Topic: another electrical ?

[82.1st.gen]

alright i own a 1982 sr5 pickup and i was up Wheeling and my gauge lights went out but all my gauges still work (oil meter, volt meter,gas gauge, etc.)  and every time i put a new fuse in it would work then blow again when i would only start crawling over rocks and stumps. i did that like three or four times then finally it it just stopped working. and only my pass side headlight works i have checked both fusible links there are still good i checked all fuses none are blown and i have checked all connections that i could check without tearing the whole dash apart. and i just put in a new alt. any input would be helpfull 

[Rocksurfer]

Sounds like you have a dead short in the dash and a bad headlight.

[82.1st.gen [OP]]

OK so i got my head lights to work but my tail lights dont work and my gauge lights dont but my brake lights do work and my dome light works and the little light above my heater control switches still works.... has any body had this particular problem before? if so how'd you fix it?

[KDXSR5]

I have not had this problem, but i do have some experience in electrical troubleshooting

Step #1: Find a wiring diagram

Step #2: Study it for a while, figure out where all the power is coming from/going to in the bad circuit

Step #3: Trace the problem on the truck from the battery to the ground testing at every connection in the circuit, I prefer a test light for this, but an ohm meter with the continuity tester on works well too

Step #4: Once you have found the connection where you are no longer getting power (test light either goes out or the beeper doesn't beep), you have found your problem area

Step #5: Figure out what is causing the problem between one connection to another i.e. a broken wire, a faulty switch

Step #6: Replace bad part with a new one

Step #7: Verify that what you fixed was the problem by testing the circuit. If it is not the only problem, the circuit will still not work, and you need to return back to the tracing from where you last had power to where another fault is and repeat the process until you finally get the circuit to work


I like to think of electricity kind of like water running through hoses and such. If your hose gets broken, the circuit will not work, and the load, lets say a sprinkler, will not work. See what I am saying? I hope this helps, if not I can at least say I tried.


I think you may end up having to tear your dash apart to figure out the guage cluster problem.

[82.1st.gen [OP]]

ya i think im gunna have to tear the dash apart but thanks that cleared alot of stuff up for me im pretty handi capped in the wiring department but ill tinker with it

[83OLDTRUCK]

 I am new to Toyotas but just picked up an 83 which had the same problem. The problem turned out to be the light on RF fender shorting out.
The best I can tell the PO put in a big fuse and burnt the wiring from the fuse box toward the parking light relay under the dash. I have been tracing wires and fixing this problem for about 10 days off and on. I had to completely untape the wiring under dash to get it fixed and after tracing wires and looking at the manual I rewired the relay and it works. It might be a good idea to check all of your clearence lights to see if one is shorting out. Hope this helps. 

[Burl Earl]

OK so i got my head lights to work but my tail lights dont work and my gauge lights dont but my brake lights do work and my dome light works and the little light above my heater control switches still works.... has any body had this particular problem before? if so how'd you fix it?

so yeah. i got the same problem.  but i hella getto rigged it. i put little LED's in the tail lights and ran a new wire up to my fuse box and spliced it in. for the dash i bought one of those "mood" light set ups from an auto parts store that plugs into the cig lighter. i might actually try to get it really fixed later. but now i can say i got LED tail lights

[jimbo74]

actually sounds liek a dimmer switch issue

[Burl Earl]

actually sounds liek a dimmer switch issue

You know i've thought of trying that too. cuz i've followed all of the wiring diagrams and have replace the tail light relay and light bulbs in the tail lights and behind the dash with no luck. 

but the dimmer switch is really expensive. it is like 100 from my work to all non employees.  but i think i'll get it for 50 ish. the OEM oil pressure sending unit retail is a little over 80 and i got it for 25. i love my discount at the NAPA distribution warehouse.

Well it's about that time

[jimbo74]

my dimmer switch ie either on or off, it doesnt dim anything..... for awhile, i had no dash lights at all, turned the dimmer, and i ahd dash lights, but it doesnt dim or get brighter, its jsut on or off......


yeah that part is like $120 from the dealer...... i said screw it, it'll work.... i did try another dimmer switch, and same thing, so i dont know......