I just acquired an 87 camry with a running light problem. All lights work except the running lights. I replaced all the bulbs and light switch on steering column. Fuses looked good. Also noticed the light failure switch was missing. The running lights worked when I got it. Any suggestions would help.

 

Do the dash lights work such as cig lighter, radio, glove box, etc?

Are all running lights off such as front lights, is the license plate lamp working?

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes the front lights work and all the others you mentioned except for the glove box. Brakes lights are good as well. I noticed that there is no power reaching the rear running lights from the wiring harness.

 

Then only the rear running lights do not work.

All power comes through the Tail fuse and Tail relay, if some running lights, etc are turning on with switch the fuse and relay are OK.

There is a bulb out sensor unit box typically located on the drivers side in the trunk near the inner wheel well. Remove the trunk liner in this area. The box may be yellow but guessing.

The purpose of the box is to detect burned out stop and rear running light bulbs and turn on the bulb-out light in the dash. The box can fail causing strange problems.

With running lights on check for power at the Green wire going to the box (input power) and the Light Green wire (output power that goes to the lights). If power at Green and not Light Green wires the issue is the box.

Power from the box goes to the 2 tail light bulbs and the 2 combo (dual element) bulbs.

 

I checked for the light failure switch it is not there. Looks like it was removed by previous owner. The rear running lights were working. They may have jumped a wire that I cant find. Thanks for the help.

 

If the wires were jumped check for power at the Light Green wire when the running lights are on. If power the issue is down stream in the wiring closer to the lights.

 

Toyomoho,
Thanks for all your help. I went dwon stream of the light failure switch and found two corroded splices. All is good.

 

Great job!

 

Issue SOLVED.......Running light and blinker leads hooked up backwards on front Left signal.Had to remove fairing and started to go through harnes from the front. Go figure. A OK now. I was fixin to be pissed if I had ot go through that whole harness.......