2001 camry rear lights not working

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taym1

Member - Posts: 5

Joined: August 13, 2008

Location: New Jersey, United States

Posted: August 13, 2008 at 2:15 PM / IP Logged

Hi guys,

My 2001 Camry (bought second-hand 4 years ago) has factory installed keyless entry (not alarm). I just realized that when I turn on the headlights, none of the rear lights are on. I believe these rear red lights are the same as the brake lights, which work fine when I step on the brake. Also, when I unlock the doors using the remote, none of the lights (front & rear) flashes (they used to), though the dashboard and compartment lights still do. The corner turn/hazard lights are working ok.

How can I troubleshoot this? Is it the keyless remote module malfunctioning and interfering with the light switch? What are the fuses I should check (even though the brake lights are working)? If nothing helps, is there an easy way to diable/remove the keyless entry so I can at least get the rear lights working?

Thanks!

Mike

kgerry

Platinum - Posts: 3,455

This member consistently provides reliable information

Joined: February 07, 2004

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Posted: August 13, 2008 at 4:16 PM / IP Logged

these should be the parking lights... meter the parking light wire at the switch and see if you have voltage or not....

Kevin Gerry

Certified Electronics Technician

MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer

Classic Car Audio

since 1979

taym1

Member - Posts: 5

Joined: August 13, 2008

Location: New Jersey, United States

Posted: August 13, 2008 at 6:15 PM / IP Logged

I'm sorry, but isn't parking lights the corner yellow lights? I thought the lights that get turned on by the headlight switch are the red lights that go across the middle?

Chris Luongo

Platinum - Posts: 3,746

Joined: May 21, 2002

Location: Massachusetts, United States

Posted: August 13, 2008 at 8:04 PM / IP Logged

How about the rear license plate light, does that work?

It could be the lamp failure sensor, which I've heard is a common part to break on Toyotas.

My sister's '99 Lexus RX300 had license plate light, turn signals, and brake lights working..........but all four red taillamps weren't coming on with the parking lights.

So, not exactly like you describe your car, but similar.

After a lot of searching around online for wiring diagrams and part locations, and reading the Lexus forums, I found the lamp failure module and it had that nice burned smell.

Instead of replacing the module, I looked at the diagram, did some testing, a little rewiring, and bypassed the module completely.

All of her lights work now, but the "lamp out" indicator in the dash isn't functional anymore. If a bulb burns out, she won't know until she checks it visually.

Links:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?s=299b969e8c26eda4613eabd2d6d51bfe&t=96954

http://www.2carpros.com/forum/tail-lights-and-lamp-failure-moduleplease-help-vt21057.html

This link is mostly about Fords, but press CTRL-F

on your computer, type in the word "toyota" (without the quotes) and you'll see it.

http://www.svapowerproducts.com/html/august_98.html

Apparently this is a popular part. Here's a site with many used ones for sale.

http://www.usedpartslive.com/live/1/year/TOYOTA/model/Tail_Light_Outage_Sensor/

taym1

Member - Posts: 5

Joined: August 13, 2008

Location: New Jersey, United States

Posted: August 14, 2008 at 9:45 AM / IP Logged

Chris, thank you very much for sharing the info. I'll look into the links you provided, and hopefully that'll resolve the problem.

taym1

Member - Posts: 5

Joined: August 13, 2008

Location: New Jersey, United States

Posted: August 15, 2008 at 8:59 PM / IP Logged

Chris,

I checked the license plate lights, and they're NOT working. The bulbs don't appear burnt nor broken. I checked the wiring leading to them and it appears to be ok. I'll try replacing the bulbs.

For testing, I unplugged one of the brake light bulbs (the one I replaced a couple of months ago as it was burnt), and upon starting the car and stepping on the brake, the lamp out indicator on the dashboard appeared. Plugging in the bulb (and restarting the car) turned the indicator off.

I located the lamp failure module and unplugged the wires connector, but I was't able to remove it from the metal frame (am I supposed to just use brute force to yank it out?). So I wasn't able to see if it looks burnt, but it doesn't smell burnt right now. Given that the lamp out indicator works, does this mean the module is working ok?

Do you think the keyless entry is somehow involved in this, since when I press the remote to unlock the car, none of the lights flash as they used to?

I really appreciate any other suggestion you can offer.

Many thanks!

Chris Luongo

Platinum - Posts: 3,746

Joined: May 21, 2002

Location: Massachusetts, United States

Posted: August 16, 2008 at 9:39 AM / IP Logged

Hmm, well, maybe it's not necessarily the lamp outage sensor then.

I would try two things, in this order. Especially since you just replaced a bulb, and there's a possiblity the bulb is incorrect (or installed incorrectly), and blew a fuse.

1. Check all related fuses in the car, or better yet, check ALL fuses in the car.

I think Toyota calls the parking lamp fuse TAIL, for taillights. But try to check everything......backup lights fuse, brake lights fuse, dashboard illumination fuse, and so forth.

2. Do you have a test light or multimeter, and know how to use it?

That lamp outage indicator has wires coming in (from the front of the car), and wires going out (to the lamps on the back of the car).

You could test all of the wires, and at least see if power is making its way from the front to the back.

I remember on my sister's RX300, the lamp failure module slides onto a metal bracket, which is bolted to the car.

You can either try to release the clip and slide the module off the bracket (which is difficult to do without breaking the plastic), or unbolt the bracket (should be a 10mm bolt).

Anyway, from my sister's car, the wires at the module were standard Toyota colors:

WHITE/ black: ground

green: parking lights, positive

GREEN / WHITE: brake lights, positive

There are going to be a whole bunch of green and GREEN / WHITE wires there. Of course you can't easily tell which is the input, and which is the output........but:

If ALL green wires are dead, then it must be that no power is arriving from the front of the car, and:

If one green wire tests good, but the others are all bad, then power IS arriving from the front of the car, but is not coming out of the lamp failure module.

taym1

Member - Posts: 5

Joined: August 13, 2008

Location: New Jersey, United States

Posted: August 29, 2008 at 6:49 AM / IP Logged

Hi Chris,

Thank you very much for the detailed instructions. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with this problem. You couldn't have made it earsier :) Sorry that I didn't get a chance to post an update until now.

You nailed it right on the head, and I probably should've tested it earlier, but it WAS the the fuse marked TAIL that was blown. Upon on replacing it, my lights are working properly now.

Thanks again!

Mike

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2001 camry rear lights not working

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