2006 headlights not turning on

Hey guys! I’m brand new here. Just bought an 06 tundra. Everything is ready for safety but the headlights will not turn on. I bought the new relays, still nothing. The actual headlight lamps work with 12v direct. The switch on the column turns on the side maker, and the little round light inside the head lamp assembly….. but can’t get low or high beams to turn on. Any suggestions?

 

Hey, welcome to the forum. What cab type is your truck? That's extremely important to know when you're asking for help, since different cab types are wired differently. And knowing the engine, and if 4WD or 2WD is helpful for other stuff. "2006 Tundra" in your profile is super vague, but we want to help!

As a new owner, you'd do yourself well to read this thread: https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-you-wanna-buy-just-bought-a-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/

As for the headlight situation...

• I take it you've already looked over all fuses, etc?
• If you pull back on the stalk with the truck running, do the high beams cut on, or are the high and low beams both non-functional?
• It's not unheard of for the stalks to fail, especially if someone ever replaced it with aftermarket cheap shit off scAmazon or fleaBay ... but note: If you did replace the stalk, just to test, make sure you get a stalk with the fog light provision on it.

 

Hey. Thank you. Good intel! I will definitely edit my profile. 4.7l crew cab/four door. SR5 4x4. No matter how I articulate the stock nothing changes except the light light and marker turn off and on. Checked all fuses and replaced the 3 relays associated with the Headlights…..

 

And it’s the OEM ‘stock’….

 

I guess the next test I’d do is getting the elec wire diagram EWD for your year and lookin at pinout for your stalk, then bridging the pin for the headlight.

But only if high beam isn’t working.

 

Ok. Thank you. The high beams are not working. Keep you posted

 

Are you sure the PO didn't install LEDs before you got it?

 

These trucks are very sensitive to voltage. LEDs will cause no headlight situations. Even if it’s just led fogs….

 

I pulled the lamps out and they look like the OEMs…..good question though
There are no fog lights on this truck. Never was. They still have the OEM blank covers where the dogs go….

 

I just changed out the combination switch on the steering column. The signal lights work and the side marker lights work, but still no headlights or low beam or high beam…..

 

Ok, I assumed you checked all headlight fuses and such before but should've verified. This stinks of a blown fuse.

Now I know what cab type you have, I can at least look through the fusebox options for you. There are several fuses related to lighting in the engine bay for sure. I'm going to post a couple here for you to cheeck.

NOTE: Some of these diagrams may not apply to you. There were variations. ALSO, there may be multiple covers to check under your hood, between the battery and brake booster on the driver's side.

Check the two circled, noting the green square one may be an absolute bitch to remove if blown, and it's my biggest suspected logical cause of your problem. You should be able to see if it's blown by looking into the window, but that's not always a guarantee.

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See these three 10A red fuses with the headlight symbol over on the right? Check those. Each has a function for left/right side or high/low beam, and I highly doubt all three are blown, but ... important to check.

​

 

Great intel!! Thank you
I will double check them all! I did check the red 10s a couple times. But the square green one I haven’t….

 

I suspect you may find that's your culprit.

If you want a sanity check, I believe there's another green 40A in that exact size inside your dash fuse box, near the bottom. See here... but look at what it controls, because a lot of other shit will stop working when you pull it. May be better just to do to the store and get a 40A replacement.

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Ah!!!!! Good to know! I haven’t checked under the dash yet!

 

Well that was a disappointment. Still no headlights. All the fuses are good……
I did a visual on the wires from the combination switch to the firewall and right to the fuse box by the battery. Then did a visual on the ones from the fuse box to both headlights. Everything looks fine. I am at a loss.

 

Crew cab?
Standard cab, no rear doors.

Since you have a 4-door, it is either an access cab or a double cab;
Access cab, small rear doors.


Double cab, large rear doors.


The difference makes a lot of difference in wiring and diagrams.

Welcome to the forum....

 

Thank you.
Double cab….

 

When you tested the headlight plugs for power, did you also check the ground?



Without DRL
I'm not even sure which pin is ground



With DRLs;
Pin 1 is low beam
Pin 2 is high beam
Pin 3 should be ground



To see if you have DRL there will be a gray plug behind the battery.
I used to unplug mine because I didn't like the DRLs.
The dealer would plug it in every time I went in for service..

The DRL is a dimmer version of the low-beam headlight.

 

Thank you. I will double check the ground. Also I need to find out if I have DRL…..
I will look for the grey plug….
Great schematics! Thank you. Stay tuned!

 

Sure, I want it figured out as much as you do..

BTW you can find your wiring diagrams here..
Ultimate TUNDRA Wiring Diagrams Collection | Toyota Tundra Forum

 

Checked and double checked fuses, relays and wiring. Ordered a new combination switch today. The extra one I had didn’t have the fog lights on it and mine does. So I will see Tuesday if the new one makes a difference…. Thx for all your help and intel guys!! Keep you posted….

 

Curious, are there any clear signs there is/was an alarm (aftermarket) installed on the truck? Like any splices/butt-connectors/T-taps on wires up under the dash?

These trucks do have problems where water can leak into the a-pillar, then run down the roof wire bundle and directly into the combination switch/fusebox, but the fact this only seems to be the high and low beam circuit specifically is weird to me. Like, I could see if happening if the wrong relay was isntalled, or if the relay socket for headlight was corroded on the grounding pin, but ...

 

Good questions. nothing aftermarket installed on this one. All three fuse boxes are in amazing shape.
Everything looks pretty stock under the dash and no signs of corrosion or leaking.
The fog lights do not work. But it looks like it’s just the lamps in them.
I am curious to see if it required the combination switch with the fog lights……
I do have an older tundra that I use for parts, but it does not have the fog lights. That combination switch did absolutely nothing to help out the situation. I did, however, turn the teardrop lights in the headlamp assembly and also the marker lights… but I’m going to try the proper one

 

SO does the truck have fog lights or not?
Oddly enough the difference in DRL and non-DRL headlights affect the fog light wiring..
Did you see the DRL behind the battery?

The wiring that turns the fog lights off with the high beams is different.

 

This truck has fog lights yes. Sorry, I was thinking of my other one I use for parts….my bad. I believe there is a DRL behind the battery… little grey connector….

 

Sorry if this is redundant, so no power or ground problems at the headlight plugs?
Is it something between the stalk switch and the headlights?

 

Fog lights probably won't work if you can't get your headlights to turn on.

 

No power at the headlamp connector…
I can’t see any obvious issues with the wires…
I may add a ground at each headlight…. Next step.

 

These headlights do weird things with ground switching depending on what state they're in so just be aware of that. Some pins may be positive sometimes and grounded at others. When the lights are off though your readings should be consistent.