Hnewman144

I recently bought a 2002 Tacoma with the 2.7 engine in it. The guage lights won't work. Check engine, battery, seatbelt, ECT lights do work but not the speedo and tachometer and fuel guage lights. checked fuses, no problems there. Tail lights work. Need some advice on where to start checking. Thanks!

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

may need to pull the cluster(which unfortunately means you will more than likely need to pull the dash cover etc) and check the lights, maybe a wire became disconnected

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Start with the dimmer switch (rheostat) it provides ground.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

good call!

Hnewman144

So the dimmer switch provides ground for the guage lights? Didn't know that. Would that mean that my dimmer switch itself wouldn't work if it's now grounding and the other lights don't work? Because dimmer is working. It has to be something simple because surely all the bulbs didn't blow at the same time! Is there a way I can test the dimmer switch?

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Light control rheostat(back light dimmer) not the dimmer switch(head light switch).

Make sure it has a good clean ground, check for continuity at one extreme and open circuit at the other, somewhere around seven ohms in the middle. If it smells burnt tap it lightly and make sure it's not an intermittent loss of connection.

Hnewman144

Oh I see! The dimmer switch works when I turn it, as in it dims the radio lights but that's all it dims. So would it rule that out? Sence it works with the radio lights? I'm going to check for continuity though this evening thanks alot for the replies, I'm not the best with electrical problems!

habanero

How about the bulbs? (I'm all about the silly questions)

Hnewman144

It's a possibility. I just couldn't make myself believe they all shot at the same time. But I definitely haven't ruled it out. Never know something could have shorted out and blew them all. But I was hoping and praying there would be something I could check without having to pull the cluster. Il just keep a flashlight in the truck when I drive at night before I pull the cluster! Lol!

habanero

Ah, thought you bought it without working gauge lights....you'd prolly have noticed if one or two were already out and the last gave up the ghost.

Hnewman144

Yeah they were out when I bought it.

Nervo19

In my 4th gen 4Runner one light was out for quite a while and boom they all went out. You did say you've checked all lights but dash lights are designed to go out if your tail lights are out so verify that. IIRC the tail lights and the dash lights are on the same fuse under the hood so check that. Some fuses can look fine and are bad. Sometimes the fuse box is dirty so clean the contacts. Next it's time to pull the cluster and check the bulbs. If they're good get a meter and start checking that you have power to the gauge. I've never had to go that far. One time in the 2000 4Runner (very similar to your Tacoma) I had a new radio not grounded properly that was frying the dash light/tail light fuse for some reason. Have you done any wiring changes recently?

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Tail fuse, good catch. You can check the voltage across it to identify a failing fuse, voltage meter against the two exposed metal points on the back should read zero volts.

Verify the fuse is powered by looking at your rear license plate, for example..

dimmer inspection below..

Hnewman144

As far as fuses go, all I did while checking them was turned my meter on ohm with the beep setting and checked for continuity on the top terminal ends of each fuse, all them beeped. So I assumed they were good. But I have only had truck for like a week so don't know anything about it, lights were out when I bought it, but there is an aftermarket radio installed. You guys think that may be a culprit? Thanks again

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

That test tells you no more than you would get by pulling it out and looking at it, in fact it could give a false reading by flowing current thru an alternate path..

Key on, lights on, meter set to 20volts. Measure across the fuse while it's under load. This is voltage drop! you want zero volts to show, even better if you want to go a step further probe the connections from the backside and it will also tell you if the contacts are dirty and need cleaned..

But that's not so much relative as the dimmer is going to drop a lot of voltage so much in fact it will cut the lights off...

Your going to have e to get in there and look and test and get her grease monkey on, no if and or but, it's the only way.. or you tape a slap light upside down to the dash so you can see the gauges, but if it bursts into flames one day you know there was a short up here somewhere..

RAD4Runner

These^^^ are indicator lights, powered by fuse OTHER THAN tail light fuse

These^^^ are backlighting lights... Correct... powered by tail ight fuse/circuit.

So, most likely the problem is:
1) Dimmer switch or its wiring
2) Broken connection from tail light fuse to the dash light circuit.
3) Dash light bulbs busted.

This^^^ is the proper way to test fuse that is REMOVED FROM THE HOLDER and not connected to anything, BUT NOT the proper way to check for a fuse that is INSTALLED in its holder and/or there is power going to it.

Proper way to check IF power is getting to a fuse AND going through a fuse is shown here. (Engine fuse used as example)

Hnewman144

So I was checking some wiring under the driver side dash and fount something strange. There's a switch that is activated when the brake pedal is pressed, guessing that's the brake light switch. But there's a plug that connects the harness to that switch, there are two wires cut coming out of that plug. But I cannot find the other ends of the wires on the harness. Just to peices of wire hanging out of that plug. Tail lights are working though? Could that have anything to do with this problem? Also I checked every fuse on the truck and all show 12 volts going through them

atcfixer

iTrader: (1)

Does your taillights work for everything? On my 86 I had a short on the tail lights, and when it acted up I had no running lights at the back and my dashlights (back lighting) would go out just like you describe. The last owner had copper wire wrapped around the fuse and somehow it didn't catch anything on fire. Fixed the wiring and put the correct fuse in and my truck works fine now.

Does your brake lights work? If the wires from the switch are cut, I'd assume you have no brake lights. I'd have to look at the wire diagrams (not on me atm), but it could have a circuit built into it as a failsafe/validate the switch is hooked up type of setup.

Hnewman144

Yes brake lights work, tail, and tag

RAD4Runner

Nothing wrong with brake lights. Look elsewhere.
I Repeat:
"So, most likely the problem is:
1) Dimmer switch or its wiring
2) Broken connection from tail light fuse to the dash light circuit.
3) Dash light bulbs busted."