No gauges, can't shift

140

Asked by Patrick Apr 26, 2016 at 02:16 PM about the 1998 Toyota Camry XLE

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

So earlier today I started my 98 Toyota Camry LE and as I
put the car in drive and started to accelerate, I lost all
interior electronics. i.e. No radio, gauges, turn signals, ac
fan etc. I had left my lights on but only for about 25-35
minutes prior to this. I pull over, turn the car off and back
on again. No electronics, no lights on the dash and I
cannot shift from park. Car still starts right up, but got
nothing else. Any ideas?

18 Answers

41,865

When the tail lights stop functioning the vehicle will NOT shift out of park. Have all the Ground straps and connections checked this causes all kinds of electrical issues.

13 people found this helpful.

So now ...where is this vehicle. Did you have it towed ? Sounds like someone needs to start checking fuses and relays.

6 people found this helpful.
140

It was the alternator fuse. Though when I ran a tester on the old one when it was intact, it rolled my driver side window down. Car runs and drives like normal again, but the window is stuck down. Pretty sure the motor is shot.

5 people found this helpful.

Interesting...that must have been SOME "TESTER" you used to check that Alt. Fuse. Did you notice any SPARKS or SMOKE when you ran the test? Well....now the question is ...what made the Alt fuse go bad?

2 people found this helpful.
140

Well I didn't come here for smart ass answers, I can tell you that much.

5 people found this helpful.

No offense intended. My apologies. So...is it my understanding you now have a window..... driver side window, that is down and will not roll up?

2 people found this helpful.
140

It's ok, I'm just pissed at this. Yes that is the case. I have the door panel off and the motor is warm. I was thinking of replacing the motor, but seeing as the window is all the way down I cannot get to the inside bolt to take the window away from the regulator.

OK. If you can find the 2 wires that go to the motor....you can easily test the motor before you pull It out. You'll need a 12 volt battery and 2 jumper wires. Connect one motor wire to positive on the battery...and...just momentarily touch the other motor wire to neg. Just briefly now ...or...you will overheat the motor or wires and ...well...you know what will happen. If you reverse the wires on the battery...no problem...the motor should change direction. So...a good motor runs on 12v going up....then ..the window switch simply reverses current through the motor and the motor goes down. If this procedure does not work.....then....you will have to remove the window assembly to get at the bolts to remove the motor. Good Luck.

3 people found this helpful.
Best Answer Mark helpful
140

Alright I'll try that out in a little while. Thanks for the suggestion.

3 people found this helpful.
140

Well I jumped the window motor. Forgot I had a little marine battery charger here. Window is up now. As soon as I plugged the wires back from the motor, the window started rolling down again. So therefore I just took those wires out. I can deal with no window on the driver side. I'm assuming that means there's a short somewhere? Also forgot to mention that I could not roll down rear passenger with main switch. Could the switch be bad and that's causing the driver side to automatically roll down?

1 people found this helpful.

OK...if all the other windows can operate properly with their individual switches...then it appears you have a bad Master Switch which is located in that door ...driver Door...you are working on. Price out a new one vs. one from a junk yard. There are some tests we can run at that Master Switch...but things get complicated and you need a wiring diagram for that circuit to reference. It might be interesting to Google your Make Model Year and" Master window switch replacement Video".

140

Yeah all windows work on their respective switch. I can use the master for both passengers, just not the drivers side ones. I have a cousin who own a few yards I'll give him a call. From what I've seen, switches aren't cheap through stores. Thank you for all your help and sorry for the ass remark, the window was driving me nuts haha.

No problem....there are times when I'm working on something that is giving me headaches.....and...the only person around to "vent" my frustrations to is.....Yup....Good Wife. Guess what she calls me? Ass_ _ _ _

1 people found this helpful.
30

husband just changed the alternator in his 98 camry and now the ac wont work and it wont switch gears \

2 people found this helpful.
30

does anyone know what this may be? he did say it sparked when he was putting the alternator back in.

1 people found this helpful.

Alternator Fuse deff fixed my problem and i bought a new mini fuses to replace all the fuses in the fuse box in engine bay and fuse's inside too and make sure your radio does not have a fuse in the back of it stock ones wont unless there is a amplifier attached to it. and when i replaced everything i found out that it did better with some electric cleaner and some silicone spray adhesive keeps all electrical components clean and the silicone spray keeps them from drying out and cracking

20

Changed my alternator and thought I disconnected the battery but it wasn’t so it sparked, after the instal the vehicle starts but no lights on dash are on and it won’t shift to drive any answers or advice?

2 people found this helpful.

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