'96 LC right rear blinker out - tried Hopkins (Hoppy) what next?

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Lucy11

Lucy11

Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Threads
11
Messages
58
Location
Danville, VA
Hi - all of the other lights and blinkers work. The new Hopkins 43405 didn't fix the prob but I am going to try again. I don't have any idea what to do next. Wiring inside the rear quarter panels and light looks good. Here's a picture of the new Hopkins installed. Thx for any help anyone can give me - my inspection reject sticker is 2/15/23 - yikes!

PASSENGER SIDE WITH COMMENTS USE.webp
 
At the bulb, find out if you are missing power or ground (it'll probably be ground). Work backwards from there to a known good point in the wiring
 
60 toy ota said:
At the bulb, find out if you are missing power or ground (it'll probably be ground). Work backwards from there to a known good point in the wiring
Click to expand...
THIS!
 
60 toy ota said:
At the bulb, find out if you are missing power or ground (it'll probably be ground). Work backwards from there to a known good point in the wiring
Click to expand...
I have a BIG question here - I do not have the electric manual - only the service manuals for the '97, which I assume is the same.
So, what color/stripe is the ground? Is it the green only? The Hopkins 43405 has a yellow ground. Can I split a non-attached ground to a good metal on the frame, or is there something else going on with ground? Where do the ground wires run - in chassis, or possibly in door thresholds, or by the front passenger turn signal? Can I figure the power and ground without disconnecting every connector one at a time, and the power, with a multimeter? got a video ::))))))
 
Rusty Marlin said:
THIS!
Click to expand...
I have a BIG question here - I do not have the electric manual - only the service manuals for the '97, which I assume is the same.
So, what color/stripe is the ground? Is it the green only? The Hopkins 43405 has a yellow ground. Can I split a non-attached ground to a good metal on the frame, or is there something else going on with ground? Where do the ground wires run - in chassis, or possibly in door thresholds, or by the front passenger turn signal? Can I figure the power and ground without disconnecting every connector one at a time, and the power, with a multimeter? got a video ::))))))

One last question - does the power/ground come across the Hoppy wiring on the driver's side, or does the power/ground come from the passenger side? Front ground/power from front passenger directly to rear or from Front Driver's side to rear framing member? Just need a little more help I HOPE! Thank you so much for all help in this endeavor. All opinions and help are appreciated :) thank you
 
Lucy11 said:
I have a BIG question here - I do not have the electric manual - only the service manuals for the '97, which I assume is the same.
So, what color/stripe is the ground? Is it the green only? The Hopkins 43405 has a yellow ground. Can I split a non-attached ground to a good metal on the frame, or is there something else going on with ground? Where do the ground wires run - in chassis, or possibly in door thresholds, or by the front passenger turn signal? Can I figure the power and ground without disconnecting every connector one at a time, and the power, with a multimeter? got a video ::))))))

One last question - does the power/ground come across the Hoppy wiring on the driver's side, or does the power/ground come from the passenger side? Front ground/power from front passenger directly to rear or from Front Driver's side to rear framing member? Just need a little more help I HOPE! Thank you so much for all help in this endeavor. All opinions and help are appreciated :) thank you
Click to expand...
I'll give a more detailed reply later, but white with black stripe is ground. I don't think the issue lies in your hoppy, I think it is a poor connection at the socket. Just this year I had to fix where the ground connects to my brake light socket. it wasn't too well engineered.
You can do a ground bypass from the base (not the center) of the socket to any point on the chassis, the harness ground eventually does the same
 
Ground wire coming loose on the tail light sockets is a common failure point on 80s so it's worth checking early in this process.

I'd hit that rust with a wire brush, use a converter on it and then get a good topcoat over it while you are in the area, or at least soon.
 
60 toy ota said:
I'll give a more detailed reply later, but white with black stripe is ground. I don't think the issue lies in your hoppy, I think it is a poor connection at the socket. Just this year I had to fix where the ground connects to my brake light socket. it wasn't too well engineered.
You can do a ground bypass from the base (not the center) of the socket to any point on the chassis, the harness ground eventually does the same
Click to expand...
Thanks for trying to help me :). I am going to pull the whole right rear passenger side light and have a look. I will mark the electrical connectors because I am ocd HA HA :) But not OCD about the rust - that would put me 6 feet under LOL
 
jpoole said:
Ground wire coming loose on the tail light sockets is a common failure point on 80s so it's worth checking early in this process.

I'd hit that rust with a wire brush, use a converter on it and then get a good topcoat over it while you are in the area, or at least soon.
Click to expand...
yes :P then do the whole truck. I know. I know. I know. Well, I just need to have her wheels working in a legal manner :) I am posting a picture of the wires that are compromised - maybe from the factory???

wiring 1.webp
 
Lucy11 said:
Thanks for trying to help me :). I am going to pull the whole right rear passenger side light and have a look. I will mark the electrical connectors because I am ocd HA HA :) But not OCD about the rust - that would put me 6 feet under LOL
Click to expand...
Hi - do you think that this is the culprit - both sides? I am not sure right now because I had a mechanic look at it and maybe this was their issue. I am going to rip them apart and solder these breaks right now and see if it works. I really thank you for helping me! Now I see the white with black stripe :)

wiring 1.webp
 
Lucy11 said:
Hi - do you think that this is the culprit - both sides? I am not sure right now because I had a mechanic look at it and maybe this was their issue. I am going to rip them apart and solder these breaks right now and see if it works. I really thank you for helping me! Now I see the white with black stripe :)

View attachment 3247599
Click to expand...
Normally the problem occurs where the wire connects to the socket itself, not a breech in the insulation of the wire, although that doesn't help it any.

Use a meter to check continuity from the wire connector to the pins inside the socket.
 
Lucy11 said:
Hi - do you think that this is the culprit - both sides? I am not sure right now because I had a mechanic look at it and maybe this was their issue. I am going to rip them apart and solder these breaks right now and see if it works. I really thank you for helping me! Now I see the white with black stripe :)

View attachment 3247599
Click to expand...
Okay - how do I get the socket out? I do not see that the white/black line wire is actually soldered to the side of the (good shape) socket. Well maybe just consider me blind I-)
Maybe that is the little culprit,
 

Attachments

Lucy11 said:
Okay - how do I get the socket out? I do not see that the white/black line wire is actually soldered to the side of the (good shape) socket. Well maybe just consider me blind I-)
Maybe that is the little culprit,
Click to expand...
Check your continuity from the socket base to the ground on the truck with the harness plugged in.

Check for voltage during operation from the hot wire to ground away from the socket. You may need to do this with a test light, as a digital meter won't read well on the flasher cycle.

You can buy a new harness / socket from Toyota (McGeorge or equal) for about $30. A friend of mine had an issue with an intermittent brake light and we traced continuity all the way to the front of the truck and could not find the issue. So, he bought a new short harness with socket for the brake / taillight and installed it and the problem went away. At that time it cost him $25 and took him 10 minutes to install. We spent way more than that trying to diagnose.
 
BILT4ME said:
Check your continuity from the socket base to the ground on the truck with the harness plugged in.

Check for voltage during operation from the hot wire to ground away from the socket. You may need to do this with a test light, as a digital meter won't read well on the flasher cycle.

You can buy a new harness / socket from Toyota (McGeorge or equal) for about $30. A friend of mine had an issue with an intermittent brake light and we traced continuity all the way to the front of the truck and could not find the issue. So, he bought a new short harness with socket for the brake / taillight and installed it and the problem went away. At that time it cost him $25 and took him 10 minutes to install. We spent way more than that trying to diagnose.
Click to expand...
Hi - I am going to get the harness as you suggest, but the diagram shows only one connector, and my truck has one main black wrapped wire bundle coming off the 3 bulb sockets, then it splits into 2 sets of wires with connectors. One has I think 5 or 6 wires, the other has only 2 wires. Do you think that the small two-wire connector is for something else? Here's the part diagram. Here's a picture I found online that shows what I have - split to 2 connectors (this pic is of the LH harness, my issue is with the RH. Thanks for all your help!

taillight socket wiring.JPG


wiring 2 connectors LH.webp
 
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Lucy11 said:
Hi - I am going to get the harness as you suggest, but the diagram shows only one connector, and my truck has one main black wrapped wire bundle coming off the 3 bulb sockets, then it splits into 2 sets of wires with connectors. One has I think 5 or 6 wires, the other has only 2 wires. Do you think that the small two-wire connector is for something else? Here's the part diagram. Here's a picture I found online that shows what I have - split to 2 connectors (this pic is of the LH harness, my issue is with the RH. Thanks for all your help!

View attachment 3250685

View attachment 3250716
Click to expand...
The small plug goes to the corner marker light I believe.
 
I'd suggest hooking "new hoppy hookup" to "new hoppy hookup", doing the male to female thing, and leaving the hoppy completely disconnected. That is how your wiring was before someone added a hoppy. Just move that harness a little closer and plug the brighter white connectors together. It may be an Ah Ha moment...
 
blkprj80 said:
I'd suggest hooking "new hoppy hookup" to "new hoppy hookup", doing the male to female thing, and leaving the hoppy completely disconnected. That is how your wiring was before someone added a hoppy. Just move that harness a little closer and plug the brighter white connectors together. It may be an Ah Ha moment...
Click to expand...
Hi - I am not sure what you mean. The new Hoppy is in between the two ends with the connectors - two connectors on one side for the driver's side rear taillight, then through the yellow wire to the other side, then the hoppy, then two sets of wires with connectors coming out - I don't think I should hook the new hoppy to itself--? Am I connecting the new hoppy wires on the passenger side to the wrong old connectors? I haven't checked if the connectors coming right off the taillight tucked way inside are the right connectors to match the new hoppy connectors. I bought a new taillight assembly but it only has ONE bundle of wires to one connector, whereas my original taillight has a split into 2 connectors - I am attaching a picture of taillight wiring that I saw on ebay that is like what is in my truck. This is so frustrating. ARGGGG! But thank you for helping :)

PASSENGER SIDE WITH COMMENTS USE.webp


wiring 2 connectors LH.webp
 
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