FastCat

I had the factory car stereo in my '92 4Runner replaced, and when I picked up the vehicle, I noticed nothing unusual - it ran fine and the new stereo worked perfectly. The stereo install kit consisted of a harness to convert the factory harness to that which the new stereo required.

However, the very next day, it was really cold in the morning, and I guess my battery was a little low, so when I went to crank over the motor, the starter solenoid just clicked but the starter couldn't turn the motor. I thought I was going to need a jump, so when I turned off the ignition and then opened my door, the alarm (factory with key fob) went off. I just used the key fob to kill the alarm. I tried to start it one more time and I could sense the starter had a little more torque, and after a few attempts, the motor finally cranked and it started running fine.

I let it run a few minutes to charge up the battery again, but when I started driving I noticed every time I hit the brakes, my Right turn signal light comes on (both front, rear, and dash light). That didn't happen when I picked up the vehicle from the stereo install. When I turn on the right turn signal, it blinks fine, but when I turn on the Left turn signal, the left blinks bright, but also the right blinks but it's dimmer than the left. And with the right blinker on, and I hit the brakes, the right blinker stops blinking - I don't even hear the flasher click on and off.

I replaced all the bulbs in the rear and front, thinking maybe Toyota did that to help us notice a bulb is out, but nothing changed. I then started suspecting the stereo installers goofed something up. Well, I took the dash apart and uninstalled the stereo and harness, but still the same behavior from the right blinker light. I then uninstalled the factory alarm and harness - still no change in the right blinker light behavior. I disconnected the cruise control module, just for grins, and still no change in the right blinker light behavior.

I pulled the STOP fuse and tried the brakes. As expected the brake lights don't come on, but neither did the right blinker light. That's good! I then replaced the STOP fuse, and removed the HAZARD fuse (for blinker circuit). The blinkers stopped working with the steering column switch, but when I hit the brakes, all the right blinker lights comes on again.

I'm good with electric circuits, and I know the brake light circuit is totally separate from the blinker circuit, except when the alarm is in place, but that's removed and somehow the right blinker circuit still gets energized from the brakes. Also, the radio circuit is totally separate from the brake and blinker circuits, and removing the radio install harness had no effect at all.

So evidently I have a shunt from the brake circuit to the right blinker circuit, that coincidentally showed up right after the stereo installation, but I cannot spot anything that looks "wrong" under the dash. Does anyone know where the wires run for the blinker and the brake lights runs from under the dash to the rear on a '92 4Runner, that might be in a spot where they can possibly be pinched or whatever to make a connection between the two circuits? I can see the brake switch and the wires look fine there, but then it goes into the "bundle" and I can't tell where it's routed through the vehicle, although obviously, I do know the brake circuits only go to the back, whereas the blinker goes to both the front and back.

Any insight would be extremely appreciated! TIA!

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

I understand that the radio is a separate circuit, but IMO the individual who installed the stereo screwed something up since the issue did not show up until the stereo install. I would contact the stereo store and find out what the deal is or at least exactly what they did. Good luck with this one...