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Help...Running lights wont work, cluster lights don't work

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Old 04-05-20, 07:42 PM
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Help...Running lights wont work, cluster lights don't work

Let me start by saying yes I have searched and tried multiple things. The issue is that the running lights in the front, side markers and the cluster lights will not work. I tested the fuses near the foot well and they are all good. I took the TNS relay and swapped it for the Relay/Relay and it still didnt work. I am going to try jumping or replacing the dimmer switch, but i assume that will just potentially fix the cluster lights and not the running lights. Does anyone have any suggestions?

The turn signals, headlights do work.

Next step is getting the electrical wiring diagram and tracing each wire. :-/ Just didnt know if someone else ran into a similar issue that had advice.

Last edited by iceman4357; 04-05-20 at 08:20 PM.
Old 04-06-20, 10:38 AM
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How did you test the fuse - with a meter or visually?

Did you check the fuses under the hood too?

That's totally the TNS system, so it's something with that.

Check the fender liner too, the tire could have rubbed through the front fender liner and rubbed into the wiring harness.

Dale
Old 04-06-20, 11:02 AM
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Originally Posted by DaleClark
How did you test the fuse - with a meter or visually?

Did you check the fuses under the hood too?

That's totally the TNS system, so it's something with that.

Check the fender liner too, the tire could have rubbed through the front fender liner and rubbed into the wiring harness.

Dale
Dale,

Thanks for the reply. Been a long time.

I did a visual and did not test with a voltmeter. I swapped the TNS and Relay/Relay, but I guess there is a possibility both are bad. I will double check the fuses under the hood again and see if there are any exposed wire.
Old 06-06-20, 04:44 PM
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...bump, trying to get back after diagnosing this issue. Button up a few other issues and need to get this fixed.

So I believe the actual fuses themselves are good. I was testing the wire coming into the TNS fuse box and it doesnt look like it has any power in the middle terminal like the rest of them. In looking at the wiring diagram below, I think I am going to try and make a jumper to see if they will power at all. I also think I am going to test the dimmer switch, but I doubt that effects the running lights

TNS relay not showing power
.

Old 06-06-20, 05:01 PM
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Ugh....I feel like a dumbass. I had tested the 15A tail light fuse 3 times with a cheap yellow tester and it somehow passed. I was literally tracing wires and about to rip everything apart, but decided to just take the fuse out and look.....damn thing was blown but somehow tested fine with a cheap tester. Moral of the story, double check the easy stuff first. lol.

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Old 06-07-20, 09:07 AM
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When in doubt, replace the fuse

Glad you figured it out!

Dale
Old 06-07-20, 10:31 AM
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Originally Posted by DaleClark
When in doubt, replace the fuse

Glad you figured it out!

Dale
Right, lol. So now it's constantly blowing the fuse. Have to isolate each item to see what it causing it to blow. My guess is sdmmer switch or cigarette lighter.
Old 06-07-20, 10:44 AM
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That will be a short to ground somewhere. Also check your fender well to make sure the tire didn't rub into the wiring harness.

Dale
Old 06-07-20, 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted by DaleClark
That will be a short to ground somewhere. Also check your fender well to make sure the tire didn't rub into the wiring harness.

Dale
I check the wires and they look fine from what I can tell.

I was thinking I unplug one item at a time to try and isolate? Also, previous owner put led bulbs in the rear tail lights and the front running lights. Wondering if that could also be a culprit. Might try getting stock bulbs and see if that matters
Old 06-07-20, 01:33 PM
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Resistance testing a fuse in place can give a false result

Originally Posted by iceman4357
Ugh....I feel like a dumbass. I had tested the 15A tail light fuse 3 times with a cheap yellow tester and it somehow passed. I was literally tracing wires and about to rip everything apart, but decided to just take the fuse out and look.....damn thing was blown but somehow tested fine with a cheap tester. Moral of the story, double check the easy stuff first. lol.

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Sometimes when you check the fuse in place, there is enough conductivity in what it's attached to that you can get a low enough resistance to light up a tester like that. So you have to take out the fuse to make sure you're actually testing its resistance and not that of other stuff it's attached to. The fact that there seems to be a short circuit was likely why the tester said the fuse was good.
Old 06-08-20, 08:12 AM
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Are there LED's in the turn signals? The old way of doing that required wiring resistors into the turn signals so you didn't get a fast blink. That's a potential site for a problem if so.

Dale
Old 06-08-20, 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by DaleClark
Are there LED's in the turn signals? The old way of doing that required wiring resistors into the turn signals so you didn't get a fast blink. That's a potential site for a problem if so.

Dale
Dale, Not in the rear. I have to check the fronts still.
Old 06-08-20, 07:59 PM
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double check and the fronts have the old bulbs for the turn signals. Do you think the LED running lights could be a culprit or no?
Old 06-09-20, 09:35 AM
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I doubt it. At this point you have a short to ground somewhere. Typically the factory harness doesn't spontaneously go bad, it's usually somewhere that wiring was tapped into or where wiring was damaged.

Start with anything aftermarket electronics in your car - stereo, gauges, etc.

Also I want to be certain that you jacked up the car on the driver's side and looked all in the upper part of the wheel well. It's very common for lowered FD's to rub through the fender liner and rub into the wiring harness that runs above the fender liner. One of the symptoms is the lights not working, that circuit is in that harness.

Dale
Old 06-09-20, 06:57 PM
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Dale.....what a fluster cluck of wiring issues. lol. The only thing I can assume for some of these is that a previous owner has gauges. Why no one bother to clean these up or remove is beyond me. So far the 15A fuse is holding, but its still light out. Going to take the car out tonight and test to make sure these live wires were the issue, but I am very confident that were. Started the car after seeing the open wires and they were sparking.

I do need help identifying the grey wire that runs through the firewall with a plug and 3 wires in the loom. Wondering if it went to the oil pedestal for pressure or something. There is also a single grey wire that bolts directly to the oil pedestal that goes through the rubber near the steering column that didnt go anywhere. Glow Shift oil pedestal instructions show multiple outlets for different options.

Regardless....apparently I have a lot to undo that was messed up.

Appreciate all of the help.


fluster cluck 1. The red wire that comes out of the fuse box also had a green wire spliced into it. I *assume* this is for the AEM aquamist power but would have to trace the wire. Runs down the drives side carpet.

live open power wires. :-/

custom oil pedestal with grey wire...plugged into nothing.

unknown plug 1

unknown plug 2

unknown plug wire through fender

unknown wire end. Probably oil pressure?

spliced live power wire

close up spliced power wire removed

random wires still plugged in that were not needed.
Old 06-10-20, 08:58 AM
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Yep, that's the problem going on for sure!

Was definitely an oil temp or oil pressure gauge at some point, I see the Glow Shift oil pedestal adapter in there. I would remove that next time you do an oil change. That's a leak waiting to happen.

Not sure what the 2-wire plug is, it looks like one for an aftermarket air temp sender. Probably not for a gauge, but a fast-reacting one going to the ECU. But I don't know why that wouldn't be hooked up.

Dale
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