I've had a strange problem for a while now, and it's bugging me enough to try and fix it.

My right front corner marker lamp does not work. It worked for about a month after I bought the truck, then just stopped. It's not the bulb.

About the same time (maybe the exact same time), my gear selector light that's under the shifter stopped working. Now, it has been kind of intermittent (unlike the corner marker), seems like it was off for about 3 months, then on consistently for about 3-4 months....and now it's back off again. Again, it is not a bulb issue.


I assume it has to be a grounding issue somehow...but these are the only two things that I have to work off of, and I'm not very good at electrical troubleshooting. Every single stinkin' other thing on the truck works perfectly. Just not these two dang lights.....



Sorry, this might be in the wrong section. But any advice from this section is welcome!!

 

Odd very odd.

Don't really see how the 2 lamps could be electrically connected that far apart. My immediate guess would be corrosion at the back of the lamp assembly (where it grounds)

Go after the corner light first-just cause it's easier to get at. So you are saying all the other parking lights work fine except this one? You just visually looking at the bulb-or you have swapped in other good ones-like the one from the other side?

 

For what it's worth ... If the Highlander is wired like a similar-vintage Tacoma, the front corners and the shifter illumination lamp (like almost all dash illumination) are on the same general circuit (the taillight / panel circuit). If this is the case, each of these lamps is independent of the other (on its own little sub-circuit, in different regions of the overall circuit). Odds are the glitches are specific to each lamp and / or the wiring immediately connected to it.

 

Yes, all other lights work fine. I've tried several different bulbs in the socket, and none work. Plug the same bulb into the other side, and they all work fine. Definitely not a bulb issue.

There's really no place for corrosion to be. It's a plastic socket on the end of the wiring harness. And the connection in the socket looks clean. It's just not getting any power.


I'm guessing I have a couple shorts on that general circuit or something then. I think I might pay me dealer an hours labor to troubleshoot it, and then see what they can get done.

 

okay quicksilver good info on the bulb check-I believed ya but wanted to hear the methodology you used to make the determination.

So you're checking for power at each lamp with a multimeter? Following along with what Enola is saying -I have to suspect that both of these fixtures ground at the same point-or with the same wire color. Use the positive side of the multitester where the bulb plugs in and ground to a good known ground point, in the case of the corner lamp perhaps at the negative battery post or fender well grounds under the hood.

Try following the ground wire for each malfunctioning lamp-but I presume it disappears into a wiring loom/rat's nest rather quickly. It's my guess that you do have power at each lamp but it's the ground that is faulty, in which case you may be able to snip the ground close to the lamp and re-ground.

 

You are correct in the wiring loom/rats nest statement. But, I hadn't thought of re-grounded both. When I get some time, I'll see if I can work on this. Ah time......I remember when I used to have that......

 

bring it on by and we'll get it figured out! Give you an excuse to head out here again.

And if you have not done the radiator swap out yet...I'm good at those!

 

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I've encountered the same non-functioning corner light. Also not a bulb issue. Left corner works just fine, Right one is out. Did the re-ground work? Tracing the wiring back through the looming is looking fairly prohibitive.

 

Wow, were you able to actually order those? From the dealer or online? How much?