Topic: First issue with the Highlander

[WP v3.32]

Crying for help form all the Toyota nerds!

So my light dome fuse which is a 10A(little red one) keeps burning for no reason.  it's been happening for 2 months now.  I change it and within an hour it burns again  X4.....
it also powers the garage openers and all the lights inside.   
2014 highlander hybrid..? 

[ktm525]

Feels like a short. Can you bridge the fuse poles with a multimeter and measure current? Measure with dome  light on and dome light off.

Wait: Early morning here. Are the opener controls working?

[PJungnitsch]

Here's one case where it was the vanity light in the windshield visor:

I have a 2105 Highlander also that had the dome light fuse blowing. The visor extends back and forth. It breaks loose the wires inside the visor and they short out (touch). Remove the visor and pull out the wires serving the vanity light. All you lose is a worthless light. My 6 months of frustrating fuse blowing was solved.

https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/10-amp-dome-light-blows-immediately.1652902/page-2

[WP v3.32]

Here's one case where it was the vanity light in the windshield visor:

I have a 2105 Highlander also that had the dome light fuse blowing. The visor extends back and forth. It breaks loose the wires inside the visor and they short out (touch). Remove the visor and pull out the wires serving the vanity light. All you lose is a worthless light. My 6 months of frustrating fuse blowing was solved.

https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/10-amp-dome-light-blows-immediately.1652902/page-2

Thanks! This could be it.

Feels like a short. Can you bridge the fuse poles with a multimeter and measure current? Measure with dome  light on and dome light off.

Wait: Early morning here. Are the opener controls working?

Thank I'll try that too.

I hate electrical problems.. makes me feel dumb

[ktm525]

I would start at the vanity light if it is a known problem area. Don't overthink it. 

[PJungnitsch]

Had a buddy who spent all kinds of money going to the GM dealer to try and fix an intermittent electrical failure. All his lights would randomly go out. I was driving with him one night and that's not fun at all on the highway. They just kept replacing parts and it was getting expensive. He kept throwing money at it as he really liked the truck but still didn't want to die horribly

Sent him to my indy who actually traced the problem and turned out to be wires in his steering column were breaking where the tilt mechanism flexed. A couple hundred bucks for the tracing and patching and the truck was good as new

[rrocket]

Had a buddy who spent all kinds of money going to the GM dealer to try and fix an intermittent electrical failure. All his lights would randomly go out. I was driving with him one night and that's not fun at all on the highway. They just kept replacing parts and it was getting expensive. He kept throwing money at it as he really liked the truck but still didn't want to die horribly

Sent him to my indy who actually traced the problem and turned out to be wires in his steering column were breaking where the tilt mechanism flexed. A couple hundred bucks for the tracing and patching and the truck was good as new

I wish I had that gift.

Electrical issues just seem alien and overwhelming to me. Never had the knack for it.

[WP v3.32]

Had a buddy who spent all kinds of money going to the GM dealer to try and fix an intermittent electrical failure. All his lights would randomly go out. I was driving with him one night and that's not fun at all on the highway. They just kept replacing parts and it was getting expensive. He kept throwing money at it as he really liked the truck but still didn't want to die horribly

Sent him to my indy who actually traced the problem and turned out to be wires in his steering column were breaking where the tilt mechanism flexed. A couple hundred bucks for the tracing and patching and the truck was good as new

I remember having lights problem with my GM truck, not fun.. brake lights would not work sometimes....

[PJungnitsch]

Pretty sure things are not going to get better as this complicated new stuff ages. $5600 (US) bill for corroded tail lamps on an F150:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUkFsuilVD0

[WP v3.32]

Pretty sure things are not going to get better as this complicated new stuff ages. $5600 (US) bill for corroded tail lamps on an F150:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUkFsuilVD0

 this was my exact issues with my old GM truck (well almost)  Corroded connector and taillight assembly.  I think i fixed the issue with $150  and a case a 24 of beers... certainly not $5600..!!  Gougers!

[WP v3.32]

Here's one case where it was the vanity light in the windshield visor:

I have a 2105 Highlander also that had the dome light fuse blowing. The visor extends back and forth. It breaks loose the wires inside the visor and they short out (touch). Remove the visor and pull out the wires serving the vanity light. All you lose is a worthless light. My 6 months of frustrating fuse blowing was solved.

https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/10-amp-dome-light-blows-immediately.1652902/page-2

Took apart the driver visor yesterday and the wires were bare at a section, looks like it was shorting so this was probably it.   I removed the whole connector with wires, I can probably just install new wires later, seams simple enough.


Thanks!! 

[PJungnitsch]

Good to hear!

Need to keep it in mind myself, likely a failure point on the RX too

[WP v3.32]

Good to hear!

Need to keep it in mind myself, likely a failure point on the RX too

yes, the wires goes throught the metal bar pivoting. where is end the 2 wires rubs again the metal.  Can probably prevent from taping them to prevent the rubbing or  shrink heat wrap

[rrocket]

Good to hear!

Need to keep it in mind myself, likely a failure point on the RX too

yes, the wires goes throught the metal bar pivoting. where is end the 2 wires rubs again the metal.  Can probably prevent from taping them to prevent the rubbing or  shrink heat wrap

Was going to suggest shrink wrap.

[Blueprint]

Had a buddy who spent all kinds of money going to the GM dealer to try and fix an intermittent electrical failure. All his lights would randomly go out. I was driving with him one night and that's not fun at all on the highway. They just kept replacing parts and it was getting expensive. He kept throwing money at it as he really liked the truck but still didn't want to die horribly

Sent him to my indy who actually traced the problem and turned out to be wires in his steering column were breaking where the tilt mechanism flexed. A couple hundred bucks for the tracing and patching and the truck was good as new

I wish I had that gift.

Electrical issues just seem alien and overwhelming to me. Never had the knack for it.

Buy an LBC from Firm as your next toy. Builds up your confidence with electrical systems 

Wiring diagrams are your friends when trying to identify what's in the same circuit to pinpoint an issue - but I'm scared to think what it looks like for a 2014 Highlander Hybrid!

[No H2O]

They just kept replacing parts and it was getting expensive.

Exactly why I coined the term "parts replacers" ages ago...and also why I fix it all myself.

Funny how they replace more parts but never goive you a refund for the parts they replaced that never fixed the problem.

Diagnostics, be it mechanical or electrical is a lost art.

[No H2O]

Can you bridge the fuse poles with a multimeter and measure current?

If it is blowing the 10A fuse, meaning the current is much higher than that as in a short, it'll likely blow the fuse in the DMM since those meters that can measure current to a MAX of 10A DC.

[ktm525]

Can you bridge the fuse poles with a multimeter and measure current?

If it is blowing the 10A fuse, meaning the current is much higher than that as in a short, it'll likely blow the fuse in the DMM since those meters that can measure current to a MAX of 10A DC.

good point. Mines a 20A so I didn't worry.