91LS400LEX

I did a search and could not find anything on this. My 91' LS400 has a problem that I have seen on MANY late 80s-mid 90s Toyota cars. My dad told me I had a taillight out, but when I checked it, it was working. I discovered that one taillight was going completely off when the brakes were applied. Its the one on the top right side. I have seen this happen on other cars of all makes, but have seen it on many late 80s-mid 90s Camrys, ES300s, Corollas, Celicas and Geo Prizms (Corollas). Obviously its a LS400 problem too. I actually had a 1987 Camry that did the same thing, but I never was able to get it working right. I think it is a bad ground from what I have read before on other forums. Has anyone else had this problem and what needs to be done to correct this? It is maybe just a bad bulb connection?

ALSO, both of my front side marker lights were blown. I bought new bulbs and replaced them both (I remember how much I liked removing the side light lens- from when I replaced the bulb on my old 90'. They are hateful on ones that have never been removed before. Anyway, I got them both working, but on the passenger side, the bulb is loose and not making a good connection. Its flashing off and on and if I rap on the lens, it comes back on. Should I get a bulb from a dealer, because maybe the Sylvania is not really suited for it, or is it the socket?

Thanks!

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

might be the trunk harness that is causing your problem, the harness has a tendency to go bad. for the bulb, u sure u bought the right one? if so then ur socket might be bad.

91LS400LEX

Well, I thought about the trunk harness at first, but then I started thinking about all of the other "Toyota" makes from the late 80s to mid 90s that I have seen with the same problem, so I was assuming it was a bad ground/socket or something else.

My trunk harness appears to have already "been updated" by Lexus, but I guess it could have went sour again?

damon

My 94 LS had a bad socket on the Drivers side outer brake lights. It looked like it had overheated & melted/fused the 2 contacts.

A mechanic friend grafted in a replacement socket. I continued to have warning lights occasionally pop up & bulbs go bad.

This same mechanic diagnosed a bad ground. His remedy was to make sure he had a good ground to work with. The harness has a connection by the lamp assembly at the Drivers side rear, he seperated the ground wire off of the short portion headed to the rear brakes & grounded it against one of the 4 bolts that hold the outer brake light to the trunk.

Had to change a bulb the other day & was perplexed as to why it was barely lighting up. I then remembered the seperate ground on that side & when I grounded the lead the bulb came on at full strength.

BTW: I had a metal pipe depressing the brake pedal while I changed bulbs.