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2000 Camry LE - dashlight warning "rear tail light malfunction" - but there is no visible problem

I guess my little Camry is starting to show it's age. Recently had to replace the water pump, timing belt and some valves that my mechanic said would cause the car to fail inspection.......$940.00 and 7 days later, I get a new, never before seen (or even noticed on the startup for that matter) an odd looking warning light under the hot/cool gauge. Looks like a car diagram with little warning streaks coming from the rear of the car.

After rifling through the manual, I finally found that it meant rear tail light malfunction. OK, so I do the test and everything is working fine. Today it did not come on when I started up this morning but this afternoon it came back on. Did the check again, and all appears well. After I get to my destination, I restart and it doesn't come on. My headlights/tail lights are on at this time, but they were not on the first time the light came on.

Anyway, before I take this to the dealer, can anybody give me some clues as to what else may be causing this.

Thanks, KenR

Reply to
KeRu60
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If the bulbs are fine then it may be the lamp failure sensor. Or it may be a loose ground wire as this [old] post stated:

From: snipped-for-privacy@ionet.net (Bill New) Date: 1995/07/02 Subject: Re: 1990 Camry - Lamp Failure Sensor ??? [snip] All you have to do to get to the sensorr is to open the trunk. On the left side ,gently pull the fabric inner trunk liner away from the metal support. On the back side of the support, in front of the antenna pole there is a little yellow box. That is the light failure sensor. Also if you will remove the panel that covers the trunk latch you will find the bolt that grounds the tail light system. Alot of times if a vehicle has been damaged in an accident, body shops are real good at leaving this ground off or loose, or putting the bolt back in the hole, but the hole is surrounded by filler and doesn't ground properly

Reply to
johngdole

Double check the brake lights, especially the centre, higher mounted one just inside the rear facing window.

Reply to
sharx35

warning light under the hot/cool

== Check the wiring at the left trunk hinge. If a few strands of wire break, the resistance change will be picked up by the sensor, but the lights will still operate. On mine, after I cut through the covering insulation and ran my fingers over a kinked section of wire it broke all the way through. Then after doing this a second time, (apx . 2 yrs. later) I added lengths of additional wire first coiled around a Phillips screwdriver to assist flexing. Has been OK since.

Reply to
Daniel

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