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Tail-Light Troubles...

Discussion in 'Diagnosis/Help' started by spiedr0722, Aug 16, 2012.

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  1. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    My tail-lights have been cutting out while Im driving everyday. When I start the car and have the heaadlights on Ill drive between 5-10 mins and the lights will go out and the little light on the dash will come one and stay on until the next time I drive it. Any ideas about what it could be killing them?
     
    spiedr0722, Aug 16, 2012
    #1
  2. Spiderman

    Spiderman Well-Known Member

    How do you know the taillights are cutting out :fingersx ............... :lol


    Any problems during daytime ?


    How old is your battery ?


    Is your alternator pumping enough with the lights on ?


    What does the dash gauge say ?
     
    Spiderman, Aug 20, 2012
    #2
  3. eNtraxGT88

    eNtraxGT88 Well-Known Member Donated!

    sometimes your bulb is just dying and it's intermittent that it works. check every single bulb and look at the filament if they look shabby
     
    eNtraxGT88, Aug 20, 2012
    #3
  4. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Spiderman: The little light that looks like an orange car will come one. And I will walk aroind the back and the tailights will not be on. But the brake lights still work. No problems in the daytime since I dont have the lights on, Im not sure how old the battery is but we checked it and its still got juice and the alternator is still pumping.

    eNtrax: I think we have checked all the bulbs but I will check them again for good measure.
     
    spiedr0722, Aug 20, 2012
    #4
  5. 1fstgts

    1fstgts Well-Known Member Staff Member Administrator Moderator Donated!

    Sounds like connection problem, or a bad ground which would be a connection problem either way. Our cars are notorious for getting corroded connections.
     
    1fstgts, Aug 23, 2012
    #5
  6. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    I think we may have figured out the problem. My back window was leaking, so we took it of to reseal, and found a little yellow box called the Light Failure Sensor in side the body. So we took it out cleaned it and resealed the window. I think it may have been getting wet causing power not to get to the tailights. But its only been two days, so we'll see if it worked :fingersx
     
    spiedr0722, Aug 23, 2012
    #6
  7. Rick89GTS

    Rick89GTS Well-Known Member Moderator Donated!

    Any success?
    where exactly was this box located?
     
    Rick89GTS, Aug 26, 2012
    #7
  8. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    So far I still have tailights!! Rick the box is under the panel between the b and c pillar in the back seat on the left hand side. Hope that wasnt too confusing!
     
    spiedr0722, Aug 26, 2012
    #8
  9. Stig

    Stig ST162 Guru Donated!

    It's in the left panel, ours is white
    Bigger box is the TEMS suspension computer
    [​IMG]
    You got to remove it completely if you want to use LED's
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2012
    Stig, Aug 27, 2012
    #9
  10. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Welp the Tail lights went out again today....... I swear the day after it rains it goes out. Theres a crack in both tailights but no corrosion so IDK...
     
    spiedr0722, Sep 4, 2012
    #10
  11. Rick89GTS

    Rick89GTS Well-Known Member Moderator Donated!

    I had a similar problem with my brake lights and this was the culprit.
    One of the contacts in the socket casing had melted down, creating a short circuit. I spliced in a good one from the wreckers and all is well again. Check all your bulb sockets first, it might save you a lot of work.

    [​IMG]
     
    Rick89GTS, Sep 5, 2012
    #11
  12. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Sorry to reply so late. I checked all the grounds and they all look ok, none look melted. The only problem is that if I needed one I cant go to the junkyard and get one. There arent ANY 162's where I am at. Tailights are still going out at night and I don't know how much longer I can go without getting a ticket for them being out
     
    spiedr0722, Oct 27, 2012
    #12
  13. Rick89GTS

    Rick89GTS Well-Known Member Moderator Donated!

    ^If that is the problem, then all you need is the socket; any socket that accepts the #1156 (1157?) bulb will work.
    Since all Toyotas take those bulbs, any model should suffice. Just cut it out and splice it in.

    Did you check the ground on the rear back panel? (You have to remove the interior panel to access it)
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2012
    Rick89GTS, Oct 28, 2012
    #13
  14. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    No I dont think I have. Ill give that a try before I go out and buy new bulbs or get new boxes! Thanks for your help rick!
     
    spiedr0722, Oct 28, 2012
    #14
  15. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Is this ground in the reunk, backseat, and is it on the left or right side?
     
    spiedr0722, Oct 28, 2012
    #15
  16. Rick89GTS

    Rick89GTS Well-Known Member Moderator Donated!

    It's on that vertical back panel; almost where the interior light is in the hatch area. It's a 10mm bolt and it's centere in the middle. I'll see if I can find a pic.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2012
    Rick89GTS, Oct 29, 2012
    #16
  17. fiynix87

    fiynix87 Well-Known Member Donated!

    sorry to thread spam but since seeing this i run led indicators and they flash faster than normal does this mean removal of this box will make them flash normal pace?
    and am looking at installing led brakelights
     
    fiynix87, Oct 29, 2012
    #17
  18. eNtraxGT88

    eNtraxGT88 Well-Known Member Donated!

    no. it's the leds that don't draw enough power to make the flasher relay tick at the right speed. you need to increase the load so a resistor has to be installed IN PARALLEL!
    try out different ohms til you get the right one.
    [​IMG]
     
    eNtraxGT88, Oct 29, 2012
    #18
  19. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Thank you rick!
     
    spiedr0722, Oct 29, 2012
    #19
  20. spiedr0722

    spiedr0722 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Tailights are out...yet again! If someone could post up a picture of where the ground is on the interior panel that would help out alot! O and i have a coupe if that helps any.
     
    spiedr0722, Dec 19, 2012
    #20
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