Power outlets/cig power inop

Hello,my 2000 Tundra 4.7 has...one at a time lost it's last power outlet..
Tire air compressor took out the last working one I had..

My problem is: Fuse under dash is good
The 2 power outlet fuses under the hood are good..relay replaced with a known good one (fog lights relay)it checks good..

What gives ? Is there something I'm not checking ?
All 3 power outlets went out one at a time over the years till I now have none.
Thanks in advance for any help as I am stumped..

 

My thought, if it was truly the correct fuse, maybe you have poor grounding. I’d take a voltmeter and confirm no 12 volts is present with the truck on and key in accessory position and then use an alternate chassis ground to check.

Just my two cents.

 

You failed to mention what engine. That sucks, because fuseboxes are slightly different for V6 vs V8. I'm running on the assumption you have the V8. If that's wrong, do us all a favor, go into your user profile and update the "Vehicle One-line Description" to tell us whether you have: V6/2WD, V6/4WD, V8/2WD or V8/4WD so we're not plugging away in the dark when trying to help you. Click the "SAVE" button at the bottom of the profile screen after updating. We don't need to know your truck is "toyota", "tundra" is enough.

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When you say the fuses are good, you physically tested both of the little metal test tabs on either side of the number with a voltmeter, and you get positive voltage when the key is in the ON position?
I typically test my fuses for continuity, since with the mini fuses, they will burn out in weird places that aren't easily visible. And every truck should have a couple of spares in each fusebox, IIRC.

Are there any other circuits out that you see? Brake lights, horn heater, tail lights, dash gauges, radio? This could provide other clues.

Have you ever had a cracked windshield, or is the windshield currently cracked? Has the windshield ever been replaced? I'm asking for a very specific reason, please don't skip answering this.

You have mini fuse spares on-hand, in 15A flavor, you can swap in? I'm assuming the 2001 is same as yours, I can't pull the fusebox info on 2000. For 2001, these are the two you'd check next to the battery:

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Other than that, the "120A" window fuse at the top of those last pictures controls lots of other stuff too, and if blown, you won't charge but PWR circuits don't get power either.
The red "50A" in the left column of fuses controls power outlets, brakes, horn, etc. and could also be blown.

In the dash, I believe this 20A controls cigarette lighter and 4WD?:

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OK fixed my user profile..it is the 4.7..sorry bout that.
I checked all fuses with a continuity checker..all good.
Everything else is working.
I do have a cracked windshield ??

I will go out a check the 120A one.(checked good)
Thanks !!

 

Did that...turned on key power located an alternate ground checked all 3...no power..

 

Water from broken seal or cracked windshield has a penchant for running down the a-pillar and getting into into the fusebox inside the cab/dash (pics & pics & pics, it happens a LOT). It can travel from anywhere really, it runs down the flex looms which all terminate into the back of the fusebox. But normally when we see that happen, it impacts multiple circuits. If it's only your outlets that are borked, then I highly doubt that's it.

And honestly, before I went through the pain and misery of pulling the fusebox to check for evidence of this, the next thing I'd do is isolate where the power stops. Clearly from what you say, it's making it in and out of the fuse. And no other circuits are bad that you've noted at least.

For me, that would be popping off my dash plastics to access the back of the outlet, and with the key in ON position (not started, just ON), testing that one leg of the outlet has power. If it DOES have power, you know the physical receptacle itself is the problem and needs to be replaced. If it DOES NOT have power, then you have an issue between the fusebox (aka 'integration relay') and the outlet.

 

^^^...OK will try that next

Just to repeat my sequence of the 3 power outlets going inop...

For years I never had cig power cause I always had the other 2 power outlets..
Year or so ago went down to one
Last one went yesterday when I ran a tire pump compressor..

 

"no power"....as in whatever you plugged into them didn't work OR you are actually checking for 12vdc with a volt/ohm meter(VOM) as was mentioned above by @Jack McCarthy .

Repeating some of what others have alluded to.....15A ACC fuse is needed for both the Cig lighter and for energizing the PWR Outlet relay, which then supplies current to the 2 PWR Outlets, each protected by their individual 15A fuse.

As Shift mentioned, there are cases where water penetration has seeped into the Integration Relay on back side of cab fuse panel. As he mentioned, that's hopefully your last troubleshooting resort but is definitely plausible.

Along with others suggestions, I'd pull the Eng Bay PWR Outlet relay, turn key to ACC or IGN On position and check for 12vdc at pin 3(Gnd) and 4(Positive)

BTW....what type tire inflator do you have and does it have amp rating somewhere on the specs ?

 

Always the best electrical input, @BubbaW.

I know this Q wasn't aimed at me, but I had this happen a couple years back too on the 2020 Highlander, posted about it in the Lunch Table thread. I have a Viair 84P, and found I can constently blow the PWR fuse in the Highlander if the pump switch is set to ON, and I plug the lighter adapter into the PWR OUTLET plug.

I thought it was a problem with the Viair, so while visiting family, I used the 84P I gave them as a holiday gift last year, and sure enough, having it powered on at plug-in popped the fuse.

I was on my 3rd fuse at that point, so decided to give it a rest and put a labelmaker label on the pump, "MAKE SURE POWER SWITCH OFF BEFORE PLUG IN". Manf'er docs show it's 12v/15a, but I guess it's capable of drawing more in a surge somehow if power is on? Or the 15A PWR circuit in the latest gen of Highlanders isn't truly 15A capable. I had nothing else actively drawing on outlets at the time.

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Yeah so I'm checking power on all 3 power outlets with 2 different car chargers..

I pulled the relay as you suggested and found I do have power there.

I previously had switched out relays from a known good one (fog lights)with no change..

My tire inflater is rated @ 15A.

Appreciate the help here..still stumped.
Bad ground theory seems plausible but after finding an alternate ground and touching the center inside pole on the outlet..no power..
Maybe I should try again with another alternate ground..

Appreciate the help here..Thanks.

 

Just confirming, because I don't think I asked properly: All cigarette lighter style power outlets have wires up to the back of the unit. Typically they're grounded to the outside of the chassis, and powered to the center, but sometimes there are simply two posts sticking out of the back, with a single plug. Full disclosure, it's been a minute since I've looked at mine which may not match yours. That said, if you have a single plug to the rear, typically speaking Toyota uses a white wire with black strip for grounds.

That said, what I'm suggesting to you is you take your multimeter/test light/volt meter, and with the key in the ON position, test the wires plugging into the rear of the outlet so we know if you're getting power to one or all of them. If you are, we know it's just your outlet that's bad, and need to help you get a part number (which should be easy if you give us a picture of your dash).

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OK I'll try that.
Should be noted that my 3 power outlets all went out individually over time and so..not across the board
And the 2 power outlets went out after plugging in a 15A tire pump on separate occasions.
I have never had a fuse blow..
Thanks.

 

That would speak to "wear & tear" if you plug/unplug things in/out of them constantly, regularly.

Or maybe you have a mouse nest in your dash and they've been slowly stealing wires as they've gone

 

I have found a mouse in the past nesting under the intake manifold where the starter resides...Scary

 

Yup, that's one of two places they commonly nest. On top of the gas tank, and under the intake manifold. But I've seen a couple people on here who had them get into people's trucks thru the air vents, past the fans, and news above the ECU also, and I'm sure they'd love finding a spot behind the dash under the radio. One that nested in the air intake box, and the owner found it when a chunk of chewed up filter got lodged in their MAF - just thinking about how much filter their engine at before that chunk got lodged on the MAF sensor wire is cringey.

If you park outdoors where there's rodents, or you ever need to de-nest them from under the intake, while you're under there patching up the problems, it's best to get some of that pepper-laced rodent tape and wrap all the knock sensor and starter wires with it so they don't chew through it. Same deal for on top of the tank and any vents/valves on top of the gas tank. Lucky for you you've got the 2000-2004 era trucks, where you can peek between the intake runners to check for nesting, see the starter, and push a borescope in there to explore. My '06 intake is solid on the sides, only entry is thru the front.