Headlights, Turn Signals aren’t working and ABS light on

[MN4runnerman]

Preliminary info: 1999 3.4l Manual SR5 Non DRL 100% Badass

So after doing some trail riding yesterday in the heat it wouldn’t be a fun weekend if something didn’t go wrong. First issue: The ABS light is on. things I checked, brake lights work, brake fluid is full, speedometer is working without issues. Not sure what’s up with this one and I believe it to be unrelated to the rest of the problems. I need to borrow a scan tool that does ABS(mine doesn’t) and see if I can diagnose further. But if you have some ideas throw them out there. It’d be greatly appreciated. Second and third issues are probably related to each other. The headlight fuse blew and turn signals quit working on my drive home from the trails yesterday afternoon. I broke an aftermarket turn signal I wired in when a tree magically appeared in front of my truck while navigating an obstacle. The turn signal light broke but I zip tied the pigtail up out of the(it could’ve come in contact with something and blew the fuse). I don’t think there is an issue with wiring because I used weatherproof butt connectors with heat shrink over that and conduit with heat shrink on the ends over the wires. The headlight fuses both are blown and the third 10a fuse(the one a couple spots down from 10a headlight fuses)which I can’t remember what it’s for is also blown. Haven’t checked interior panel yet it’s just too hot to do this tedious crap. I need to diagnose further I was just wondering if anyone ran into issues like this. Found some old threads but the info didn’t seem too relevant and the one I did find didn’t have the fix posted.

Thanks!

Here’s an obligatory picture too, you can see which turn signal I broke. :whipping2

 

[TheDurk]

Preliminary info: 1999 3.4l Manual SR5 Non DRL 100% Badass

So after doing some trail riding yesterday in the heat it wouldn’t be a fun weekend if something didn’t go wrong. First issue: The ABS light is on. things I checked, brake lights work, brake fluid is full, speedometer is working without issues. Not sure what’s up with this one and I believe it to be unrelated to the rest of the problems. I need to borrow a scan tool that does ABS(mine doesn’t) and see if I can diagnose further. But if you have some ideas throw them out there. It’d be greatly appreciated. Second and third issues are probably related to each other. The headlight fuse blew and turn signals quit working on my drive home from the trails yesterday afternoon. I broke an aftermarket turn signal I wired in when a tree magically appeared in front of my truck while navigating an obstacle. The turn signal light broke but I zip tied the pigtail up out of the(it could’ve come in contact with something and blew the fuse). I don’t think there is an issue with wiring because I used weatherproof butt connectors with heat shrink over that and conduit with heat shrink on the ends over the wires. The headlight fuses both are blown and the third 10a fuse(the one a couple spots down from 10a headlight fuses)which I can’t remember what it’s for is also blown. Haven’t checked interior panel yet it’s just too hot to do this tedious crap. I need to diagnose further I was just wondering if anyone ran into issues like this. Found some old threads but the info didn’t seem too relevant and the one I did find didn’t have the fix posted.

Thanks!

Here’s an obligatory picture too, you can see which turn signal I broke. :whipping2

1) '99 ABS does not read out to a scan tool. You just need a paper clip. RTFM below ('99 and '00 are the same on this system.)

2) Does it keep blowing the same fuses? Hard to think about it without that answer.

 

[MN4runnerman]

1) '99 ABS does not read out to a scan tool. You just need a paper clip. RTFM below ('99 and '00 are the same on this system.)

2) Does it keep blowing the same fuses? Hard to think about it without that answer.

Yes it does. I replaced the 3 10a fuses in the engine bay panel and tested them and it blew right away. I’ll read up more on the abs like I said I don’t think it’s related and I also don’t really care if it’s on with no major symptoms showing.

 

[TheDurk]

Yes it does. I replaced the 3 10a fuses in the engine bay panel and tested them and it blew right away. I’ll read up more on the abs like I said I don’t think it’s related and I also don’t really care if it’s on with no major symptoms showing.

Your description of what you did to the truck is not very clear. I will say it is very difficult to blow both headlight fuses at once without damage to the wiring or miswiring somewhere. The switching is all on the ground side, so there is no overlap on the hot side of the bulb, and there are just two straight shots from the HEAD relay to bulbs. Conceivably, it could be the HEAD relay, but it would be a very unusual relay fail.

I am correct that you do NOT have DRLs, right? You didn't buy a Canuck truck or something?

 

[MN4runnerman]

Your description of what you did to the truck is not very clear. I will say it is very difficult to blow both headlight fuses at once without damage to the wiring or miswiring somewhere. The switching is all on the ground side, so there is no overlap on the hot side of the bulb, and there are just two straight shots from the HEAD relay to bulbs. Conceivably, it could be the HEAD relay, but it would be a very unusual relay fail.

I am correct that you do NOT have DRLs, right? You didn't buy a Canuck truck or something?

No DRLs. The top 2 10a fuses are head rh and head lh correct(might have that backwards)? The top one of those blew for sure and the other I couldn’t tell so I replaced it along with the blown one. The 3rd 10a fuse that’s a couple spots below was also blown so I replaced that one too. Then I turned on the headlights and I heard them click so the fuse blew again. The top one of the first 2 10a fuses was blown for sure, the second was not blown. The 3rd one a couple of spots down was blown for sure. I haven’t diagnosed any further it’s just too hot up here to deal with it at this moment. As for the turn signals they do not work at all whether using the turn signal switch or the emergency flasher, but I haven’t opened up the interior panel yet to see what’s up.

 

[flipty]

Following out of sheer curiosity and locale!

 

[Mr.X.]

check the interior panel, there are fuses for exterior lights in there. I was having a similar issue and replacing these fuses fixed my problems (they were blow). But I did have a short which I located and fixed before replacing the fuses. Check my thread posted recently.
Good luck

ps. I was having a short in the trailer wiring connection. One of the wires had come loose

 

[MN4runnerman]

Ok so I’m currently fiddling with it right now. I put in 2 new 10a fuses for head rh and tail. Those blew right away again. On the interior panel I replaced the turn signal 10a(also installed new turn signal) and those seem to be working. The 15a horn hazard fuse was also blown and I replaced it. That fuse blew right away again too. Not sure what’s going on here. I hate electrical work the most

 

[TheDurk]

Ok so I’m currently fiddling with it right now. I put in 2 new 10a fuses for head rh and tail. Those blew right away again. On the interior panel I replaced the turn signal 10a(also installed new turn signal) and those seem to be working. The 15a horn hazard fuse was also blown and I replaced it. That fuse blew right away again too. Not sure what’s going on here. I hate electrical work the most

This has to be damage to the wiring harness somewhere. Try and trace inch-by-inch the harness that comes out of the main fuse box and comes forward to the lh lights and then across the front to the horn and rh lights. You should find something.

 

[MN4runnerman]

This has to be damage to the wiring harness somewhere. Try and trace inch-by-inch the harness that comes out of the main fuse box and comes forward to the lh lights and then across the front to the horn and rh lights. You should find something.

Ok I’ll check. I replaced every other fuse that has blown and so far all of them are good except the 10a head rh. That one keeps blowing.

 

[MN4runnerman]

Holy ****in shit here’s the issue under the battery. It must’ve gotten so hot that it melted underneath it.

 

[MN4runnerman]

Thank you [MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION]!
Looks like I’ve got a lot of work to fix this one.

 

[jgue467]

How do you suppose this happened (or what caused it)?

Is it standard wiring we should All be looking at in our own vehicles?

Or was this add on wiring not done so well (by someone other than you of course)?

thanks and Luck! :cowboy:

 

[MN4runnerman]

How do you suppose this happened (or what caused it)?

Is it standard wiring we should All be looking at in our own vehicles?

Or was this add on wiring not done so well (by someone other than you of course)?

thanks and Luck! :cowboy:

You know I’m not entirely sure. It’s been hot here. My theory is that the rubber(or whatever it is) that they put over the wire harness was degraded and eventually wore through the wire itself which then melted the rest. The only lights I’ve put on are those fog lights and I used the harness that came with it. There are no other auxiliary lights. No one, not even myself, has messed with the harness at all.

 

[TheDurk]

Thank you [MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION]!
Looks like I’ve got a lot of work to fix this one.

Yep, that's exactly what I thought you'd find. Any chance that battery was leaking? That usually doesn't happen on its own.

 

[MN4runnerman]

Yep, that's exactly what I thought you'd find. Any chance that battery was leaking? That usually doesn't happen on its own.

The battery seemed fine and it’s 1 year old. I’ll check it over better later. It is supposed to be a “sealed” battery. It did also melt the plastic tray that it sits on, so it got pretty hot. The tray kind of looks like hot liquid poured on it.

 

[TheDurk]

The battery seemed fine and it’s 1 year old. I’ll check it over better later. It is supposed to be a “sealed” battery. It did also melt the plastic tray that it sits on, so it got pretty hot. The tray kind of looks like hot liquid poured on it.

One possibility is your alternator regulator is faulty. It may be overcharging your battery and that will cause it to overheat. Something is going on because that just isn't normal, even in hot places, and you're in Minnesota, right?

 

[MN4runnerman]

One possibility is your alternator regulator is faulty. It may be overcharging your battery and that will cause it to overheat. Something is going on because that just isn't normal, even in hot places, and you're in Minnesota, right?

Yep but it’s been 90+ for the highs for the last week. Too hot for me. The voltage regulator is integral on the alternator correct? I’ll have to borrow the alternator tester from work and see what my readings are.

 

[MN4runnerman]

[MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION] is the 2001 wiring diagram book pretty much the same as the 1999 one? Also the battery does look to be the culprit it is bowed on the sides and is showing minor cracking along the seams on the bottom. The minor crack happens to be just above the harness. I’m pulling my alternator and bringing it to work to test it.

 

[TheDurk]

[MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION] is the 2001 wiring diagram book pretty much the same as the 1999 one? Also the battery does look to be the culprit it is bowed on the sides and is showing minor cracking along the seams on the bottom. The minor crack happens to be just above the harness. I’m pulling my alternator and bringing it to work to test it.

No, 2001 has a lot of changes, depending on which system. What do you need? '01 and '02 are identical and you can find '02 here. Go to bottom and click "wiring".

https://www.ether3al.com/runner96-02fsm/