I've got a 98 4runner Limited with an electrical problem: Turned the headlights, etc. on but the taillights, front corner lights, and dash lights did not come on. Headlights work fine as do the reading lights, hazards, and brake lights. Checked the fuses and the one for the taillights was blown. I replaced it, turned on the lights, and it immediately blew the fuse again! I'm thinking there is a short somewhere, but I don't know anything regarding electrical systems. Can anyone help me out!?!? I did a search and couldn't find anything (maybe I wasn't searching for the right words?).

 

Sounds like you have a short somewhere. If you have trailer wiring check that, it's a common place for trouble. Check both tail and front marker light bulbs, sometimes when a filament goes it shorts to ground. Also you might want to check the taillight relay, should be in the fuse box under the hood. The TAIL, FOG, DEFOG and PWR OUTLET relays are all identical so try swapping one of them in place of the TAIL one and see if that fixes the problem.

If none of those fix the problem then you could have a wire with broken insulation. That can be a major pita to track down.

 

any recent car stereo mods or remote starters?

 

thanks for the help guys! No electrical mods, Ron. Eric was right on the money; it was the wiring to the trailer hook-up. Put some electrical tape on there and it worked fine--no more blown fuses!

 

glad to hear it is solved

and thanks for 'fessing up what it was