I've seen several variations of this problem, so here's mine.

I parked my 1998 Camry in November for the winter, but when I tried to start it in April, the battery was completely dead. I suspect someone rummaged thru it and didn't close the door properly. I didn't lock it. The battery recharged successfully, but the only electrical components that work are headlights, dome lite and emergency flashers. All else, power windows, locks brake & parking lights radio, etc. are dead and the shift is stuck in park (I released the shift with the override button, but is sticks each time I put it back in park).

I've tested every fuse in both the engine compartment & inside panel. The EFI fuse and radio fuse in the engine compartment were burned out. After replacing the EFI fuse, the engine starts and runs, but still the only electrical components working are still the dome light, headlights and emergency flashers. Oh yes and the annoying beeper that beeps when the key is in the ignition and the door is open.

I've mothballed this car for months on more than one occasion and never had a problem, but the battery has never completely discharged as it did this time.

Any suggestions?
Thanks,

 

Did you check the fusible links such as 100A ALT fuse?

 

You're a genius! I fibbed a little when I said I had checked ALL of the fuses. The 100A ALT was stubborn and didn't want to come out so I checked all the rest. As you can see in the attached photo, the plastic cover separated from the filament when I forced it just now. I attached a jumper across the filament and everything works including the shift.

Now...any advice on how to get the filament out? I've pulled on it with needle nose pliers until I'm afraid I'm going to break something. It won't come out.

Thanks again,

 

Don't pry it out!

The filament is part of the plastic fuse holder.

The holder is bolted to the wiring from behind the fuse box.

Conduct an internet search on replacing 100A fuse Toyota.

Youtube has a video on Camry.


Suggest you find out why the fuses blew. A dead battery should not cause blown fuses.

Any mice in the car?

Any chance someone tried to hook up the battery cable backwards or jump the battery car with reversed jumper cables?

 

What caused the fuses to blow is a good question. Three fuses and a dead battery can't be a coincidence. I don't see any evidence that someone tried to hot-wire it, but there was definitely a prowler who may not have closed the door completely and drained the battery. Trying to remember the exact sequence of what I did, I tried first to start it with a Stanley 3-in-1 compressor, etc. that I carry with me but that ran down quickly, and I switched to a more powerful auxiliary battery pack. I cranked and pumped the gas petal for some time, but it never fired. It wasn't until the next day that I put the battery charger on it. If I hooked it backwards, it was with the charger because the leads are old and dirty. I don't remember having to switch the leads, but I might have. The other possibility is a nearby lightening strike. A few weeks ago, a storm knocked a 12-inch limb out of a tree about 30 feet away from the car. I assumed it was wind, but it broke off 10-15 feet up in the tree, so I can't really see. There's a chain link fence that runs about 4 feet from the tree and about the same distance from the front of the car.

I'll follow-up on replacing the fuse.
Thanks again,

 

Typically reverse polarity at the battery cables causes the fuse issue.

A lighting strike can cause an EMP.