Electrical Issues After Storm Puddle Fun (1 Viewer)

[Les Summer]

Huge raining here in Maryland lately. I should have avoided a monster puddle with the 100LC when I saw it, but nope, made my own tsunami and now I'm gonna pay.

I depress the brake pedal and the right signal light on the dash lights up. I turn the left signal on and the 4 ways now come on. I did an initial inspection after work, which was already a long day, and no visible bare wires up under the front bumper near the fogs, and the blinker lamps look dry inside. All the bulbs work fine all the way around the truck. I did the puddle on the driver's side, so all the wiring up front near the driver's fog got pretty drenched.

I'm not even sure where to begin. Electrical issues are not my strong suit. I imagine I soaked something that was already old and weathered on this 24 year old truck. Any support greatly, as always, appreciated.

Google search provided this, which sounds helpful and like a good place to start:
"Bad ground. The brake lights are grounding through the turn signal circuit. This happens because the brake light filaments also act as turn signals. Check all the grounds front and rear."

Now I'm in search for a diagram showing all the ground locations on a 100LC...

 

[ogsuv]

I'd be looking for any water intrusion inside, especially around the drivers kick panel/fuse box area. If anything is wet, try a humidifier or fan to help dry it out. It just reminds me of my old 100 that had a windshield leak and had crazy electrical gremlins

 

[pjabber]

I’m assuming you already put the truck in a bowl of rice.

Similar thing happened to me a few years ago. It was fine the next day.

 

[Les Summer]

Went back out to the truck today. Symptoms are still there when I press the brake pedal the right blinker stays solid on the dash. Dang

 

[Les Summer]

I went ahead and ordered myself a used field service manual for the 2000 Land Cruiser, for electrical, on eBay. It’s coming all the way from Washington to Maryland so it’s gonna take a while to get here. Meanwhile the same symptoms still persist. It’s been really windy the last couple of days, so I think anything that would’ve gotten wet would’ve dried by now, so this is definitely more than just a matter of something drying. Looks like I’m gonna have to dig deeper.

 

[Les Summer]

and just like that, approximately 48 hrs. later the light goes out. I did order an OEM electrical manual, and no regrets. something must have dried out finally. all the symptoms just went away alll at once. hmph. it starting to be time to suck it up and get good at electrical. it'll be a problem again some day.

 

[Africaster]

Moral of the story … only paddle in pools where you are the biggest

 

[Les Summer]

and it's back again. it started snowing getting wet and the problem came back. when the weather gets nice I'll address it then. it's not draining my battery, yet, and it's not stopping me from coming and going, so I'll wait. I've already checked a basic fuse or two. my next step is to pull the tail lights and blinkers see if can find a ground or a melt. still waiting on deliver of my OEM LC100 shop manual, which I will need to learn how to read. Exact same symptoms. I get the blinker on the dash when I hit the brake and I get the 4 ways when I hit the left turn signal. exactly like that every time.

 

[excessive]

im guessing water intrusion into a fuse block probably? i would spray down the fuse block with electrical contact cleaner, leave the hood open to dry in the sunshine

 

[Les Summer]

im guessing water intrusion into a fuse block probably? i would spray down the fuse block with electrical contact cleaner, leave the hood open to dry in the sunshine

no the water didn't reach up that high. it was just a big puddle. my clue is the brake lights are grounding through the turn signal switch, causing the signal light to appear on the cluster when I push in the brake pedal. I'm waiting for my manual to arrive so I can see where the grounds are exactly, or for someone to come along here and just tell me, or tell me that is or isnt' what's happening. I'm novice at electrical at best, so I'm going to use this opportunity to learn.

 

[Les Summer]

Well, this is definitely something more now I have ABS track and VSC off light on and I’m stuck in park. Blown tail Light fuse replaced it but I still can’t get out of park.

 

[Mike NXP]

Well, this is definitely something more now I have ABS track and VSC off light on and I’m stuck in park. Blown tail Light fuse replaced it but I still can’t get out of park.

There was something similar to this on these forums. Something to do with the brake light wiring in the rear but I'm striking out to find it. Will update if I can find it

 

[Les Summer]

There was something similar to this on these forums. Something to do with the brake light wiring in the rear but I'm striking out to find it. Will update if I can find it

Thanks!!

 

[Les Summer]

Thank you @Mattrob

2000 Toyota Land Cruiser (UZJ100)
Low beam headlight 9006
High beam headlight 9005
Parking light 168
Front turn signal 1157A
Rear turn signal 7440
Tail light 7443
Stop light 7443
Fog/Driving light 9006
License plate 168
Back up light 7440
Front sidemarker 1157A
Glove box 74
Dome light DE3175
Step/Courtesy light 168
Step/Courtesy light 158
Trunk/Cargo area DE3175
Trunk/Cargo area DE3022
Instrument-general 194

 

[Les Summer]

:From Google: "So for a Fuse to keep blowing, that means there is a short in the tail lamp circuit. One way of trying to Isolate your issue is to unplug lights in the light circuit and put the fuse in and then plug them in 1 by one till the fuse blows to isolate which light is causing the short"

Tonight it was just so very cold. I started my initial examination of this problem by taking out all 4 corner light assy's and checking every bulb. They all look good, and are working. Next was to try and see if I could locate a melt. While I did not find any obvious melts anywhere, I did notice up front there is a big plug that looks like it's got dirt all caked under the protector sleeve (see photo with white arrows), and there is a long wire that plugs into an aluminum line that was very wet when I touched it. I don't see any melts, but the wiring going to the plug, which is located front left driver's behind the bumper cover and above the fog light, is very hard and frozen.

I am instantly, almost instantly blowing my 15 amp tail light fuse now ever time I put in a new one. On my next trouble shoot tactic, over the coming weekend, I will gather up some 15 amp fuses and try unplugging things to see what makes the fuse blow and what does not. Tonight when I popped the fuse, I smelled a quick whiff of burn, but it disappeared too quick before my nose could follow it.

I have no turn signals or tail lights at all. I have no instrument cluster lights, and I have the party of three glowing on the cluster (traction control and ABS) you can see in the photograph. First I'm going to get the light problem fixed, and hopefully that clears up the dash light issue as well.

 

[nissanh]

Yeah, take all bulbs out and install the fuse, may be a 10 A. Then go one bulb at a time: You can also disconnect the wire plugs and inspect for water intrusion.

All this trouble for taking an off roader in a deep puddle? This makes me to appreciate my 92 Geo prizm (rebadged toyota Sprinter JDM) which I drove in a flooded road up to front hood! At one point, water reached wiper hinges and seats were completely soaked and it took me home and never had any wired electrical issues. Yes, just stock and no snorkel!

 

[Les Summer]

Yeah, take all bulbs out and install the fuse, may be a 10 A. Then go one bulb at a time: You can also disconnect the wire plugs and inspect for water intrusion.

All this trouble for taking an off roader in a deep puddle? This makes me to appreciate my 92 Geo prizm (rebadged toyota Sprinter JDM) which I drove in a flooded road up to front hood! At one point, water reached wiper hinges and seats were completely soaked and it took me home and never had any wired electrical issues. Yes, just stock and no snorkel!

You know, it's funny I thought the same thing. How embarrassing, my 100LC going out like this, lmao! She's a good girl though, it's not her fault. The wires are 24 years old. Shorts happen. I'm still driving it until the weekend. I picked up an ECT3000 Power Probe from Harbor Freight, which has been on my bucket list for a while, and I'm going to try to confirm the short with that. Check that out on YouTube, it's an amazing tool for finding open circuits and shorts to ground. I'm confident I'll know something more after this weekend if I don't have the problem completely repaired. Soldering gun and wire strippers in hand ready to go.

 

[baltistyle]

Would this happened to have been in a puddle on 83 near Cold Spring Lane. Its a favorite of mine, LOL.

Is it possible the water intruded under the hood? Is there any water in the actual fuse box under the hood? Is there water in the Toyota connection near the right side front light? There is water sitting somewhere creating the constant short (unless its now been "welded").

 

[Les Summer]

Would this happened to have been in a puddle on 83 near Cold Spring Lane. Its a favorite of mine, LOL.

Is it possible the water intruded under the hood? Is there any water in the actual fuse box under the hood? Is there water in the Toyota connection near the right side front light? There is water sitting somewhere creating the constant short (unless its now been "welded").

hmm.. no wasnt' that one. it was northern parkway. if you are talking about the large square plug connection up front driver's side, above the driver's fog, as I've already mentioned and pictured, then I'd say yes. I believe it's shorted there, and is currently an ice cube. I'm going to let the power probe point to that though before I strip it down. the plug looks like it's going to be a bear to separate, especially in the cold. yes I think it's been "welded" too. no nothing touched fuse box. dry as a bone.

 

[Les Summer]

Anyone know what that plug powers? I think my short is in the wire bundle the little pink arrow points to. I plan on removing my bumper cover to get after it. I believe that's where my problem is. Knowing what the plug powers will almost confirm for sure my short is there. I took this pic off a screenshot of a landcruiser like mine. YouTube ChowCares thanks! his channel also taught me how I'm going to remove my bumper cover.