Tacoma Dash lights problem

I have a 2000 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner
I just noticed the dash lights (speedometer) do not light up red when I turn on the head light.
The head light and tail light works
blinker lights work
Oil light door like all work
Also the lights by the a/c don't work.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

not sure...

but welcome to the forum

 

Did you check the panel light adjustment? Maybe they're turned all the way down. I know...simple, but sometimes we miss the obvious...I know I have.

 

Yea I checked the dial. Is there a fuse just for that dial? Or is just one fuse for the whole dash?

Thanks

 

I'm having the same problem actually. I just got an aftermarket stereo installed and I was wondering if we had left something unplugged or if it were a fuse or what. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

I tried changing fuses this evening but no luck. did you happen to get the problem figured out trini?

 

Are your tail lights lighting UP?
I just noticed my tail lights are not lighting up.
The brake light works but not tail lights.
I will PM U

 

My tail lights work fine. In my truck under the hood on the panel, is the fuse that it keeps blowing. Where I just installed the radio it's probably something not ground in there or something. Because as soon as I flip the switch to turn the lights on the fuse immediately blows.

 

Take your new radio out of the dash, grab a test light and with the keys out and everything off see what is pulling power (should just be one wire that keeps the clock and memory). Mark that wire and then flip on your lights with the radio off. Check off your wires again and the one thats pulling juice is your problem. Make sure it is not grounding out against something and you should be able to trace it quickly. Lastly make sure your new radio does not require a larger fuse to support it. While you are in there you can install an inline fuse for your radio so it will quit messing with your lights. Good luck. Jay

 

Yep same problem. If you flip the switch the first click (park mode) I bet your tail light is not on. Its only on when hit the brakes?

 

Your other option is if you paid a place to install your radio take it back and make them fix it. However if they screwed it up the first time you can't really trust them to find, fix or repair the problem.

 

Nah I put them in myself. ILOVE2drive do you have a hitch?

 

You know I had a problem a lot like this back in 99 and it turns out my dog simply used my taillight wiring harness as a chew toy. I wonder what ever happened to that dog?

 

I do have a hitch with wire harness. I noticed the wire harness is a tear in it. I disconnected both tail lights from the original Toyota wire harness. The fuse still blows.

 

Well I would start at the radio. It only makes sense that you started having the problem after the new install.

 

Yea but the radio was installed 2 months ago. maybe electrical tape slipped off. lol

 

No I didn't have a place install it, I had some help but it was a DIY install. I'd say it traces back to that because they worked fine before that. We did remove the fuse for the radio so no power was coming to it at all and it still blew my panel fuse, so it's probably a ground or something. No that's the place where our problem differs Trini my tail lights work fine, everything works perfectly except for those dash lights and the lights over where the AC and everything is. So I'm not sure exactly what fuses you're blowing. But for your dash if you haven't already checked it under the hood check your panel fuse that is what keeps blowing on mine. And I don't have a hitch either, so maybe that would have something to do with why your tail light fuse is blowing as well? Lol at least we got each other to go by as we make progress on this.

 

So there is a gage fuse in the cab and then there is a panel fuse under the hood?
I am going to be working on it tomorrow. I will keep you posted.
thanks

 

Yes, I tried the gauge fuse in the cab, and I don't believe that one is blown. So my problem comes from the panel fuse, yours might too. I also will be working on mine tomorrow, so I'll do the same for you. Thanks in advance!


...and good luck to you!

 

FIGURED it out as well! Thanks. It was the illumination wire (orange) that was shorting out. My deck didn't have the illumination option so I just left it out. The wire was exposed and was shorting out. So I just covered the wire and replaced the fuse.