1990 Camry Tail Lights Don't Work???

CivicSiR7 · 01-06-2003, 10:27 PM

My parents tail lights doesn't work when you step on it. I've changed the bulbs and that didn't work. What could possibly be the problem? Is there any steps I can take to check in order to find the problem?

custmguru · 01-16-2003, 05:25 PM

we had that problem. is it all the lights? or just the brakes?

for us it was the brake lights and it was the switch under the dash that needed to be replaced

CivicSiR7 · 01-16-2003, 10:14 PM

When I turn on the lights, the brake lights come on, but when I step on the brake pedal the brake lights doens't come on. I'll check the switch today. What else could be the problem?

JWatson · 01-17-2003, 08:56 PM

It could be the stop lamp switch or the lamp failure indicator sensor (a little yellow box in the right rear Q panel)

Hope it helps.
Jeff

mb571 · 01-20-2003, 07:01 PM

There is also a fuse for the stop lights according to my Haynes manual. A bad bulb could have taken out this fuse.

Mark

CivicSiR7 · 01-21-2003, 12:46 PM

Thanks for the replys guys, I'll keep you posted on the progress.

superdesi · 10-28-2003, 08:19 PM

I had the same exact problem, except that along with the brake lights not working......I was unable to shift from "Park" without depressing the override switch that is located on the shift column.

The problem automatically went away for a week.......but now I have the same problem.

Do you guys think it is the "Stop Light Switch" or that other thing that is located in the trunk?

Thanks.

AMONTGOMERY1978 · 11-03-2003, 11:32 AM

I have the same problem. No tail lights, but have brake lights, backup lights, headlights, etc. I know there is a fuse box in the trunk for the tail lights (thanks Haynes manual) but I can't find it. Any suggestions? I think the fuse is blown, but ANY suggestions will be helpful now. I would prefer not to be pulled over by helpful fellow drivers or our faithful boys in blue to cheerfully inform me that these are out...

Thanks

89CamryV6 · 11-06-2003, 10:23 PM

Im having the same problem. Tail lights dont work. Fuse and relay both are fine. Wiring diagrams out of haynes driving me crazy. and there is no fuse in the trunk, only in the kick panel.

AMONTGOMERY1978 · 11-07-2003, 09:05 AM

No fuse box in the trunk? My "Fellow Toyota Owner" who told me that is an idiot. Thankfully he's my brother...

I found the light failure relay in the trunk. I found ONE blown fuse when I used a tester (cheapo one from Wal-Martesque store). I changed it...joyful...FINALLY...maybe this is it!! Nope. All it did was make the light on the dash come on that tells me the lights are on. (Which hadn't been working) Now what??

Mr. Haynes...can you PLEASE make your diagrams any vaguer?

I mean really! I followed them as best I could...but where ARE these things in the car???

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO HELP US?? I"ve been pulled over twice in the last week...this has to get fixed!!

AM

89CamryV6 · 11-07-2003, 06:23 PM

here is the answer:

I just fixed my lights. You can do it too. Heres what you do, this works, no joking.Go into your trunk. You will need to find the green wire (not the black and white ground) that goes into your license plate illumination lights. Once you found it, you will need to splice a wire off of that about 8 inches long. The best way to do this is to get a tap connector that clips over the wire your tapping into and then accepts a male tab that can be attached to your bridging wire. OK, next step is to find the bunch of wires coming into the trunk from the back seat area. If your wires are like mine, there should be 2 green wires in this bunch. You will want to double check by disconnecting the connector that goes right to the tail light bulb on the trunk lid (the one below the reverse light bulb) Once its disconnected have an assistant hold down the brake pedal or prop it down. now test each of the four prongs on the hot side of the connector for power. the hot one is for the brakes, forget about it. and its not the ground so whatever wire is left is the tail light wire. follow that wire up to that main harness that comes into the back seat. once you found the right wire mark it or somethind. now bridge that green wire from the license plate bulb socket to the wire you just found. turn on your headlights. you might want to test the tail light end of your bridging wire before you plug it into the tail light wire to make sure all the connections you made are continuous. if you made a good bridge, it will work, and it wont blow anything out because mine worked out fine. any questions let me no. and dont sell your camry, cherish it

crsjt · 11-18-2003, 06:35 PM

This is amazing! I'm having the exact same problem with my 90 Camry. All lights fine except for the tail lights. I brought my car to the shop today to have it checked out and they told me it was the headlight switch. They said they jiggled it and got the tail lights to come on. They also wanted to charge me over 300$ to fix it. After calling around and finding the part for $45 I've decided to try and fix it myself. I wonder if anyone knows how difficult this is....will I have to get into the steering column? I'll write more when I've changed out the part and let everyone know what happened.
I appreciated the post on running a wire from your license plate light, a friend of mine told me to do that exact thing but wiring kinda freaks me out. If the new switch doesn't work I will try the wiring thing. Wish me luck!!

superdesi · 11-23-2003, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crsjt

This is amazing! I'm having the exact same problem with my 90 Camry. All lights fine except for the tail lights. I brought my car to the shop today to have it checked out and they told me it was the headlight switch. They said they jiggled it and got the tail lights to come on. They also wanted to charge me over 300$ to fix it. After calling around and finding the part for $45 I've decided to try and fix it myself.

Have you jiggled around the headlight switch and temorarily got the taillights to come on???

crsjt · 12-03-2003, 11:57 AM

OK...it seems the shop was trying to screw me!! it was not in fact my headlight switch and all the jiggling in the world never got the tail lights on. It was in fact my tail light relay!! It took about 2 seconds to change out and cost me $25 used!! If anyone has this problem where all lights work except tail lights I highly recommend checking this out. I almost paid a ton of money for something that wouldn't have fixed the problem
The relay is on the left side wall of the trunk behind the carpeting. It is a yellow box a little bigger than a pack of cigerettes. All you do is get it unhooked from the body and remove one plug. You can open the relay and see if any circuits are burnt out. It was obviously burnt on mine.
Don't get screwed by some shady mechanic!! Check this out first!! It is so easy my grand ma could do it!!
Cheers,
Chris

superdesi · 12-03-2003, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crsjt

It was in fact my tail light relay!! It took about 2 seconds to change out and cost me $25 used!!

BEFORE you changed the tail light relay, did you have to depress the "override" button on the shift column to shift from "PARK"?

I have 2 problems simultaneously. I have no Brake Lights. Secondly, I have to keep depressing that override button to shift.

I took apart my steering column looking for the stop light switch. After about 1 hour, I still was unable to find that stupid switch.

Maybe my problem is the not the stop light switch, but the relay you are talking about.

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