TAIL Fuse is the wrong amperage.
Jan 12, 2022 | 06:29 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
TAIL Fuse is the wrong amperage.
Little back story on my truck,1994 Toyota Pickup 22RE I bought about 5 years ago and the truck ran great from the start. Never had any issues that weren't easy to fix and general maintenance. I joined the military for 4 years and came home with the truck still working great with my old man driving it around occasionally while I was away,
Just yesterday I noticed my gauge lights were out. Immediately I checked the interior fuse and noticed the TAIL fuse was blown, however there was a 30 amp fuse plugged in. I DID NOT plug that fuse in and I did not notice it until today. I tried plugging the proper 15 amp fuse in and it blew immediately, so I put a 30 amp fuse back in and it did not blow immediately. I know this IS NOT a fix and do not plan on driving around with a wrong amp fuse in my truck.
However, I would like to figure out why someone would put a 30 amp fuse in that slot unless they upgraded a component and the wire or they did not understand general electricity. I'm a bit of a novice myself but need help figuring out what is going on and where I should look. I don't think it could be shorting because I believe it would immediately blow a 30 amp fuse if it was, but again I am a novice. Any help is appreciated as to where I need to start looking.
TLDR; The prior owner of this truck put a 30 amp fuse in the 15 amp TAIL slot 5 years ago and I need help figuring out why and what I should do to repair it back to 15 amps or if I need too.
Just yesterday I noticed my gauge lights were out. Immediately I checked the interior fuse and noticed the TAIL fuse was blown, however there was a 30 amp fuse plugged in. I DID NOT plug that fuse in and I did not notice it until today. I tried plugging the proper 15 amp fuse in and it blew immediately, so I put a 30 amp fuse back in and it did not blow immediately. I know this IS NOT a fix and do not plan on driving around with a wrong amp fuse in my truck.
However, I would like to figure out why someone would put a 30 amp fuse in that slot unless they upgraded a component and the wire or they did not understand general electricity. I'm a bit of a novice myself but need help figuring out what is going on and where I should look. I don't think it could be shorting because I believe it would immediately blow a 30 amp fuse if it was, but again I am a novice. Any help is appreciated as to where I need to start looking.
TLDR; The prior owner of this truck put a 30 amp fuse in the 15 amp TAIL slot 5 years ago and I need help figuring out why and what I should do to repair it back to 15 amps or if I need too.
Jan 13, 2022 | 04:27 AM
#2
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,380
Likes: 871
From: San Francisco East Bay
Welcome to YotaTech.
Yeah, you need to fix it. You have wiring (and fuse holders and bulb sockets ....) designed to be suitable for up to 15 amps, and you're pushing almost 30 amps (or more) through it continuously. Something is going to burn up eventually.
The first place to check is for options. Did someone install a big-honking bass-buzzing audio amplifier? Daylight-power lightbar? They may have stuck it onto the TAIL circuit because that was easy, and all they had to do was "beef up" the fuse. Next, look for a trailer harness. They're usually dangling out there in the dirt and crap; a connector packed with damp mud might not be a dead-short but could be low enough resistance to pull 15 amps until it dries out. Check the trailer harness all the way back to where it was installed; if you had the same genius who worked at the dealership where the one on my truck was installed, I can assure you there is a problem.
Then, you'll probably need to do a wiggle test. Replace the fuse with a fairly high wattage light bulb (I have the working half of a "burnt out" headlamp bulb). To the small current the tail lights need the bulb is just a short and everything works normally. But if you wiggle the wires into a real short, the bulb limits the total current (to about 5 amps in my case) and the bulb lights up, telling you you've found it.
Yeah, you need to fix it. You have wiring (and fuse holders and bulb sockets ....) designed to be suitable for up to 15 amps, and you're pushing almost 30 amps (or more) through it continuously. Something is going to burn up eventually.
The first place to check is for options. Did someone install a big-honking bass-buzzing audio amplifier? Daylight-power lightbar? They may have stuck it onto the TAIL circuit because that was easy, and all they had to do was "beef up" the fuse. Next, look for a trailer harness. They're usually dangling out there in the dirt and crap; a connector packed with damp mud might not be a dead-short but could be low enough resistance to pull 15 amps until it dries out. Check the trailer harness all the way back to where it was installed; if you had the same genius who worked at the dealership where the one on my truck was installed, I can assure you there is a problem.
Then, you'll probably need to do a wiggle test. Replace the fuse with a fairly high wattage light bulb (I have the working half of a "burnt out" headlamp bulb). To the small current the tail lights need the bulb is just a short and everything works normally. But if you wiggle the wires into a real short, the bulb limits the total current (to about 5 amps in my case) and the bulb lights up, telling you you've found it.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
