So I go and connect my little flat bed trailer to my 97 SR5 V6 4X4 to pull my quad and after I connected it I drove off and while on the freeway I realize my cruise control and turn signals and hazards dont work. I check my fuses and a couple blew. I changed them and got my Cruise back but not my hazards or turn signals. My buddy tells me my factory trailer harness box is crap and to disconnect it. I simply unplugged the two wires (the one going into it and the one to the tail lights) and connected them (bypassing the factory box) when I replace the 15a horn fuse the horn works (no turn signals) but as soon as I hit the Hazard button I hear the familiar begining of the "click clack" of the turn signal flasher start with just 1 "click" then the 15a horn fuse blows then nothing....

Does this sound like it might be the flasher canister thing behind the under dash fuse panel?

PLEASE HELP MY 4RUNNER IS DOWN STAIRS ALL PULLED APART AS I TYPE THIS.

 

BY THE WAY I DID USE THE SEARCH FEATURE AND READ MANY DIFFERENT POSTS BUT NONE EXACTLY LIKE MINE.

 

I'd say your flasher unit has given up, just a guess.

 

Thanks for replying.

*****UPDATE*****

I checked all the fuses again and I just replaced the one and only flasher box I could find.

I now get turn signals to the passanger side but very weak to the drivers side and when they are on the drivers side they draw so much current ( I am assuming thats what is happening) they dim the dash and every thing else and also blow the 10a fuse in the center of the under dash fuse panel.

Same thing happens when the hazards go on. the immediatly blow that same 10a fuse
????????????
???????
????
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WHATS GOING ON?????

 

You have something grounding out somewhere, and I bet its the trailer wiring.

If its not plug and play, yank all that crap out of there. Patch all the factory wiring, then buy a plug and play harness. I have one available if you need it.

If it is a factory setup, yank it all out. Then put a new harness and converter box in there (again i have one) You CANNOT just connect the wires together without that converter box in there, you will have live wires grounding straight to the frame. Sounds like that converter box failed, and was allowing current to jump.

 

cougar, you are probably right. All I did was unplug from the factory box on the pass side (behind the panel next to the storage box) and plug the tail light pigtail to the wire running up to the factory box. What box do I need in this case? Let me know how much. I figured if I unplugged and replugged that way it would be like the trailer box was never there and it would be back to factory non towing set up.

But would a converter box be why the lights dim when I put the left (Driver) flash on? not the right (pass) it works perfectly..... only the left.

 

Well you have me confused. Do you have pics of what you did?

the only way to make it like the box is not there, is to unplug the wiring pig tail from the converter harness, and back into the taillight harness.

 

Yes that is what I did. I guess i can go down stairs and take it apart but that is what I did. So right noe the box is still behind the panel with no wires going into it and no wires coming out of it.

 

I am still wierded out by the drivers side signal. like I said the pass side is blinking strong and bright. the dr side is weak and makes the dash dim and when the car is running it even makes the ALT squeal.!?!

WTF!!

 

It connects at both sides. did you disconnect both sides? And unbolt the ground wire?

 

I did disconnect it at both sides but I didnt disconnect any ground wire because I thought since I disconnected the wires going into it (power supply) ther would be nothing to ground.
is my thinking off?

 

no, the grounds left there should be ok since no power is going through them.

But if you disconnected both sides, that takes the trailer harness completely out of the circuit. So, i dont know where that leaves you then. Many possible problems, including the turn signal switch assy itself.

Do you have any other after market wiring that could be causing the short? The reason the alt is lugging and everything is dim is because you have a short/grounding somewhere.

 

The only thing left is my alarm system. but it has never given me problems. I did find a flattened wire that was from my alarm, it was a wire that carried a signal for the starter disable.

Yes the trailer system is totally out of the loop. How can I test whether or not its the turn signal lever or not?

 

That i do not know. it would be outlined in the FSM, but I do not have one for a 97 4Runner.

I would be looking at that aftermarket alarm next, those things can cause all sorts of untold problems.

 

I only posses basic knowledge of electrical systems but I cant see where my alarm would be causing one of my turn signals to draw more current then the other?

 

heck if I know, i think i know about as much as you do about aftermarket electrical.

I know that toyota harnesses really never fail, so perhaps check again for frayed or damaged wires, or grounded wires, loose or otherwise.

Short of that, i dont know what else to tell ya without being there to see it.

 

Thanks cougar. I appreciate your help.

 

Did you ever replace any of the fuses with higher amperage ones? If so you may have over heated a wire somewhere.....just a stab in the dark because I've done that before with an emergency patch to get me home one night (tin foil is all I had) & it caused my wiring to mess up somewhere under the hood, I think it was the main wire to the batt. from the alt. or a ground wire.

My dad tried to explain it to me but he started talking in that technical jargon then my eyes glazed over & all I heard was "Wha-wha-Wha....wha wha wha" *sorry that's my best Charlie Brown

 

Nah I didnt do that. but thanks

IT WAS A FREAKIN GROUND COMING FROM THE REAR TAIL LIGHT AT THE FACTORY TRAILER BOX!!!!

sINCE i FIGURED NO POWER WAS GOING INTO THE BOX I DIDNT NEED TO REMOVE THE GROUND ( i WAS RIGHT IN THINKING THAT).....
hOWEVER i NEVER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A GROUND COMING FROM THE TAIL LIGHT PIG TAIL!?!

In the end all is well except for the fact that when I hit the pass side turn signal it blinks fast when I hit the breaks but starts blinking normal when my foot is off the brakes......... I think its bulb.

 

That would indicate you have the wrong bulb in there to me. That fast flashing is a built in feature in most vehicles, to warn the driver of a light out.

Was that ground just not hooked up?