Installation guide good earth lighting

Hi Michael The issue you have sounds more like a power/earth supply issue. I'm assuming the light lense and reflectors are in good order. The battery is good and no issues with the charging system. Start with the easy side earth or ground side. Connect a seperate earth from light to battery earth terminal just for test purpose. If light is improved then do the same the otherside. if good then you have an earthing problem.(use a slightly heavier gauge wire than your nomal lighting wire so there is no voltage drop). If no different move to power side disconnect connector to globe check and be sure which is the live terminal on the globe and connect a wire as before from + terminal on battery to positive on globe, light must be bright now. Ist check for loose or burnt terminals ie at connection to globe, battery power/ earth terminals.Check Battery to chassis connections for tightness. If easy to do so remove and and clean an re secure. Check engine to battery/chassis connections if all good you have to move onto the supply from fuse box and any connetions in between this is where it becomes more involved and would advise a qualified person to investigate. good luck

bad earth to the ofending lights, burnt out flasher unit, worn switch. all assuming youv checked the fuse fisrt, after that check the flasher unit which should be in or near the fuse box and it will look like a rely so make sure youv got the manual or guide book befor you start pulling out the relays

I suspect that the earth wire is not good and the brake lights earth is through the back up lights to earth. Either that or you have crossed the wires some where.

faulty earth some were. check the main earth wires in the boot. also check the earth wires under the battery compartment.

this looks like earth bleed.

this happens if one of the lights can not find earth so it bleeds through the next light to its earth thus lighting the wrong lights.

ensure the earthing to the lights is good.
Q. have any of the light cluster front or rear been replaced at any time since the problem started? it could be that the chassis earthing was not replaced on replacement of the light fittings.

find the chassis earth lead or connection point, ensure a good clean fit and maybe use some WD40 to ensure a good connection of the nut or clip. the earthing maybe part of the securing screws or bolts that hold the light in place.

I hope this was useful.

Try replacing the fuse with another of the same size eg 10amp. While you are under there check other fuses. The label is not always correct on Australian Toyotas, could be the same in your country.
If the fuse is blown, there is a short in the pump. Throw it away as it has blown the fuses in both vehicles. (yours and the neighbors)
Next time you are at a spare parts supplier buy yourself a cheap (usually under $10.00) LED computer safe test light. These are easy to use. It has a earth lead with a clip on the end and a probe on the other end that you touch to the fuse and see if it lights up the LED bulb.
First you connect the earth lead to a good earth, the ignition key while in the ignition is usually a good earth or a bolt that goes into the vehciles body. (You need a good earth)
Then you just touch the probe end to one side of the fuse and see if it lights up. If not you touch the other end of the same fuse and it should light up.
If only one end is lighting up the testers bulb the fuse is broken. (Yes it can look fine but be still broken)
If both ends don't light up move the earth lead to a bolt on the vehicle and recheck also check other fuses to make sure your have a good earth.
Tip, Some fuses only work with the ignition turned on while other work all the time.
You can also check the cig lighter with the test light. after checking the fuse is Ok
Again find a good earth bolt and attach the earth lead and place probe end into centre of empty cig lighter and it should light up the bulb. Becareful to to touch the side at the same time as this is the earth for the cig lighter.

One non-electronic thing both lights have in common is the communal earth connection. It's nice if that is the cause (no real cost).
You might be able to test it - use a patch lead from the battery's earth terminal (-) to a good earth point on one of the light clusters. If it then works you know that the cluster is NOT otherwise getting a good earth.
Hope this helps.
Mike

Hi,
You need to get a proper earth connection through the trailer. Ensure all your light is earthed to the trailer on the steel parts, then take a wire from the trailer plug to the frame.
Then on the car make sure you have the same pin as for the trailer earth going to the car earth pin, then find a good earth on the car and run a wire from the car plug to that earth.
This should stop your lights from flickering when the indicator is on also. So in short wire in a good earth for the trailer as well as a good earth for the car. Hope this helps, let me know how you get on.

ITS a bad earth wire so the answer is to test with a test light and find the 2 power s 1stop light 2 tail light and the other one which should be Black will be the earth wire ,,so get another piece if wire and fix to the earth wire and fit the other end to anywhere out of the way in the boot and to any nut or screw behind the tail light (but make sure its a good clean piece of metal) and all your problems are fixed.
Have a Good Day Ron

Check the earth connections for a good contact to frame. Put a secondary wire in if need be(fords are prone to bad earths in rear light clusters)