Hey, guys - was up in Wickieup on Saturday and after getting packed up for the trip home found that the dash lights were out. Headlights working fine, and on closer inspection, the exterior running lights were out, too. Back-up light was working fine, however. Checked fuses (simple first), and found the 15A fuse burned. Popped in a spare, and turned the parking lights on, and they lasted about 1/2 a second before it blew the 15A replacement.
Wanted to get home and troubleshooting electrics in the dark sucks, anyway, so cracked a few glow-sticks (one for the dash, one for the rear tire carrier) and headed on home. While driving I just made sure to signal approaching traffic using a combo of brake light taps and emergency 4-way flashers.
This morning got under it and moved a bunch of harnesses around to free up the short. Sure enough, I could then install a 7.5A fuse and run the parking lights as I walked around and tapped on each marker light housing. When I got to the harness for the backup light and license plate light, as soon as I moved the harness, all the parking lights went out - FOUND IT!
Pulled the license plate light housing off as if replacing the bulb, and found that the power lead had gradually worn through the insulation on a steel mount, probably exacerbated by action of the flexible nature of the Slee spare carrier - every time it's opened or closed, it places stress on the wires headed into the license plate frame. I used some shrink wrap to better insulate it, and reran the wire around the side of the metal frame, so no chance of it happening again.
Those with Slee rear carriers, the license plate light is made by Hella, and probably is routed the same way (over the top) instead of around the side. Might be worth checking, and posting it here in case someone else runs into this issue and searches (who searches anymore, right?).
Simple and easy fix, and would not have been able to troubleshoot it in the dark; glad I keep a lot of glowsticks around. Fun trip, and saw another FJ80 there, along with an FJ-Cruiser with rooftop tent.
Wanted to get home and troubleshooting electrics in the dark sucks, anyway, so cracked a few glow-sticks (one for the dash, one for the rear tire carrier) and headed on home. While driving I just made sure to signal approaching traffic using a combo of brake light taps and emergency 4-way flashers.
This morning got under it and moved a bunch of harnesses around to free up the short. Sure enough, I could then install a 7.5A fuse and run the parking lights as I walked around and tapped on each marker light housing. When I got to the harness for the backup light and license plate light, as soon as I moved the harness, all the parking lights went out - FOUND IT!
Pulled the license plate light housing off as if replacing the bulb, and found that the power lead had gradually worn through the insulation on a steel mount, probably exacerbated by action of the flexible nature of the Slee spare carrier - every time it's opened or closed, it places stress on the wires headed into the license plate frame. I used some shrink wrap to better insulate it, and reran the wire around the side of the metal frame, so no chance of it happening again.
Those with Slee rear carriers, the license plate light is made by Hella, and probably is routed the same way (over the top) instead of around the side. Might be worth checking, and posting it here in case someone else runs into this issue and searches (who searches anymore, right?).
Simple and easy fix, and would not have been able to troubleshoot it in the dark; glad I keep a lot of glowsticks around. Fun trip, and saw another FJ80 there, along with an FJ-Cruiser with rooftop tent.
that happens a lot when anyone talks about 
