The other day, I refilled the windshield washer fluid in my truck and that's probably going to turn into a costly mistake, because after I filled the reservoir, I turned the ignition on to pump some fluid into the tubes and then left the key in the ignition and ignition on for two days.

OK, dead battery. Tried to jump it off with my wife's car, and the horn went off, which I later found out is symptomatic of a completely dead battery trying to get jumped, but at the time, I though I had the polarity reversed on the jumper cables. Nope. Horn still going off.

OK, I've had it on the trickle charger for 24 hours. I get lights on the console but when I try to crank it, nothing at all. I figured I had killed the battery dead, so I replaced it. New battery, same deal. Lights on the console but silence when turning the key.

I'm thinking that when I reversed the jumper cables, I blew a fuse, but I can't figure out what's what.

There are two fuse panels- one in the engine compartment, one under the dash on the driver's side. I see a fuse (or a box, anyway) which the diagram on the inside of the fusebox say "STA" which I guess could mean starter. I looked on youtube, but...

Let's see- towing, diagnostics, and whatever else, just to replace a fuse. I mean, before I made these stupid mistakes, the thing was running like a top.

Help

It does sound like a blown fuse, most likely a high-amperage one (30 or more) that is hot all the time. Do some or all of the fuses look like this?


(They are called J-case fuses. Don't ask me why.)

I hate them because it practically takes a magnifying glass to tell if they are blown or not. Look for a tiny break in the element. There may also be a fusible link (basically a strip of metal that melts with an overload like a normal fuse) in the box. These are bolted in and may require partial disassembly of the fuse box to get at the nuts.

Yes, but they don't have clear tops or removable lids, and I tried to pull a couple of them but I was concerned with breaking something. They don't want to come out easily.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
These are bolted in and may require partial disassembly of the fuse box to get at the nuts.

Yes, I think you're correct.

I found the ignition fuse. It's actually in the passenger compartment, 15 amps. It didn't look blown but I replaced it anyway. No effect.

With the key on, is the security light flashing. Horn on battery connect is a clue. Some years disabled t he starter.

https://www.startmycar.com/us/...ma/info/fusebox/2007

Looks like it's #43 to me

quote:

Originally posted by rizzle:
With the key on, is the security light flashing. Horn on battery connect is a clue. Some years disabled t he starter.

I don't know what you mean by security light but all the console lights light up- airbag, seatbealts, etc. The horn works.

I did that on a Tacoma. It was if I recall, a high amp, like 60amp , fuse under the hood in the box on the fender. Mine was a 1999 V6 and the fuse box was on the fender next to the battery.

Looks like the one egregious posted, I think there are only 2 or 3 in the box with several blade style fuses and pretty inexpensive.

quote:

Originally posted by Quattro15:
https://www.startmycar.com/us/...ma/info/fusebox/2016

Looks like it's #71 to me

That's a 2016. Mine's a 2007.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by Quattro15:
https://www.startmycar.com/us/...ma/info/fusebox/2016

Looks like it's #71 to me

That's a 2016. Mine's a 2007.

Woops, Edited

There are also many fuses that may have blown first....just pull anything that has starter/ignition on it and check it.

I don't know much about Toyotas. But I do know you can check the fuses with a digital voltmeter.

Set the meter to ohms. You should not get a reading on the meter with the leads apart, but should get a reading (zero) with them touching. So, pop out a fuse, since it is hard to tell if they are blown or not, and put the leads on the back of the fuse where the 2 metal prongs are. If you get a reading (0, 1, whatever), your fuse is not blown. No reading, and it is.

As far as getting them out, yep, sometimes they are stuck in there. Try using some needle nose pliers, if they are closely packed in, or just a regular pair of pliers.

Might help. Good luck, I hate tracking down electrical gremlins.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by rizzle:
With the key on, is the security light flashing. Horn on battery connect is a clue. Some years disabled t he starter.

I don't know what you mean by security light but all the console lights light up- airbag, seatbealts, etc. The horn works.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/th...ith-key-icon.450784/

any with a key on it, anti theft security. should not be flashing with key on.

Check the 40 series fuses. 41 and 43 I’d check first AM1 and AM2 respectively.

https://www.autogenius.info/to...08-fuse-box-diagram/

First things first, replace the battery.
A dead cell will not have the amperage for the ECM to power up the truck.
It may have voltage at the terminals but when the ECM stars a draw, it may not power up.

My 1997 Dodge will do nothing with a dead cell and still have 13V at the terminals.

Battery has been replaced

Could this be some part of the anti theft device doing its job?

Did you get that square fuse removed?

quote:

Originally posted by alreadydead:
Could this be some part of the anti theft device doing its job?

No such thing in this truck.

I did find one blown fuse. Number 45: https://www.startmycar.com/us/...ma/info/fusebox/2007

ABS? Anti-lock braking system. That could have been out for along time. That wouldn't prevent the vehicle from starting, right?

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Did you get that square fuse removed?

What square fuse? These ones like the ABS fuse- I'm not so sure they are user-replaceable. I tried to pull on it but I don't want to make things worse.