Hey Guys,

Please help! I'm at a loss. Here's the scenario:

1984 Toyota 4x4 4Runner

Have turn signals
Have back up lights
Have tail lights

NO BRAKE LIGHTS!

Fuse okay
1157 stop bulbs new both sides
No corrosion in the sockets
New stop light switch ( installed/removed when didn't solve. But found out that the drivers side bulb was cracked and out. Need to check again)

What gives? Really frustrated.

I can't find the ground wire.
Can't seem to find a short.
The truck does have a trailer hitch wired in by splicing, so is this the culpret? Do not know of any relays with a rig this early. I'm lost with Hiltons scematics.

Please guide me, because I'm really upset.

Thanks!

Randy
MUDN4RNR

Also, please forgive me if I ask stupid electrical questions. Not afraid, just a little uneducated.

 

When did this start happening?
Did it coincide with wiring the hitch? Towing something? Installing an accessory in the dash? After you put in the new switch? Did you do any wiring (new connector or whatever) when you put in the new brake light switch?

If you had a short it would blow a fuse. Bad ground is possible. Brake light switch likely culprit. You need a test light and a schematic. Another possibility is the turn signal switch/ hazard switch maybe. The brake light circuit goes through the column to integrate with the hazards, and the turn signals if the turn sig and brake is the same filament. (Not sure if any Yotas are this way.)

 

I had a similar problem in my 90. After checking & replacing the same things you did I took it to a local mechanic. He found a broken wire in the wiring harness that goes to the brake light switch. He ran a wire from the fusebox to the switch and it's been working fine for a few years now.
I'd suggest checking your wires to the switch for continuity.
Good luck, electrical problems can be annoying.

 

When I bought the truck it had the wiring harness in it already. I can't say for sure when it exactly started, but my suspicision is when I went through the car wash yesterday. Pretty strong jets in the automatic.

I did pull the bulbs tonight. Drivers side was actually cracked and the filament was broke. I replaced both sides. Still no brake lights. I did change out the stop light switch, but that was before I did the bulbs, so I'll try it again. The 10 Amp fuses are okay, but I'll check again. I think the culpret may be the trailer harness as the connectors are simply electrically taped, and not soldered or heat shrunk.

My biggest issue is I don't know how to use the test light. It's simply a screw driver like device with a pointed tip, the end has a wire with an alligater clip. Is the clip to be grounded, or does it go onto a wire? The instructions with it really suck.

Thanks!

Randy

 

Hey Guys,

Thank you so much for all your assistance. The brake lights are now back in service. I learned a valuable bit of information from y'all and from what my truck does.

1. Turns out the trailer wiring harness is not spliced into the main harness at all but linked through the turn signals individually. The wiring harness for the trailer just needs to be cleaned up, to prevent shorting, which I will do, based upon great advice from a new 4x4 friend I have made.

2. Stop switch is okay. No need to replace.

3. All wiring in the cab is intact

4. The Rear Drivers Bulb actually exploded, cracking the glass and breaking the filament. This caused both sides to go out. I replaced the bulb, then the fuse that RESCUE showed me blew out. I replaced it and I know have complete working brakes.

Thank you once again for all your help. I admit I was very upset and nervous over this because I'm not a wiring expert in the least. If I just slowed down, and took stock, it would have probably all worked out. Thanks for the great YOAT support!

Randy

 

mudn4rnr,

Could you tell me where the fuse was you replaced? I'm having the exact same problem with my 91 pickup and I am foaming at the mouth and shaking.
Just kidding, but really, I've replaced bulbs, stop switch etc. with no luck. For a few days my turn signal would come on while braking. I looked at my trailer harness first and it looked pretty sad. I snipped it off, although it practically fell off, and the turn signal behaved normally again, but now the stop lights don't come on. Everything else is fine, signals, flashers, tail lights, backup lights are all okay. Using a multimeter, I found there is no 12v at the brake light switch harness (the one the switch clicks into.) I checked all the fuses I could find, and did not find any blown fuses! I was going to try to steal the 12v from the fuse box, but would rather find the problem.

Thanks a lot



sorry, I guess this is the wrong section...

 

I have a 1990 toyoda pickup with same problem I have no brakes in the wiring and have no burnt fuses. An my dashlights don't work either. If you figured the problem out think you might be able to tell me what you did to correct the problem.

 

The FSM for the 3rd gens says the following for troubleshooting:

No taillights:

1. TAIL Fuse (No.2 R/B)
2. Taillight Control Relay
3. Light Control Rheostat
4. Wire Harness

No illlumination (dash) lights:

1. TAIL Fuse (No.2 R/B)
2. Taillight Control Relay
3. Light Control Rheostat
4. Wire Harness

Assuming the wiring is close or the same, I'd check your fuses and relays.