All dashboard lights and tail lights do not work after driving through a lot of snow. Headlights work. And brake lights work.

All dashboard lights and tail lights do not work after driving through a lot of snow. Headlights work. And brake lights work. Reverse lights work, and the interior door opening light works. I don't know if it's just snow related or a fuse or something.

My car has 130000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. We’ll be happy to help you. There are a few things that I recommend checking to discover why your lighting system is malfunctioning. The headlight dimmer switch should be checked. Along with the wiring harness above the right front tire behind the fender well cover. Also
the main fuse under the hood should be inspected because other people with your particular vehicle have had similar lighting issues if that fuse goes bad. It will be a great idea to check the rest of the fuses in that area too while checking the main fuse. Once the fuses are checked inside of the main fuse box then I would check the fuses inside of their interior fuse box. The interior fuse box should be located on the driver side of the dashboard near where your legs would be. If you need more assistance with repairing your vehicle please keep in mind that our organization provides Mobile Mechanics who can help you diagnose and repair your vehicle, all at competitive rates.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

When all your dashboard lights turn on at once, it most commonly indicates an issue with the alternator or the charging system. It is common for all the dash lights to come on with no alternator output; low voltage can cause unusual electrical issues. The alternator should be tested at the time of battery replacement.
Taillights are red and are located on the back of your vehicle. Brake lights light up when you hit brakes to signal the drivers behind you to stop. Parking lights are located at the front and back of your vehicles; they are white or amber in the front and red on the back.
Like all automotive electrical systems, the dash lights have a fuse designed to go bad and disconnect the circuit when too much power is introduced to the system. This protects components on the circuit from damage. Sometimes, a fuse will go bad for no other reason other than it`s old.
Many headlights often dim the dash automatically when they`re switched on, so this might be the cause of the problem. If that`s not it, look for the dimmer switch. This switch adjusts how bright the dash lights are. If you accidentally bumped it, you may have turned the light levels down without noticing it.
The first thing you can try, to turn off the car, then restart the engine. The second step is to disconnect your battery, wait for a few minutes then reconnect the battery. Another option is to continue to drive your car, and hope the light will reset itself.
The check engine light is usually the most serious and feared warning because of the kind of damage it can signal. This warning often indicates the potential for serious engine damage. When ignored, your vehicle could suffer from a blown head gasket or a seized engine.
What is the Purpose of Parking Lights? Today, parking lights simply assist in illuminating the front or rear of the vehicle.
In fact, it might be easier to start by explaining what parking lights are not. They are not, for instance, fog lights or daytime running lights. They are not the same as your headlights, although you can find them in the same unit in some cars.
Electrical Issues

If you have a malfunctioning tail light, it could be a matter of a blown fuse. The fuses work with your car`s electrical panel and if they`re blown, it can cause several lights to stop working. Replace the fuse and see if this helps. Another issue may be related to your wiring.

And because the taillights and brake lights do not share the same circuit, confirming the ground as a potential cause is not a task that needs much analysis.
The alternator is supposed to provide the electricity for your car`s lights. If there`s not enough power to run your lights because your alternator isn`t working properly, they may run too dim, flicker, or not run at all.
Locate the instrument cluster fuse.

This is typically found inside the fuse box, which is located under the dash on the driver`s side of the car.

Reset cluster lights by disconnecting the battery. You can also remove all bulbs from your instrument cluster and reconnect your battery or simply disconnect and reconnect a single bulb connection. Headlight fuses blow often. The instrument cluster fuse can be located under the hood.
Disconnecting your battery and draining the power to cause an ECU reset is one of the most common fixes for a check engine light that won`t go away on its own. Doing so is equivalent to a hard reboot on a desktop computer, which is a standard way to eliminate many common problems.
What is the parking lights symbol? In most cars, the symbol for parking lights is two semi-circles facing in opposite directions, with each side surrounded by three short lines to symbolise beams of light.
There are two main types of dashboard warning lights: red and orange. A red warning light generally indicates a serious issue with your car. You should act quickly if your dashboard warning light is red – it could be an overheating engine, low engine oil pressure or a braking system problem.
Will I get a flat battery? Unlike headlights, sidelights operate on a low wattage and are designed to be able to withstand being left on for long periods without draining your vehicle`s battery – overnight, certainly, should not be a problem.
Your parking lights (sometimes called your sidelights) are to aid you when your visibility is restricted in certain conditions. Not as strong as dipped headlights, your parking lights are advised for use during dusk or dawn, when there is still natural light, but it is not as strong as daylight.
Fog lamps are not your parking lights or daytime running lamps, they are individual lights usually located low on the bumper of your car – most cars have at least two fog lights at the front with one or two rear foglights as standard – and provide a vertical beam to help improve visibility.
Car sidelights, or parking lights as they are sometimes known, are usually found in the headlamp unit in the front corners of your car. Sidelights aren`t as bright as headlights, so are used by drivers to make themselves visible to traffic during times when it`s not dark enough for main lights.
The Difference Between Brake Lights and Tail Lights

Tail lights are engaged when the you turn on your headlights or when your parking brake is on, whereas the brake lights will light up immediately when you apply pressure to the brakes.

Check the fuse.

A blown fuse usually causes both lights to go out. On newer cars, the tail lamps can be fused separately and/or each bulb or shared circuit can be fused. A fuse can be blown due to other problems, so you`ll need to check more than just the fuse, but it`s the right place to start.

Failing Sensor

If a sensor fails, it can interrupt this complex design and cause a part to stop functioning properly. If both the headlights and parking lights fail along with the tail lights but the brake lights keep working, a sensor is likely to blame.

Faulty wiring or corroded ground wire can`t prevent the electric current from cross-feeding the different components. That`s why you may find that your dash lights, reverse lights, and brake lights work while your taillights don`t.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

All dashboard lights and tail lights do not work after driving through a lot of snow. Headlights work. And brake lights work.
ANSWER : Hello. We’ll be happy to help you. There are a few things that I recommend checking to discover why your lighting system is malfunctioning. The headlight dimmer switch should be checked. Along with the wiring harness above the right front tire behind the fender well cover. Also
the main fuse under the hood should be inspected because other people with your particular vehicle have had similar lighting issues if that fuse goes bad. It will be a great idea to check the rest of the fuses in that area too while checking the main fuse. Once the fuses are checked inside of the main fuse box then I would check the fuses inside of their interior fuse box. The interior fuse box should be located on the driver side of the dashboard near where your legs would be. If you need more assistance with repairing your vehicle please keep in mind that our organization provides Mobile Mechanics who can help you diagnose and repair your vehicle, all at competitive rates.

No dash lights, back right tail light is out, no parking lights. Brake lights work though as does head lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. In many cases, when you have electrical problems like you’re describing, it’s caused by multiple electrical component failure. It’s likely that a few electrical relays are not working; especially if you have systems that utilize the same components (such as your brake light and tail lights). I would recommend having a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete an electrical problems inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is damaged and recommend the right repairs.

EPC light on 2004 Jetta. Code said brake switch faulty, but brakes lights worked. Replaced brake switch, now no brake lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. The first thing that pops in my mind beyond of what you have listed is perhaps the electrical harness attached to the brake switch. Perhaps the harness itself is damaged or you have an exposed wire, loose ground wire somewhere. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a brake lights not working inspection to help you diagnose this issue.

Brake lights are not working. replaced brake light swtch still no brake lights. the third brake light the connection was melted at
ANSWER : The first thing to do is to repair third brake light and replace the brake light fuse and then see if the third brake lights work and the lower lights start working? If only the 3rd brake light starts working then you may need a further checks on the turn signal flasher or switch could be bad.

Okay so when I turn my lights on at night my brake lights do not work, when I don’t have my lights on they work fine.
ANSWER : Hi there. Based on your inquiry, it’s highly probable that you have a damaged light switch or some electrical fault inside the turn signal relay. However, it’s also possible that the brake switch above the brake pedal could also be the source of your problem. Due to the fact that multiple electrical components might be causing this issue, it’s a smart idea to first have a professional mobile mechanic complete a brake lights are not working inspection, so they can determine what’s causing all of these issues and recommend the right repairs.

When I put my foot on the brake my back left brake light goes off, when I take it off the brake the brake light comes on
ANSWER : I would suggest trying to disconnect and reconnect the wiring to the rear lights. I have seen these older Toyota vehicles rear lighting short out on the lights themselves due to the way the light circuit was made on the lamp housing. Look at the housing circuit on the light to see if one is touching another, and that could tell you why it is malfunctioning. There could also be a problem with the brake light switch. If you are not comfortable dealing with wires, I recommend getting in touch with a certified mechanic who can look at your brake light issue for you to see what’s going on.

Brake lights on trunk not working
ANSWER : For some reason, when consulting the wiring diagram, I don’t see a trunk mounted brake light listed. I only see the high mount (one in the rear window) listed. Regardless, if the trunk bulb is not working with a new bulb, there is a problem with the circuit. Check for both power and ground at the bulb. Once you’ve determined which is lacking, you’ll have to trace the circuit to determine where the problem lies. Since you said all of the other brake lights work, the cruise control is likely unrelated. Electrical diagnosis can be difficult, so I suggest you have a trained professional tackle the problem with your brake lights for you.

Brake light does not work.
ANSWER : Use the power wire from the brake light switch to activate the rear brake lights. By having an alternate power supply, ;the brake lights have no control without a switch, so the module is on but not functioning for the brake lights on the rear of the car. If you need further assistance with your brake module, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.