Figured I post this here for some troubleshooting tips or things i should try...

Ok this whole mess started after that nice rainstorm we had like 2 weeks back...

The fuse located inside my camry (bottom left) is marked "tails" its 15amps and it keeps blowing.

When this blows the lights for my guage cluster goes out, the AC control lights, the shifter lights and the tails that are on when you have the headlights on (brake lights work...)

I connected a volt meter to where the fuse was and I get 12 volts with the car on when I turn on the lights... and 14 when the car is on... No spikes or anything... but the minute i pop in a fuse.... poof. I'm not sure if im testing right but yea...

i disconnected the tail light harness and stripped the loom. wires are in perfect condition.

I disconnected the gauge cluster and interior light harness, wires are all great.

I put another fuse in and it popped...

Checked the harness for the front park lights everything is ok, the wires arent stripped and the bulbs are ok as well... still cant figure it out.

I took everything that I could find connected to that fuse and pulled all the bulbs and disconnected all the harnesses and STILL it blows...

What am I missing? Any info on this?

 

Try a larger fuse. Like a 20AMP

 

Do not try a larger fuse. You could only mask what the underlying problem is. It sounds like you have a couple of wires possibly touching each other causing power to be constant. Are there any electrical relays that are in relation to the parking lot.

 

Nope i dont believe there are any.

 

Im not sure if Camrys are similar to SCs but I had a similar problem when my front Bumper lights shorted due to rain. Also coins in the Cig lighter is another popular fuse popper!

 

Just check anywhere there could be a kink. Trunk hinge, and even under the fender well where sometimes a break can happen and you cant see it.

 

I re-checked the trunk harnesses by the hinge and everything there is good. The wires for the tails don't run under the fender.

I'm gonna try removing all the bulbs related to the fuse and that should let us know if its bulb related or wire related.

 

yea definately sounds like a short. after you remove the bulbs maybe you can check for continuity on each socket to see if you can find the source.