Tail & Rear Running Lights FJ60 Not Working (1 Viewer)

[R87FJ60]

I have a 1987 FJ60 and the Tail and Rear Running Lights suddenly stopped working. We have chased ALL the obvious suspects--fuses, grounds, bulbs, the light switch tested good, wiring, fixed misc loose connections and wires. STILL does not work. We are also getting a max of 4.8 volts at the tail light socket and 12 volts at the brake light. We've run out of ideas...any suggestions?

 

[Output Shaft]

You have entered the world of the FJ60 wiring harness time bomb. It is a rite of passage.
Expect more of these things to happen throughout the car.

Might as well acquire:

1. VOM
2. Large spool of high quality 2-conductor jacketed primary wire
   
3. Wire cutters
4. Electrical tape
5. Assorted crimp on connectors

and do what you gotta do.
Trying to trace electrical gremlins in the 60 can drive you mad. Hence Item #2 above.

 

[woytovich]

Define: "stopped working"?
You say you get voltage at the sockets?
Check the ground that is at the center of the rear lip of the body up behind the rear bumper. The "ground" for the tail lights is not so straight forward...
Do you have a Factory Service Manual and wiring diagram?

 

[R87FJ60]

Define: "stopped working"?
You say you get voltage at the sockets?
Check the ground that is at the center of the rear lip of the body up behind the rear bumper. The "ground" for the tail lights is not so straight forward...
Do you have a Factory Service Manual and wiring diagram?

"Stopped working" means all of a sudden for no apparent reason the tail lights and rear running lights quit working. Or, I guess I just noticed it one morning while arriving to work early, before dawn. This is why i thought of the basics first. Fuse, bulbs and ground. I did replace the (or a) ground but it was attached to the rear bumper mount and seemed to also be associated with an aftermarket trailer light hook up. I will look again for a ground on the rear lip of the body.

I'm getting 12v at the break light, blinker, and back up socket but only a max of 4.8v at the tail light socket.

I do have a Factory Service Manual and wiring diagram.

 

[woytovich]

If these worked before I'd continue down the path of looking for a bad ground. If they might NOT have worked before or if the trailer harness is new I would suspect something having to do with that....
Good luck and let us know what you find...

 

[woytovich]

So you are getting 12v and 4.8v but NONE of the lights illuminate under normal operation? And the fronts all work fine?

 

[R87FJ60]

Thanks for the help. I'll probably eliminate the trailer harness and look for that ground on the center rear body behind the bumper.

 

[R87FJ60]

All other lights are working as normal. Breaks, blinkers, back up and all front lights. Only the tail lights are getting 4.8v. All others 12v

 

[augirthedude]

Follow the (+) voltage from the source to the switch to the bulb... if it is good all the way to the bulb ...check your grounds to (-) things to check
tail light relay , does the relay change state when lights are turned on? tail light relay contacts ? do they have continuity through them when the relay is in its energized state. tail light fuse and fuse holder , check for voltage on both sides of fuse with lights on , bulb holders ? grounds ? If you are getting low voltage at the socket I would suspect the relay contacts or the wiring to the fuse or bulb sockets or a bad ground.

 

[R87FJ60]

Ok, so most of these tests that you mention we have completed and they all seem to be working. We need to check the grounds again and look for a ground that is mentioned in another post. However, you mention a relay and a fuse? In my fuse box in the dash below and left of the steering wheel there is a relay but no fuse. Is there another fuse somewhere in-line? The service manual also talks about a "relay" and a "fuse" but we can only find the relay in the fuse box? Is there another fuse box somewhere that I don't know about?

 

[Slow Left]

For USA FJ60 there should be a 15A 'Tail' fuse.

 

[Slow Left]

In my fuse box in the dash below and left of the steering wheel there is a relay but no fuse. Is there another fuse somewhere in-line?

How is there a relay in your main fuse box? Please post a picture...I'd like to see this...

 

[R87FJ60]

 

[R87FJ60]

We also tried a standard 15a fuse.

 

[augirthedude]

the tail light relay.... I have not had the pleasure of knowing its location but it is most likely under the dash next to the left kick panel as other 1980's Toyotas I've worked on. anybody know where exactly?

 

[Slow Left]

Do you by chance have a copy of the April 1985 Land Cruiser Repair Manual Supplement for Chassis & Body, Pub. No. 36274A ?

There should be updates to 4/85 and later FJ60 Body Electrical....maybe updated wiring diagram and relay locations.

Here is where the relays for the pre-4/85 FJ60s are located (as shown in the 1980 Chassis Body FSM):

 

[woytovich]

Pictured in post 13 is a circuit breaker, not a relay. I would, usually, suggest just a known good/new 15a fuse to minimize at least that one variable.

 

[R87FJ60]

Ok, thanks. I will put the 15a fuse in. I bought the vehicle five years ago and that was in it. I had not had any problems till now, so no reason to suspect it.

I have that manual. I'll look again, armed with a better idea of what to look for. I need to chase this relay down. It seems to be an unchecked variable. Thanks

 

[Slow Left]

I have that manual.

You've got the Supplement? Is it in .pdf format or is it a hard copy?

 

[R87FJ60]

Yes I have the supplement. Pub. No. 36274A. Hard Copy