2008LC No running tail lights with ARB rear bumper swing out.

[Expolander]

Seeking some wiring help.

I purchased this 2008 200LC in Nov. This week I noticed my rear taillights were flickering a little and then they went out completely.

I cannot or have not yet found the ARB rear bumper installation instructions and wiring diagram.

The ARB bumper came with the vehicle when I purchased it.


Diagnosis: I've burned out three 15 amp fuses for the DS fuse panel trying to trace the problem. They don't blow immediately but after a few seconds they will blow when the car lights come on as best I can tell.

All other lights work. on the vehicle i have turn, brake, and backup lights.

As for the ARB bumper both signals work, however; only the left (DS) tail brake light works. The PS ARB brake light doesn't work.

I have zero rear running lights on the vehicle.

I can only conclude that it is a faulty ground wire somewhere. I tore into what I could and here are my questions:

1) What is the brown wire for showing in the picture? I don't see anyplace where it would go to.

2) Where could other ground wires be for the car and ARB bumper aside from behind the inner fender cargo area where they wired the ARB lights into?

3) The license plate mount and light was corroded and the bulb was blown so I removed. I doubt this would cause the car tail lights not to work since this problem happened afterwards.

4) Why am I missing so many AC type fuses from under the hood fuse box? Is that because I don't or may not have AC seats?


Any next steps you can suggest or help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Tim

 

[ckkone]

First you want to use insulated connectors, the ones you have installed could be shorting out if they contact metal:

https://www.amazon.com/Yueton-100pcs-Fully-Insulated-Disconnects-Terminal/dp/B013FIC2LI/?tag=ihco-20

From what you described one of your positive voltage wires is grounding out or something is corroded and shorting out. You need to use a volt meter to test each wire or by process of elimination unplug all those pigtails and reconnect them one at a time until the fuse blows, whichever you hooked up last should be the problem.

I found this in another thread but not sure how accurate it is:

ARB harness
Orange--batt +
White--Ground
Green/White--Left Turn
Yellow/Blue--Right Turn
Brown/White--Tail
Red/Black--Stop

 

[Expolander]

Thanks ckkone. you may have missed my comment before but this bumper was installed prior to me purchasing the vehicle. I too despise wire splicers like that. I was getting all sorts of weird voltage readings with my volt meter on each of those spliced wires. I think only one of the wires read most accurate around 13amps. That was going to be my next step is to try and disconnect the ARB wiring and see if I can get my tail-lights working again and then start over with the ARB wiring like you mentioned.

I'll have to do more searching on my PC for the ARB installation instructions. I've only been able to to find the front bumper ones but that was from searching on my phone/tablet.

So did you see the brown wire in one of my pictures above. It looks like it has a crimp on the end but I don't see where it might plug into or if it was intentionally left that way.

Also, doesn't ARB have a plug that can attach to their wiring harness and directly into the factory somewhere/somehow?

 

[Ali FJ80]

I have a pdf of the install guide for the rear bumper arb sent me I can forward if you want to send me your email

 

[Expolander]

I have a pdf of the install guide for the rear bumper arb sent me I can forward if you want to send me your email

I'll PM you. Thanks so much!

 

[Expolander]

I fixed the vehicle tail-light issue. I ended up disconnecting all the ARB wiring to the vehicle trailer module. When I reconnect just the ARB brown wire to the vehicle green wire on the DS tail-light and the ARB ground wire, the 15 amp fuse pops when I turn the lights on.

Question - does this require a bigger fuse than 15 amp since I am running extra lights on the ARB bumper now or is the 15 amp enough? I would think it is enough because everything was working before.

I did check all the bulbs and one on the PS was blown (stop/running) on the ARB bumper.

Also the swing out license plate lights are blown.

I checked all the connectors and the wiring on the ARB bumper and as far as I can tell all looks ok. I cleaned and added some dialectric grease to the plugs and lights as well.

I'll look over the wiring diagram/install again when I get a copy of the installation.

I appreciate everyone's help.

 

[Ali FJ80]

I'll PM you. Thanks so much!

Sent if over. not sure how helpful it will be as on the Australian trucks there is just a plug and you plug it in and thats it.

Mine came with no wiring so will be wiring all the lights up manually to the trailer harness.

 

[mcgaskins]

I fixed the vehicle tail-light issue. I ended up disconnecting all the ARB wiring to the vehicle trailer module. When I reconnect just the ARB brown wire to the vehicle green wire on the DS tail-light and the ARB ground wire, the 15 amp fuse pops when I turn the lights on.

Question - does this require a bigger fuse than 15 amp since I am running extra lights on the ARB bumper now or is the 15 amp enough? I would think it is enough because everything was working before.

I did check all the bulbs and one on the PS was blown (stop/running) on the ARB bumper.

Also the swing out license plate lights are blown.

I checked all the connectors and the wiring on the ARB bumper and as far as I can tell all looks ok. I cleaned and added some dialectric grease to the plugs and lights as well.

I'll look over the wiring diagram/install again when I get a copy of the installation.

I appreciate everyone's help.

15 amps is a lot for those small lights, so I would not increase the amperage because you might melt the wires and catch fire instead of blowing a fuse.