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so driving home today i noticed the good ol 4Runner was just about to roll over 183k miles (yay runner!) but just before it did my gauge cluster lights went out (its is dark outside obviously) all gauges blinkers and information center lights are working but the lights that illuminate the gauges went out so i had to hold my phone up to the speedo to see how fast im going checked the fuse for "gauges" indicated on the diagram for the fuse box near the drivers feet but it was fine....im stumped what fuse would go to interior gauge lights.. could it be a problem with the dimmer switch because when that is turned nothing happens and if that breaks would the lights just shut off?
i might mention that the headlights were still working dint see if the tail lights were battery voltage was good as well
mine did the same thing and found that the grounds where not working, now it they go threw the dimmer or not im not sure but i didnt want to mess around to i ran new grounds. not the right way but it worked.
I had a similar problem in that the right side of my dash lights were out when I bought it. I found that all the bulbs were good, but for some reason the contact between the bulb and the console wasn't touching correctly. So I tweaked the bulb contact by bending out with small screw driver and it seemed to work alright.
However sometimes it will go out randomly and I just give the dash a good hit with the palm of my hand and it pops right back on. Sweet huh?
Try giving it the "slap treatment" first, then if nothing check the contacts or the actual bulbs in the gauge. Good luck!
*update* ok so i looked a little more into the problem today and i discovered that the tail lights were not working brake lights were how ever so i opened the fuse box and pulled the "tail" fuse sure enough it was blown. so no problem right? so i replace the fuse and flip on the lights.. the fuse blows up immediately .....so i replace it again.. it blows up a third time right as i try to turn the lights on? any suggestions now so you have more of an idea whats going on?
You have a bad ground or two wires touching somewhere, I had the same problem when i put in a radio in my truck, one wire touched a ground and blew the tail light fuse.. as far as the dash lights, check the dimmer switch could be something with it or something within the dash lights themselves
FIXED! turns out the problem was with the trailer light wire harness after driving in the snow for 3-4 hours last night the Harness (which was tucked up into my rear bumper) was packed full of snow and when the snow stated to melt......it caused a short circuit imagine that! that proceeded to blow 3 fuses so if you have the same problem that wiring harness would be a good place to check first
Here are pictures of the fuse and relay location (ds footwell) and pic of which wires to test/bypass dimmer switch. In my case, the dimmer switch was bad. Anyway, thanks for directing me towards the tail light circuit.
You should think about swapping them out with l.e.d.'s, i saw a 3rd gen 4runner build on here that swapped out all his interiors with blue leds. Im thinking of doing it on mine, it looked pretty cool.
I have this same thing going on right now. No tail lights (but I do have brake lights) and no main dash light, and also the auto lock stopped working (unlock works though). This all started right after my boyfriend hooked up a trailer to it. So I assumed the two were related. Sounds like at least the lights issue is tied to the towing wires.
Kind of a old post maybe I can get some help. I have a 1985 4runner and my dash lights don't work. I know it is a wiring issue. took my cluster out and put it in my buddies rig. Then I put his dimmer switch in my, and it still did not work. I have a service manual and it says that the middle connector has eight wires and I only have six. any ideas?
A problem well-stated is a problem almost solved. How about other lights? Tail lights? Tails share circuit with dash lights.
Do they work or not?
How about the light dimmer potentiometer. Anything happens when you turn it either way?
If switching clusters did not fix it, put everything back to stock (way better for troubleshooting), get a multi-meter and start probing.
Here's the schematic and recommended voltage test points for 84-88 (first-gen 4Runner)... please report back and we'l go from there.
Last edited by RAD4Runner; 03-18-2016 at 05:37 PM.
So I have a similar issue. My stepson installed a gauge cluster and I think that is part of the problem. He did that by cutting out the stock connector for the optional digital clock that I don't have. The light behind the speedo does not work but the light behind the heater/climate control works. If I turn the dimmer down it does not dim but turns the lights off so I am pretty sure the dimmer is bad but the lights on the climate control working makes me think the lights on the speedo would work if they were getting ground. The switch is on the ground side of the circuit so to speak; correct? I exposed all the cut wires and I have a feeling that two of them should be connected and this will work but I just blew the relay or the fuse screwing around with it. Any help? I have a wiring diagram for an 88 Forerunner but I don't think the changes between the two vehicles and years is monumental. Right?
Was wheeling with some buddies. and on the way back I noticed my dash lights were out. All of the maintenance lights were good and my 4 wheel drive light was fine. Checked all my fuses (or so I thought) and everything looked completely fine. It was during the day so I wasn't too worried about it. When I got home I checked the fuses again and everything looked fine once more and that's when I noticed my radio lights were out as well. The screen was fine but the buttons were completely out. At this point, I ruled out new bulbs because the odds of all of those going out at once were slim. And after some reading, I found that if your tail lights go out then the tail-fuse can shut all of these things off. Figured this happened because my trailer wires are normally tucked in my bumper but must have wiggled loose and hung down when I went through a mud puddle and shorted the fuse. Guess I missed a fuse lol.
The MK-I eyeball is good for a lot of things. A LOT of things. Especially for girl-watching, particularly at the beach
Checking fuses, even the relatively clear automotive fuses, isn't one of them. Multimeter is the only piece of test equipment that will do the job properly. In-circuit, yeeeeeeaaaaaahhhh....but out of circuit is best. Pull the fuse, hit it with the multimeter in continuity setting, and you get an audible indication of good or bad. Quick and easy, and much more reliable than "It looks ok...".
A multimeter is relatively small, but vital, part of a vehicles tool kit. Make sure it's cover is well cushioned.
02-26-2011, 11:16 PM
