Automotive: How hard is it to . . .

[red2]

. . . fix the buzzer for my headlights?

I recently purchased '92 Toyota pickup. The body's got a lot of miles on it, but it's got a new engine. Should last for a while.

As I live in a rainy northern clime, I often use my headlights during the day. The warning buzzer for when you leave your lights on is broken, which means I forget to turn them off relatively often. Having the buzzer would be really nice. I need to keep a tight reign on the pocket book. Ideally, I would like to fix it myself.

I am relatively handy; however, I am more of a hammer, nails, wood guy rather than a circuit board, fuse, wiring diagram guy.

Any advise?

 

[82R100]

You don't happen to know of a similar vehicle with a working buzzer do you?

I'd suspect that it's a separate device that plugs into a junction block under the dash, but I don't know. If you had a working one for comparison maybe you could trace where the sound came from.

- Chris

 

[CCMphysician]

What type of Toyota are we talking here? If you let me know, I can probably pull the factory service manual for it and tell you. I would agree with the above poster that it's located behind the dash somewhere, but before I can tell you exactly where, I need to know the model.

-CCM

 

[CCMphysician]

Oh, and just for the record, it's not necessarily the buzzer. It could be a connection or maybe (though I very much doubt it because there aren't any other signs), a fuse.

-CCM

 

[Mysterion]

I'm pretty sure a 1992 Toyota pickup does not feature a headlight reminder chime. You might be able to adapt one from a later model, but it sounds like a project that could turn out to be a more involved than you want to get into.

 

[82R100]

Honestly, what you really need to do is adopt a shutdown ritual.

You'll never see one of my cars parked with the wipers at mid-stroke because before I shut off the engine I shut everything else off first, including heater fan, stereo, wipers and headlights. It also avoids any surprises (sudden audio or wind) when I go to use the car the next time.

- Chris

 

[CCMphysician]

Honestly, what you really need to do is adopt a shutdown ritual.

You'll never see one of my cars parked with the wipers at mid-stroke because before I shut off the engine I shut everything else off first, including heater fan, stereo, wipers and headlights. It also avoids any surprises (sudden audio or wind) when I go to use the car the next time.

- Chris

I would agree that this is the best option.

-CCM

 

[red2]

Thanks guys, The pickup is a '92 extended cab. It's this one

http://www.edmunds.com/used/1992/toyota/pickup/11631/prices.html

I actually have one of those repair guides. I scoured the wiring guides last night. I couldn't find anything remotely like a headlight reminder buzzer. There was a seat belt reminder buzzer.

So, I guess it is modification or ritual. Discipline, discipline, discipline.

 

[CCMphysician]

Thanks guys, The pickup is a '92 extended cab. It's this one

http://www.edmunds.com/used/1992/toyota/pickup/11631/prices.html

I actually have one of those repair guides. I scoured the wiring guides last night. I couldn't find anything remotely like a headlight reminder buzzer. There was a seat belt reminder buzzer.

So, I guess it is modification or ritual. Discipline, discipline, discipline.

You might just have a Haynes repair manual, which is what I am assuming. Those usually don't have quite everything in them. I'll check the factory service manual for you.

-CCM

 

[Telecaster52]

sounds like a headlight relay to me, do your high beams still function properly?

 

[82R100]

sounds like a headlight relay to me, do your high beams still function properly?

His headlights function properly. He's not turning them off.