My 15 fuse for the taillights/ cluster lights in the kickpanel keeps blowing, and I only got so many fuses. This would insist that I have a short somewhere right? But where do I start to look? Has anyone had this same problem? Please any help needed.

Thanks,
Mario

 

There are a lot of ways to go about trouble shooting that problem. Without getting fancy, I'd pull every lamp that's on that circuit (the wiring diagram would be great to have) from it's socket and check each bulb. I've seen the poles shorted by bad soldering/manufacturing. With the bulbs out, put the fuse back in. If it blows, then it's either a shorted socket or a short somewhere in the wiring. If it doesn't blow, then start putting bulbs back in one at a time. When the fuse blows, you've located the bad PORTION of the circuit which should reduce your witch hunt. Good luck.

 

Also there is no play, as soon as I put the lights on the fuse blows (happens very fast) I dont even get to see my dash lights or tail lights. I tried some bulbs but most are ok

Mario

 

Keep searching, keep searching... you'll find it, eventually.
I'd take a look at the light switch itself, as well... good luck.

 

look anywhere where a wire passes through sheetmetal or where wire is exposed on the underbody..... these are places where direct shorts are most likely to occur

 

when i bought my factory manuals for my 90, the electrical diagram volume was like $20. granted it was a few years ago, i'd get one of them.

helped me tracked down a few bugs.

 

I am now having the exact same problem, im wondering if you ever found a solution?

 

I would look for a wire rubbed against metal until it has worn thru the insulation and is now shorting. May be the switch too.
I would also buy a BUNCH of fuses.
Alternatively, you can get a fairly heavy guage wire (10-12) and put it in in place of the fuse, then find the arcs/sparks/burning smell. Not the best or the advisable method, but it WILL work.

 

#1 removes all tail light and parking light bulbs. Eliminate the load (light bulbs) incase any one of them is shorted to ground. also when you are removing the light bulbs in the back make sure you check the rubber insulator that insulated the tail light wires from body., when you have the bulbs removed, replace fuse with a good one, operate the light switch and see if it blows, if it does blow the fuse, you need to check wires for short to ground. If it doesn’t then start replacing the light bulbs one by one until you find the defective one. If this doesn’t work try step #2 if you have a wire shorted to ground.

#2 replace fuse with light bulbs out , turn light switch on .see if it blows the fuse , if it does disconnect the wire harness connector that s by the ECU in the passenger side compartment kick panel ( 3 plugs go to ecu , the other plug feeds the fuel pump and tail lights and turn signal lights ) , try it again with a new fuse, if it doesn’t blow fuse then your problem is in trucks tail section u need to trace the wires to the connector make sure they are not shorted to ground. Use your volt meter; put the setting on continuity so u can check the wires from connector to the light bulb socket. If it still blows the fuse after disconnecting the tail light section then your problem is in the front section.

#3 when did it started to blow the fuse did you add any additional lights (fog lamps etc) or you have additional lights connected to the light circuit?


I hope this will be some help to you
Good luck.

 

Hey man thanks for the help i really appreciate it, driving around with my hazards on is really becoming an annoyance.

Anyways, i attempted your solution number one, with all the lights out the fuse continues to blow. All the wiring in and around the tail lights, front marker lights, and plate lights looks good. I have not installed anything new in my truck recently. Also about two weeks before the dash and tail lights went out my e-brake dash light began to flicker on very randomly. Im not sure if this would help in locating the short.

Also, i was told by someone to check my ignition switch? I dont know much about this any thoughts?

 

if you are not good with auto electrical i recomend you by getting a factory < key word Farctory > manual .they are about 45 to 50 .00 from your local toyota dealer.

or take the truck to a shop with electrical knowladge.