Dash lights, parking lights and turn signals not working

Tiny
JONEZRAY47
  • MEMBER
  • 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 1.8L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 187,000 MILES
Good morning, yesterday my signals went out. So, I replaced the fuse and it worked but I don’t know how long it has been because the day before they were working, but my dash lights and twilight are not coming on. Now after driving a while my signals went out again, I changed the taillight fuse so now I’m wondering do I need a taillight relay and if so, where is it located? I was thinking the glove box because I looked in the other two fuse boxes under the hood and the driver floor.
Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 AT 6:40 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
AL514
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,102 POSTS
Hello, is the turn signal fuse blown again?
A relay won't cause a fuse to blow. They go out because of a short to ground. They are a circuit protection device. So most likely you have bulb socket that is full of water or a wire on that circuit touching the frame somewhere, where the insolation has rubbed threw due to vehicle vibrations. I will pull up the wiring diagrams for your car. What sub-model is this? Base, LE, S, or XLE?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-a-car-fuse-works
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Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 AT 9:42 AM
Tiny
JONEZRAY47
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
It’s an LE and yes it did go out again. How do I check the bulbs and what are some areas to look for the wire?
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Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 AT 9:50 AM
Tiny
AL514
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,102 POSTS
Well, some of the issues a lot of cars have is the actual taillight assembly for example, the actual plastic case they sit in don't always seal out water perfectly like they should. Are any of your headlight or taillight assemblies look like they have any moisture in them at all? Even just a little bit, most people don't really notice, but if there's any type of moisture inside any one lamp assembly, the water inside or moisture can short out the bulb socket. If you don't see any moisture and there's no sign of that. Try to gain access to one of the taillight bulbs, usually threw the trunk area. Just to inspect the bulb socket. I would check all of them. Since they're all powered by the same fuse if could be a single socket blowing the fuse. Even check the license plate bulb sockets. They are on that circuit as well. I will pull up all the wring diagrams for the taillight, turn signal, and other lights fed by that tail light fuse. Also I'll try to find any connectors for you to check. And if there's any Recalls or Technical Service Bulletins for you. Also are you located in Canada?
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Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 AT 10:07 AM
Tiny
JONEZRAY47
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Other people who are having the same problem took the glove box out and there isn’t any moisture in there and that would cause the dash lights to go out too. License plate light went out first like two months ago.
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Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 AT 10:11 AM
Tiny
AL514
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,102 POSTS
Opening the glove box would cause your lights to go out? If that's the case, that's a great clue. The DRL relay is behind the glove box, the DRL is the "Daytime Running Light Relay", it will turn on your headlights automatically. Here's a picture of its connector behind the glove box. I would also check the license plate bulb sockets. They are on the same circuit as the taillights. If they went out already.
But if you move you glove box and have issues with your lights, then your short circuit is behind there, Inspect the wiring behind it for any place where the wiring harness is touching metal, any contact points. Check to see if it has rubbed threw the harness anywhere back there. Vibrations due all kinds of things to wiring harnesses,
Can you take a picture with your glove box out for me? I would like to see what kind of wiring is back there, if it's not too much trouble.
I have added the circuit for the license plate lights, as you can see, they are on the same wire as your taillights and that green wire goes to the taillight fuse.
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Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 AT 10:22 AM

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