[Eighttime]

I just bought a 1991 Toyota Camry 2.0 for my wife to drive back and forth to work here in town. Everything is pretty good except for two things. The radio won't come one(the background controlled by the lights does) and the interior lights(and trunk/floor board) don't have any juice either. I checked both fuse boxes. There is one on the drivers side kick panel and one under hood. The only fuse I found labeled "radio" is a 7.5 and it's good. The dome lamp fuse is under hood and it's a 20. It was blown so I put a new one in and it blew right away. I figured what the heck and put a 30 in and it blew it too. I didn't go any further. There's an obvious short in that circuit but I don't know where to start. I also wonder if the radio would happen to be on that main buss too, seeings how it's under hood and the radio fuse is in the car. Hopefully someone here has more foreign car experience than I do. Thanks!

[Jim Scites]

Well I don't have any foreign car experience but when I worked on GM, the dome light fuse also worked the cigarette lighter. Sometimes they just shorted but once I found a kid had put a penny in the hole and put the lighter back in. Anyway you can take a turn signal flasher and wire it in where the fuse goes. As long as it's flashing the short is still there. Once you find the short it will stop flashing and the lights will come on. Look at all the bulbs and take them out one at a time, including the ones in the trunk and glove box. Good luck some shorts are a pain to find. If the radio is aftermarket look behind there and see if the guys cut any wires. One time I found where they cut the light wires and then must have figured out the power went away after the door was shut, so they cut the wire again and just let it hang. It shorted out on the radio body.

[Lemans64]

If the dome lamp fuse blows u will lose radio power, when the cars come from factory, the dome fuse is left out so no one leaves the dome lamp on. also left out in case unwanted riders use the radio and kill the battery during shippment. Sorry do not have a wiring diagram at home. godda fix the dome fuse problem and u will probably fix the radio.

[Eighttime]

I did some searching over at www.camryforums.com , you are right about the radio being on the dome circuit. Just like I thought too! I pulled out the dome fuse all together until I can get a schematic. Thanks for the help so far!

[Lemans64]

Does this thing have lighted vanity mirrors in the sun visors?? Have seen it before where the wire shafes from moving the visor to much and blows the fuse. Will look at work for a wiring diagram.

[Eighttime]

I don't think so, I'll check today. Let me know if you find a diagram, thanks!

[Lemans64]

Sorry Eight, been swamped at work and I completely forgot, will try and look tomorrow, will put reminder on my phone. Again Sorry.

[Eighttime]

I checked the visors and it only has a simple mirror. I also went through the whole trunk harness and it all looks ok. There is a single ground just below the trunk latch but it's not corroded. I haven't pulled the deck cover yet(where the speakers and strut bolts are) to see about the actual trunk light wiring, but the socket is good.

[Lemans64]

Don't have a complete wiring diagram I can send but will try and send a scan of dome circuit. Hope it works.

Rick

[Lemans64]

not sure if this is gonna work but here it goes, cross your fingers. Having issues, can I get your email address??
Rick

[Lemans64]

Got email from profile, emails sent.

Rick

[Eighttime]

No luck yet. I'm gonna look at the integration relay today. Man, I hate import wiring!

[cuz68]

Originally Posted by Eighttime

No luck yet. I'm gonna look at the integration relay today. Man, I hate import wiring!

I dont think that the relay is your problem, Sounds like a hot wire is touching something, I can ship you some relays ore other fuse parts to make sure that that is not your your trouble, Those parts are high $ and you can not return them around here, Let me know what you need to CK out.

[cuz68]

Originally Posted by Eighttime

No luck yet. I'm gonna look at the integration relay today. Man, I hate import wiring!

I dont think that the relay is your problem, Sonds like a hot wire is touching something, I can ship you some relays ore other fuse parts to make shure that that is not your your trouble, Those parts are high $ and you can not return them around here, Let me know what you need to CK out. These are 2nd gen cars any thinge from a 87-91 are about the same.

[Eighttime]

Here's an update on the short problem. I removed the radio and cig lighter fuses and the actual radio and cig lighter from the dash. I then put the fuses back in and reinstalled the dome fuse under hood, it didn't blow. Somewhere inside the radio or the cig lighter is a short. All of my interior lights and the dash clock have come back on since I removed these. Toyota had a recall around 91 for a short in the radio, supposedly causing fires, so that's probably the culprit. I've got a new radio on the way from Crutchfield to make the wife happy.

On a side note, the dome will only work when I open the drivers door. It won't come on when switched to "on" or when any other doors are opened. The trunk light works fine. Could this be bad contact switches on the other doors, maybe dirty? Let me know, thanks for the help so far...

[cuz68]

Glad to here the good news, The dome light has a 3 way switch.

[Eighttime]

I was wondering about the switch itself. I haven't had time to get real close to the headliner and see if it's making good contact when switched. BTW, What would cause the dome to only work with the drivers door?

[TIAUTOMAN]

So the cigarette light and radio are on the same circuit?
I have seen corroded lighters cause fuses to blow, as well as a penny getting stuck in the cig lighter (perfect fit)

[Eighttime]

Yep, well sorta. The cig and radio are both on the dome circuit, which is under hood. They have separated fuses under the dash. As far as the lighter, it looks brand new. I'm gonna test it because I'd like to reuse it if possible. The car did come from a non smoker so it's really clean in there anyways...