Taillights stay on when engine is off

I have a 2004 Tacoma TRD 3.4 liter 2 wheel drive
my tail lights started staying on when I turn off the engine
Can anyone help me with this?
Thanks: Ed

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld
Does it have Tow wiring ?

 

it does not have tow wiring

 

Like key out of the ignition and the tail lights are still on? What about the headlights? Only time (that I'm aware of) the tail lights are on is with the headlights, and even if you leave the headlights on, they shut off when you turn the engine off and remove the key. I used to just leave my headlights on 100% of the time (poor man's daytime running lights) because it was basically impossible to leave them on accidentally.

But as blackdog said, trailer wiring is a common cause of weird tail light/turn signal issues.

Have you done anything to it recently? Wiring or other mods/maintenance?

 

Check the 10A tail fuse for power with the key OFF and OUT of the ignition and headlights off.
It should NOT have power. Then go from there.

 

Are you sure its not brake lights? I saw this a couple of times on my truck, made me do a double take for sure. It must have been a sticking brake light switch or I adjusted the switch, can't remember.

 

Good point! Definitely a possibility.

@emiintrn the 3rd light on top of the cab will tell you if it's the brake lights or not (assuming the bulb isn't burned out).

 

Make sure it's not the brake lights. Mine did that a couple months ago. I noticed some green plastic on my floor- the little plastic piece broke on my brakes by the pedal. I put a quarter in it's place with gorilla tape and never had an issue since.

 

If this is the brake lights staying on, I had the same issue and the fix is cheap! There is a little bump stop where your brake switch sits into, the old plastic gets brittle and falls apart, $1.50 part from the dealer fits right in. Mine fell apart in hardened pieces.

 

Same thing happened to my '03 IS300. I was actually able to get down there and found an adjustment nut. Just had to back it off ever so slightly. Drove me nuts till I figured it out and just like cheap taco I had little green bits on my floor mat

 

This has been plaguing me for months. I tried adjusting the switch and it would work at that time. I finally ordered a new switch and went to install it just 20 minutes ago when I noticed that the old switch perfectly lined up with a hole in the tab that triggers it. I’ll assUme that there used to be a piece of plastic that fit there which has long since deteriorated and finally fell apart a few months ago. I didn’t have a bolt/nut small enough to put in it so I slightly bent the mounting tab the switch is in to miss the hole.

Now that I think of it. I happen to have a small kit of automotive push in barbs that may have a small enough one to work.

 

What year did that start lights shut off with the ignition and key being removed?

Tail light relay contacts fused?

I think Brake light switch failed or out of adjustment?

 

Not sure, mine's an '04. I can't remember if my '97 5 lug had auto shut-off lights or not. That was a long time ago, lol.

 

Another vanishing OP.

Gone over a month, and we may never know the solution.

 

This seems like a common issue among these trucks as they age. Generally its the bump-stomp that falls apart after 20+ years and costs a buck and change to replace. Fixed the issue for me and was a hell of a lot cheaper than a brake switch.

 

Found it.

https://parts.toyota.com/p/toyota__/CUSHIONFOR-STOP-LAMP-SWITCH/63091519/4713134010.html

 

i bet it wasn’t a problem to begin with. The headlights and taillights stay on until the door is opened even with the key out of the ignition.

 

Now my 2000 does not have this option or show it on the EWD.

I did have it on my 85 Celica