First, I'd like to say thank you in advance. I have a 91 Toyota Camry that I've been trying to hold onto for as long as possible because I love it. I was out today and while driving noticed that my turn signals had stopped working.

After I parked the car and turned it off, I was unable to start it back up. Here are the symptoms.

- Door Ajar dash light lights up.
- Automatic seat belts do not respond as they normally would.
- Turn signal in the steering column does not work.
- Using the hazard lights button causes the blinkers to work.
- No fuses were blown.
- Main Relay is okay.
- Headlights work.
- Turning the key offers no sign of any change (no clicks, lights, etc)

The only thing that I can think of is maybe the ground is not properly working because I've seen some crazy things happen with a bad ground but it mostly seems to be related to my steering column (besides the automatic seatbelts).
Thanks again!

 

1, SOS help is to clean battery terminals
2. how about ignition lock? as if awfully sounds like it.

 

I wouldn't think it would be an ignition lock because all of these symptoms suddenly came up during and after driving it successfully. Also, the battery terminals show no signs of corrosion or deposits. I know there can be corrosion in the actual wiring to the battery but that seems unlikely as well.

 

Turning ign key to on results in no dash lights, bells, turning key to start also has no results?

 

Correct. Car will not start up or react in any way to the key being turned.

 

If the items you state work the connection at the battery should be OK.

You state engine main relay works, how about brake and dome lights?

4 or 6 cylinder engine?

Battery power for the chassis goes to a fuse box to split into 3 fused circuits (30 amp AM1, 80A ALT, 40A MAIN). These circuits exclude power for the starter motor itself which goes directly to the starter solenoid relay power contact by a large cable.

One of the circuits powered by the 3 fuses above is the starter circuit. Since it is not working lets start with this one.

Note: The ign switch has two switches called AM1 and AM2 allowing control of two separate circuits (AM1 and AM2).

The AM1 circuit takes power from the battery through the ALT fuse then a fusible link (link which melts if too much current flows through it), then the AM1 side of ign switch then splits into two circuits.

One of the circuits goes to the 12V power contact terminal of the starter relay. This is not the starter motor solenoid but this relay activates the starter motor solenoid coil.

When this ign switch is turned to start the starter relay is energized closing the relay switch contacts. 12V power runs from the power contact at the relay to the starter solenoid coil to engage it.

The other circuit splitting off after the AM1 ign switch goes through a clutch or park/neutral safety switch then to the solenoid coil side of the above starter relay then to ground.

When the ign switch is turned to start, AM1 fuse simultaneously supplies power to both the power contact terminal and solenoid coil of the starter relay. The relay then engages to allow power to flow to the starter solenoid.

If the starter circuit is not working then something is amiss in this circuit.

The headlight system, hazard flash system fuse and door agar light (via Dome fuse) are on the MAIN fuse.

Turn signals on ALT fuse.

The main engine relay solenoid coil receives power from the AM2 fuse then routes through the AM2 side of the ign switch, then through a 7.5A IGN fuse to the relay solenoid coil then to ground.

Power to the main engine relay power terminal comes for ALT fuse.

Thus the engine main relay receives power from two sources. The power source for the solenoid coil going through the AM2 fuse and AM2 side of the ign switch. The power source for the power terminal on the relay is the ALT fuse.

It is possible the relay may still work (click) but there is no power available at the power terminal of the relay.

Investigate all of the above, if required make a drawing of the circuits. Then post back with any findings.

If the starter system circuit can be fixed perhaps all other issues may be solved.

 

I've isolated the issue to the AM1 circuit not receiving any power. To summarize, I was able to start the engine by applying voltage to the ignition switch terminal on the solenoid so I know my starter is fine. I then removed the enclosure on the steering column and checked the voltages on the ignition switch. Voltage was never present on the AM1 tab but when I manually applied voltage it caused my automatic seat belts, blinkers, etc to work fine.

Then I tested the 80 amp fuse from the positive battery terminal fuse box and it's fine but according to the AM1 circuit schematic, there is a fusible link after the 80A FL ALT labeled FL AM1 0.5G. Anyone know what this is referring to? I cannot find any part of the wiring that looks like a fusible link. I assume the 0.5G refers to the gauge?

 

The main fusible link is off the positive battery terminal for the cable for the chassis wiring.

Although not for this car the link below has photos that might help.

The fusible link thread

 

It was indeed that fusible link right by the positive battery terminal. It broke connectivity to the AM1 circuit and stopped power to things such as the cigarette lighter, automatic seat belts, and portions of the ignition switch.

I hope this helps anyone with similar symptoms.

TLDR: Ignition, seatbelts, turn signals, cigarette lighter not working. Broken connection to AM1 circuit in fusible link on positive battery terminal.

 

Great, thanks for posting back with the fix.