Tail-light warning light

[87M-GTE]

I have JDM tails installed on my 87t, they have been on the car just over a year, and just the other day the tail-light failure/warning light came on.
I checked and the tail lights work and so do the brake lights.. So I'm confused as to why this would happen now after a year of operation.

Thanks
-Sam

 

[rayall01]

I have JDM tails installed on my 87t, they have been on the car just over a year, and just the other day the tail-light failure/warning light came on.
I checked and the tail lights work and so do the brake lights.. So I'm confused as to why this would happen now after a year of operation.

Thanks
-Sam

The tail light sensor is bad. It happens to everyone eventually. Search! Fix, bypass, or replace, are your options. Many posts to be found about it. If you don't correct it, you will lose your taillights altogether.

 

[mattman]

I have JDM tails installed on my 87t, they have been on the car just over a year, and just the other day the tail-light failure/warning light came on.
I checked and the tail lights work and so do the brake lights.. So I'm confused as to why this would happen now after a year of operation.

Thanks
-Sam

thanks for making this thread. I just had that happen to mine also and now i know what made the light come on

 

[rayall01]

thanks for making this thread. I just had that happen to mine also and now i know what made the light come on

Thanks for the thread, not the answer? I don't get no respect!:biglaugh:

 

[RazoE]

JDM tails have nothing to do with it, by the way, as you should have kept your USDM bulb holders (to keep the rear markers functional), but even then, JDM bulb holders don't cause taillight failure lights..

it was just a coincidence..

 

[Moy]

Sam, just get a new(er) sensor. If not from the dealer, then from someone parting out a car. Mine crapped on me, I replaced it with one from a junkyard, and I haven't had the light turn on unless a bulb actually went out.

 

[87M-GTE]

Ok, the sensor were talking about is the small box that sits below the bulb holders, pre-89 is yellow, not sure what 89+ is. I was looking through my supra stuff and found that I have another pre-89 tail light failure box. Is it worth it to put this one on or should I just try to find an 89+ box?

-Sam

 

[Midnight Dorifuta]

How difficult is a bypass?

 

[RazoE]

89+ NA's without a wing are yellow, turbos have an ivory color...

there is a red box as well, but I'm not sure what year/model's got them and what makes them different..

I also believe Euro supras got blue boxes, but I haven't been able to confirm (Kai, Martin, Valge what do you guys have?)


as for the bypass, there should be a recent thread discussing it, search around..

 

[Moy]

I personally recommend against the bypass... It's better to know when your tail light actually goes out so that you can fix it before getting a ticket for it

 

[hvyman]

euro's got blue? i think mine is blue maybe ill check later.

 

[87M-GTE]

89+ NA's without a wing are yellow, turbos have an ivory color...

there is a red box as well, but I'm not sure what year/model's got them and what makes them different..

I also believe Euro supras got blue boxes, but I haven't been able to confirm (Kai, Martin, Valge what do you guys have?)

My 87t has a yellow box, my 86.5 had a yellow box too.
Took out the box today and took it apart, found out a solder burnt out on the green board. Just switched boxes and works great again.

 

[lewis15498]

heres a writeup i did last year on how to bypass, feel free to pm me with any questions
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82576&highlight=failure+bypass

 

[RazoE]

My 87t has a yellow box, my 86.5 had a yellow box too.
Took out the box today and took it apart, found out a solder burnt out on the green board. Just switched boxes and works great again.

Yeah, forgot to mention all pre 89's, whether turbo or not got yellow boxes because the 3rd brake lights were regular bulbs, whereas 89+ turbos had LED wings, and so did the N/A's with the sportpackage wing. I think euro cars got blue boxes because of the rear fogs, but I cannot confirm that...

I do know however their wings did not have 3rd brake lights...

 

[Kota]

my 3rd lights wires got crossed and fried a line of solder in that box... took it to autozone and they wanted $175 for a new one, took it home and resoldered it myself. works fine now

 

[scubajtw]

Working at a toyota dealer I have seen them go out all of the time 90% of the time there is a jumper wire that either comes un-soldered or burns in half. All you need to do is just run a new wire and re-solder it inside the box. Then we sell them a new one after making sure that was all that is wrong... "if it is for the customer only the best". If it is for a supra lets make it work.

 

[mattman]

Thanks for the thread, not the answer? I don't get no respect!:biglaugh:

oh thanks for the answer. but in my defence without this thread i would not get the answer

 

[3.0trd]

I just had this happen to me, all my lights work fine, but the light came on anyway! so I need to replace the box even though nothing is out? thats a bummer, how much are they? I have an 89, believe mine is yellow

 

[Moy]

Go to a junkyard, they won't charge very much. If you go that route, try to find one from a low-mileage car. I got one from an 87 with 100K on it, my tail lights have been working fine and the box has alerted me PROPERLY as to when I have lights out.

Junkyard boxes are hit and miss, but way cheaper than brand new.

 

[KMinAF]

Mine must be in the early stages of demise because it happens intermittently. I think I will take it apart to see if it can be fixed before investing in a new part. Thanks for the heads up!