Tail Lights Out

[cosmichobo]

G'day,

2000 Camry Conquest, 4cyl auto.

Just went thru the carwash, and was told by the guys there that our tail lights aren't working - only the rear window-stop light.

Went to SuperCheap and picked up some fuses. Got home (cos couldn't get the buggers out without some needlenose pliers), and a) the fuses were wrong size/shape... but B) it's not the fuse.

I swapped the Heater's 10A fuse into the Tail Light 10A, and the lights still don't work - just the window one.

So I went looking in the engine bay, found the relay/fuse box, but couldn't decypher what if anything there would be of use to me???

I feel like such a noob... but - help me fix my tail lights???

I'm assuming that they haven't actually both just died... (to be frank, I have no idea if they have individual globes in them or what??) In my Nissan 280zx the light housings had 2 globes each... so if one was out, it was easy to diagnose. If all of them were out, then you knew it was a fuse, the relay, or the switch.

But because the window-stop light comes on... I'm assuming that they run off the same relay... and the same switch obviously... so... where to now???

Thanks!!

cosmic

[ASG14]

Well, I;m not sure WHICH ones you mean. The quarter panel mounted lights ot the boot mounted lights. If it;s the boot lights, it's a common issue. The wires that go into the boot after a lot of use opening/closing the boot, will snap. My dealership just replaced the boot harness on a '98 Camry for the same reason, plus it kept shorting and blowing the fuse.

[cosmichobo]

Well, I;m not sure WHICH ones you mean. The quarter panel mounted lights ot the boot mounted lights. If it;s the boot lights, it's a common issue. The wires that go into the boot after a lot of use opening/closing the boot, will snap. My dealership just replaced the boot harness on a '98 Camry for the same reason, plus it kept shorting and blowing the fuse.

Oh! Hadn't even thought about the fact there are basically 4 lights involved - 2 on the boot, 2 on the tail section. ALL of the tail lights Except the window mounted one do not work.

Out of interest - what did the wire-replacement cost you?

Also a new question, I'm assuming not really related but just newly discovered - there is a wire coming out of the key-lock in the boot, that goes to a clip, with a white connector. Then there is a wire with a white connector that looks like the matching-pair, which is not hooked up. (That make sense?) I'm wondering why the boot key lock has a wire, and where does it go to? Why would someone disconnect it? It's electrical - not just the pulley to release the boot...

[lateralus]

Well, I;m not sure WHICH ones you mean. The quarter panel mounted lights ot the boot mounted lights. If it;s the boot lights, it's a common issue. The wires that go into the boot after a lot of use opening/closing the boot, will snap. My dealership just replaced the boot harness on a '98 Camry for the same reason, plus it kept shorting and blowing the fuse.

Oh! Hadn't even thought about the fact there are basically 4 lights involved - 2 on the boot, 2 on the tail section. ALL of the tail lights Except the window mounted one do not work.

Out of interest - what did the wire-replacement cost you?

Also a new question, I'm assuming not really related but just newly discovered - there is a wire coming out of the key-lock in the boot, that goes to a clip, with a white connector. Then there is a wire with a white connector that looks like the matching-pair, which is not hooked up. (That make sense?) I'm wondering why the boot key lock has a wire, and where does it go to? Why would someone disconnect it? It's electrical - not just the pulley to release the boot...

that would probably be for a sensor for the factory alarm system. i would connect it.

i would normally say a faulty brake light switch on the pedal, but as the window mounted light is working, it has me stumped.

if i were you, i'd get a test light and follow the wires to see were the power stops. that will narrow it down a lot

Edited November 8, 2008 by lateralus

[cosmichobo]

that would probably be for a sensor for the factory alarm system. i would connect it.

i would normally say a faulty brake light switch on the pedal, but as the window mounted light is working, it has me stumped.

if i were you, i'd get a test light and follow the wires to see were the power stops. that will narrow it down a lot

I have a multi meter... just wondering if you could point me to the easy access points for me to test the wires? Was easy in my Nissan Zed... they're just tucked in under the carpet... or the trims were easily removed by a few screws... but this looks a bit harder...

[lateralus]

for this situation, i think you're better off with a test light rather than a multimeter. with a test light, you only need a ground for it to work. with a multimeter, you need positive and negative which is hard to locate inside a small wire. you can pick upa cheapo one for $4

i'm not familiar with the gen 4 camrys, but a check the basic stuff such as if there is power on both sides of the taillight control relay under the dash. then just trace the wiring as much as you can, testing every half metre or so.

as ASG14 suggested, check for power in the wiring before the boot harness, and after. i have no idea what it would be, but locating the area will obviously help a lot.

Edited November 8, 2008 by lateralus

[RelishGTP]

This may be a silly question but have you checked the bulbs, also is the light out indicator in the speedo cluster on ??

The gen4 camry trim is very easy to take off, just 2 screw clips and 2 push clips and you can pry em out a bit to get some space to work with.

[cosmichobo]

I've really gotta learn to go with my gut instinct... My first thought was just check the bulbs... but all 4 lights not working made me think bigger.

Well... the 2 quarter panel bulbs are blown.

But the 2 boot bulbs are ok.

The reverse lights work, so for now I'm ruling out the wiring going to the boot.

But - would the 2 blown bulbs in the quarter panels stop the boot ones from working??

No - I have had no warning lights to tell me something's wrong... Even when I discovered the first quarter-panel bulb was dead - I left the bulb out, turned the car on, and had no warning light. ??

So I'm off to Kmart/Supercheap to get a new multi meter (bad lead) and 2 new '7443' bulbs... and hope that at least gives me 2 working brake lights... or better - fixes all 4 somehow...

cheers guys

[lateralus]

i think the boot bulbs may be single element bulbs for the tail lights. the quarter panel bulbs would be double element bulbs for both the tail lights and stop lights.

[RelishGTP]

^^^Correct :)

Also it's a very common problem on the Gen4 where the boot lights go out for no reason ie the bulbs are fine, fuse fine ect.

The reason for this is, as already mentioned the wiring gets old and has some internal brakes in it.

I used to have to sorta knock on the boot lights from the outside a few times to get them working :P

[akuma]

Something similar happened to my camry gen6, i was playing with my bulbs and my brake lights stuffed up. It lite up when i turned the headlight on, but when i stepped on the break it didnt get any brighter. i just bought new bulbs and wollah - it worked like new. new bulbs are only $5, worth giving it a go.

[cosmichobo]

Quarter panel bulbs replaced, and working a-ok.

Boot lights still not going...

When I have more time, I'll follow this up further... but at least for now I've got more than just the window brake light working.

Lucky I went thru the carwash yesterday...

Got a new multimeter, so will test if power's getting to the boot first...