dash board lights and tail lights are not working

First time *REALLY* asking for help here. I have a 90 Toyota Celica and my dash board lights and tail lights are not working. While driving sometimes they turn on for some time.I have checked the TAIL 15 A (controls tail light, parking lights, licence plate, instrument panel lights) fuse and it is fine. The fuse is located in the drivers side kick panel. Headlights, break lights, and indicator lights are all working fine. Dashboard lights turn ON while driving for a brief period. But when I use the indicator they turn OFF.

Any further help or suggestions will be much appreciated -

Reply to
ssharad
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Try fresh bulbs in the tail lights.

If the car has any aftermarket accessories like audio systems, remote starter, alarms, etc., check the wiring for those accessories.

Check the tail light ground wires and ground points.

Check for power at the tail light sockets.

Check where the wiring is attached to the hinge to make sure it is not pinched, chafed, or otherwise damaged.

You will need a wiring diagram to check the combination switch.

Reply to
Ray O

Trailer hitch wiring, too. I had a Hoppy (brand) flasher unit go south on me, producing symptoms as strange as the ones the OP is describing.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

A Hoppy flasher and aftermarket hitch wiring would count as an aftermarket accessory ;-)

Reply to
Ray O

Aside from what Ray suggested, there is also a connector up under the dash that comes a bit loose in some cars, or at least one or two connectors. Same thing happened in my Mom's Camry, and it was a REAL PITA to get in there!

Reply to
Hachiroku

Just a diagnostic thought: do they actually go off, or very dim? If dim, it could be too high a resistance somewhere in the power feed wiring (connectors, switches &c). This translates into any number of deterioration causes. Conversely, when on are they at normal brightness? Less than normal is consistent with the high resistance theory.

Reply to
Andrew Stephenson

Thanks for your reply. The dash boardlight, sterio lights, clutch lights go totally off. But when they are ON they are bright as normal. During driving sometimes using the left and right indicator....makes the dash board light come back again.

I feel the switch might be problamatic. But front headlights work fine.

Reply to
ssharad

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