I checked behind the taillights underneath all the wires look ok and are all still connected. The turn signals still work, havent checked the reverse lights (need someone to help me with that or wait till tonight) but it would be nice if someone knew somewhere im not checking. I guess i could follow the wires all the way to the cab and check them the whole way but with over a foot of snow is kind of hard working outside right now. Thanks for anyones input!

 

[toyomoho]

Make sure the brake light switch is turning on when you press the pedal. The switch is up under the dash connected to the upper part of the pedal mount.

 

[colvilletacoma]

Alright, i tried checking under there, sounds like there is a clicking going on, like the switch is connected but ill make sure. Thanks

 

[new echo owner]

A tail light relay maybe is what you are hearing? There may also be a tail light fuse too.

N.E.O.

 

[colvilletacoma]

maybe thats what it is, my reverse lights are out too, I wonder if there is any other fuses that Im not seeing that arent in the fuse box. Ill have to double check them all again. I should probably just replace them all anyways, they are kind of old, and clean all the connections

 

[new echo owner]

Use a test light or meter to check the fuses and circuits, sometimes it is difficult to tell just by looking.

N.E.O.

 

[HomeGrown]

I've never heard of a taillight relay (certainly doesn't mean there isn't one, but I've never heard one or heard of one).
Make sure the clicking you're hearing is not a mechanical failure of the switch itself. Don't know about the reverse lights, but I'd guess the 2 issues are unrelated since they're seperate circuits.

 

[new echo owner]

Not sure about its accuracy but take a look at figure 46: http://www.autozone.com/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c1528004d7c3.

N.E.O.

 

[HomeGrown]

From what I can tell on this schematic (from N.E.O.'s link), only the taillights run thru a relay, while the brake lights appear to be a direct circuit from the brake light switch. Is it your taillights, brakelights, or both that don't work?

 

[colvilletacoma]

Only my brake lights and reverse lights dont work. Blinkers work fine. Thanks for the link and thanks for posting that up on here it may help me out a lot. Now if it only should which fuses are which on the Fuse Box. It wouldnt help out completely but then for future reference I would know which is which at least

 

[HomeGrown]

Be sure to also check where the taillight ass'y grounds to the body or frame. On older vehicles, those can be commonly faulty. Not seeing any reason on the schematic that the reverse lights & brake lights should be related. If the tails are working but not the brake lights, I'd suspect the brake light switch. If you use a jumper wire or paperclip to short out the terminals on the brake light switch and you get brake lights, then the switch is bad. If you have a test light or meter, you could also check for power between the switch terminals & ground.

Wish you had a nice heated garage to work in! Must be miserable trying to work on something like that outside. I remember those days....

 

[new echo owner]

Well, I am guessing the only thing that would be common between the brake light and reverse light would be the wiring harness connector for the lights.

N.E.O.

 

[HomeGrown]

True, and depending on how & where the harness is grounded, a bad ground could prevent both the brake lights & reverse lights from working if they share a common ground point.

 

[colvilletacoma]

good point, well i cant check it now, its snowing....again. Another 5-8" right now. I could and would check it if it was light out buts its 8 here and its pretty dark. Dont got a good light to be out there working. My parents have a nice garage with a pit in it (not necessary for this, just stating it i guess) but its full of shit and theres not a whole lot of room at the moment

 

[ironworks]

What i have found that older vehicles i have the 81 4x4 and and older dodge dart, when problems with lights seem to occur, i add a ground to that part and so far been successfull that way.....adding a ground will certainly not hurt............good luck.

 

[colvilletacoma]

Thats what I think I will be doing once I get some time, just got my 05 Tacoma back and it goes in the shop tomorrow for mounting the engine mounts back up.