Tail Circuit. blowing fuses.

[theKnifeArtist]

can someone lay out the tail circuit for me? the tsrm doesnt give me a clear picture...its goes from the lights to the fuse to the relay then to power and ground? i wanna try to fix this tommorrow. the tail fuse blows everytime i put one in. anyhelp is apprectiated

 

[bluemax]

can someone lay out the tail circuit for me? the tsrm doesnt give me a clear picture...its goes from the lights to the fuse to the relay then to power and ground? i wanna try to fix this tommorrow. the tail fuse blows everytime i put one in. anyhelp is apprectiated

Sounds like you have a short or somethings drawing too much current. But then you probably already know that.
The tail fuse powers just about every acc. light there is.
A couple of people this year were having problems with the tail circuit like you are. I didn't follow the threads too closely. Do a search and may be they posted the source of the problem.

 

[theKnifeArtist]

i never have luck with that damn search. i tried already...
so wheres the most likely spot a short would happen...hmmmm

 

[Joel W.]

I would start by looking at the bulbs and sockets.. Sometimes the tail light sockets get to hot from sitting with your foot on the brake with parking lights on for long periods..This can make the insulator part of the socket brittle and cause a short if it fails.

Just something to look at.. I had a new bulb that I installed recently that appeared good but had a direct short in it..

 

[Loki]

This happened to me when I wired in an aftermarket gauge. I had it wired into the dimmer switch and everytime I turned my lights on the fuse would pop.

Reason why it was doing it was because the gauge didn't need the power and ground wires hooked up, only the power wire and it needed to be wired into the ground. Now it works fine.

Not sure if you have any aftermarket gauges but just saying what happened to me.

 

[theKnifeArtist]

i didnt install any aftermarket gauges. it just happened out of the blue..well i unplugged both taillight assemblies, and it still blows the fuse once you put the lights on! arg, this is a tricky one..any ideas?

 

[theKnifeArtist]

i took out the tail relay and tested it and it works. also, it clicks when you put the parking lights on...just like it should...so that out of the way...
i check the wires goin into the taillight fixtures...everything seems in order...what else can i check?

i heard a broken dimmer switch can cause all these lights to stop working...but would it cause the fuse to blow?

 

[Joel W.]

You can bypass the dimmer switch with a spaded jumper wire once you figure out the power wire and the wire that runs to the lights to eliminate that as a possibility.

Might be worth pulling the front running lights to further help narrow down the location of the short circuit.

 

[theKnifeArtist]

even with the dimmer disconnected, the fuse blows once i put the running lights on. with the correct wires jumped, still blows.

i just tried disconnecting both front running lights(everything looked good) and then trying to put the lights on. again. blown fuse.

 

[Joel W.]

Did you do any dash/radio work lately? Like maybe the ash tray light wire or cig lighter light got pinched some where over time and shorted?

Here is the TSRM on the lighting system with some tests to look at on page BE-16 to BE-28
http://groundsky.co.nz/techinfo/TSRM/22_BE.pdf

 

[theKnifeArtist]

yesss! the ground wire to the ash tray light was ripped...probably from when i put the new climate control in....everything works now
thanks allot!!!

 

[Joel W.]

Your welcome..

 

[Nick M]

the tsrm doesnt give me a clear picture...its goes from the lights to the fuse to the relay then to power and ground?

???

From TSRM online EWD

http://www.cygnusx1.net/supra/library/Wiring/pages/Page_062.html

Good to hear you found it. Blowing fuses is usually a direct ground, which is what a bare wire will give you when it contacts ground.