One of my other cars (a 1997 Toyota Corolla CE with 142,000 miles) has a strange electrical fault that's made it undriveable (well, it still runs, but legally I can't drive it).

When I push on the brake pedal, the dashboard lights go on, as do the running lights. If the driver's door is open and the key out of the ignition, the 'lights on' alarm also sounds.

Pushing the brake pedal doesn't actually light any of the brake lights, none of the rear four, nor the centre bulb. The inner light of the right rear tail light does glow brighter than the inner one of the left tail light, with the outer one not at all.

Has anyone experienced this before in a Toyota? Where should I begin?

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Steven Harrison

1993 300E2.8 - 196K
2001 E320 4MATIC - 86K

You sure it doesn't say "Triumph" on the back of the car?

Sounds like a lost ground. Others will be more helpful, I'll bet, but I'd start by checking for corrosion anywhere, re-seat bulbs, etc... Electrical issues like that can be a pain in the butt to track down but often turn out to be simple fixes.

Good luck!

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Could be a short to ground. I'd start looking for chafed or worn wires. Check out all the harnesses, particularly where they go into holes drilled through sheetmetal, especially at the firewall. Sometimes a little rubbing or chafing can wear through the insulation causing a short to ground. Just my $.02.

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

I have seen many problems like this over the years and it's usually a melted section of wiring harness. Sometimes stereo installers accidentally run a screw next to a harness and it rubs through over the years causing a short.
I hate stereo installers!

Hate best buy and other discount installers. One more reason to wire your own car, it's NOT THAT FREEKING HARD


Replace all of the fuses as a base line

My radio died in the truck, and would come back on after hitting it...

Checked all the fuzes, looked ok... Resoldered some of the connections, installed new connectors, and still no go.
Get pissed, and give up for the night

On a whim, I replaced the 15 amp radio fuze, that looks perfectly fine, and it works once again.

take your bulbs out, and smear dilectric grease on them... but it's most likely a bad ground, somewhere

I hate electrical

~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)