License Plate Light, when does it turn on?

[gdizzle]

so in the 66 ddddart, was able to find a used license light assembly, attached it, plugged in the bullet connector, and nothing. When exactly is the light supposed to be on? In the manual schematic it appears to be tied into the rear brake light? Is that right?

It would not go on when A) I turned on the lights, B) I put it into reverse, C) ?

The Tail lights are on (in the deck lid).

Any ideas?

I assumed that the license light would be on anytime the Tail lights are on. not the case?

 

[krazykuda]

You must have the one with the motion sensor. You need someone to walk by it to make it light up....

 

[gdizzle]

tried that. didn't work.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Dusk to dawn?

 

[Bad Sport]

I assumed that the license light would be on anytime the Tail lights are on. not the case?

That would be correct, you need to fix it.

 

[ScampMike]

whenever your marker/parking lights are on - not tied to brake light circuit - tied to parking/running light circuit.. your headlights do not have to be on. So if they don't come on with the switch in position 1 then something is wrong.. assuming all your other lights are working you are either not connected to a good (correct) power source or you have a bad ground. ...oooor, as your first two responders stopped just short of suggesting - maybe you're just low on light fluid... :twisted: funny guys huh? Just for ***** and giggles, have you tried having someone hold their foot on the brake pedal and checked to see if it comes on? If it does, it's not a ground issue - obviously.

 

[RedFish]

Rear light wiring was pretty much standard to all vehicles and the trailers they could be wired to. Rear brake and turn are yellow and green.
Park or tail lamp is brown which includes the tag lamp. In some cases they did use a short black wire for the tag lamp branch of this circuit. Hidden weld splice in the rear harness where a single brown becomes 2 brown and a black.
Keep in mind that the base of the bulb requires chassis ground so interior of bulb socket, and socket to fixture, and fixture to bumper or body are all substitute for a ground wire.

 

[nm9stheham]

I assumed that the license light would be on anytime the Tail lights are on.

Correct. It is likely the ground of the bumper to its brackets or the brackets to the chassis; the ground path for this light has to go through the bumper and then the mounts to the chassis. With rust, it is easy to break that ground connection. Pull the bumper and brackets and clean all that up and see. Or run a small wire directly from the license plate holder to the chassis.

 

[BARNEY'S CAR]

Correct. It is likely the ground of the bumper to its brackets or the brackets to the chassis; the ground path for this light has to go through the bumper and then the mounts to the chassis. With rust, it is easy to break that ground connection. Pull the bumper and brackets and clean all that up and see. Or run a small wire directly from the license plate holder to the chassis.

Naybe just check to see if the bulb burned out. JUST 2 screws and NO thinking involved.

 

[ScampMike]

I was kinda assuming the OP was "on it" enough to make sure the bulb was good before installing it on his car - but I did think this too...

Naybe just check to see if the bulb burned out. JUST 2 screws and NO thinking involved.

 

[nm9stheham]

Naybe just check to see if the bulb burned out. JUST 2 screws and NO thinking involved.

Could be that easy LOL.... but thinking of which way to torn the screws IS thinking!

 

[gdizzle]

brand new bulb. Any how, removed it all, tested wire first, getting power.

Then rigged up a wire to ground it to bumper. Sorta spotty. Lost of rust on the light assembly .

Reinstalled, and the damn thing works, with out the need for rigged up ground wire.

Since there is a plastic housing around the light, it appears the only path for ground from the bulb socket it via the 2 screws that sandwich the whole thing to gether, those are rusty too. well it works.
thanks guys