29stl

Hello all!

New to the forum and have quite a problem I sure would like some help with. I have searched all around and although I have found some similar issues I never saw any posts with a success story. My apologies if it slipped by me and this post is redundant.

Ok, so I got in my 96 4 Runner the other day I started it up and everything was fine until I went to turn on my AC/Heater and nothing happened, went to roll down the windows....nothing, sunroof...nothing, and to add to it my warning lights, speedometer and RPM gauge is not working either, none of the gauges are.

If anyone has any insight on what this could be I would greatly appreciate it! I have seem it could be a Circuit Breaker but I cannot find it for the life of me. I checked all the fuses and they all seem good.

Thanks!

Kiroshu

Try cleaning battery posts and terminal ends first to see if that helps.

RamRod82

Check the big circuit breakers in the fuse box, not the little cheap ones that look like buck teeth that i'm sure you already checked but the bigger ones that handle serious amperage that are bolted down in the fuse box. They should have a clear top so you can look down into them and see if they are blown. Kind of a pain to change but not too bad. If your 4Runner is starting but the bells and whistles aren't working I would check there.

29stl

Well tried cleaning the battery terminals with no luck, and all the fuses with clear tops look to be good. Does the speedometer and rpm gauge work off a fuse or circuit?

29stl

Ok, so I have it narrowed down to the gauges fuse keeps blowing every time I put it in reverse. Have tried pulling the trailer wiring harness off and it was a no go. It seems to not happen all the time though. Although it can be one fuse after the other sometimes it might run just fine for a few starts then all the sudden pop. Either way going from the neutral>Reverse and Park>Reverse it goes.

TheDurk

My guess is your reverse light switch, or its wiring is shorting to ground.It runs off the Gauge fuse, as per:

Wiring:

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/...emci/027bl.pdf

Location is at P1 on this:http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/...tric/parts.pdf

I would pull the switch and see if that stops the problem. (You won't have reverse lights.)

29stl

Well I guess my 96 is slightly different than the diagram because I found the reverse light switch (or a switch that disable them) on the drivers side of the tranny. I checked all other lights, brakes, hazards and they are all still functioning. I cycled through reverse a few times and nothing happened so my figures are crossed. I will take it out for a while and see if it still pops the fuse while driving. hopefully its as easy as replacing the switch.

29stl

Correction. The first switch I unplugged must have been some sort of detection switch. I found the correct reverse switch on the passenger side of transmission but the connection was kind of a pita to get to as it was more on top of the tranny. Being the switch is only around 23 bucks I will continue there as it will be easier than chasing down a short in the wire, unless anyone has any good suggestions on where to start with that. I am not to skilled in that department but find my knowledge vastly improving with this problem.

Thanks for everyones help and suggestions!!!! Its getting me to the right place.

29stl

Got the wrong switch again. Think I unplugged the temp sensor. I still had reverse lights. Funny thing is, is that I stopped blowing fuses at least as of yet. I actually do not see a "backup/reverse light switch." All I can find is this (pick below) and when unplugged I can't shift at all. I have an A/T if that helps.

Smythley

Did you ever find out what switch the one above is? How'd you fix your problem?