no tail lights
- Thread starter phaelax
- Start date
-
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Simple. You have dash (instrument) lamps? If so, that means the tail section of the headlight switch is getting power. If so there is one wire from the headlight switch ---through the kick panel connector---to the rear harness to the rear
You are working on a 73? Go download a shop manual, free, here:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970088617
and more here, and also some simplified diagrams
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31
If you do NOT have instrument lamps, first thing to do is get into the fuse panel and check the tail fuse.
You are working on a 73? Go download a shop manual, free, here:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970088617
and more here, and also some simplified diagrams
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31
If you do NOT have instrument lamps, first thing to do is get into the fuse panel and check the tail fuse.
Dash lamps? Umm, not exactly. I replaced the headlamp switch a few weeks ago. The old switch used to turn on the dash lights sometimes if I fiddled with it, but eventually it went out completely. The new one gives me nothing.
Thanks for pointing me in the right (and obvious) direction. I read the #8 fuse controls the horn and cluster as well as the tail lights. Well, it just so happens my horn stopped working the other day. Sounds like this is the culprit!
Problem, I'm only seeing 7 fuses and they look fine to me.
Thanks for pointing me in the right (and obvious) direction. I read the #8 fuse controls the horn and cluster as well as the tail lights. Well, it just so happens my horn stopped working the other day. Sounds like this is the culprit!
Problem, I'm only seeing 7 fuses and they look fine to me.
All the fuses look good, aside from the last two which say should be 3a but actually had 7.5a in place.
http://imgur.com/IYd1GRg
Could a faulty headlamp switch cause this?
http://imgur.com/IYd1GRg
Could a faulty headlamp switch cause this?
All the fuses look good, aside from the last two which say should be 3a but actually had 7.5a in place.
http://imgur.com/IYd1GRg
Could a faulty headlamp switch cause this?
http://imgur.com/IYd1GRg
Could a faulty headlamp switch cause this?
redfastback
Don't ask me... my garage is empty
Fuses look good? Put a test light on both sides and touch the fuse as well as the spring clips. Check for power in, power out.
You also should test the headlamp switch for power out on the circuit wire in question.
Find the color wire on the schematic from mymopar.com
You also should test the headlamp switch for power out on the circuit wire in question.
Find the color wire on the schematic from mymopar.com
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
^^Yup. You cannot just go by "looks"^^ The tail fuse should be hot whether key is on or not to test get your test lamp or a meter. Turn on the headlights. This is to put a load on the circuit. Make sure the test lamp is grounded and probe BOTH ends of the tail fuse. Both should be hot
Several things can go wrong there.........
Clips can be loose from heat / corrosion damage.
Clips can be rusted / corroded, losing contact
Fuses sometimes blow in the end caps where you cannot see. This is usually also caused by a poor connection at the clips, because that generates HEAT
Last, might be poor connections between clips and buss/ wire connections in the back of the fuse panel.
If that looks good get into the left kick panel. There's a connector in there where the rear harness takes off to the rear of the car. As above ^^ get into the diagram, find the wire color, and probe for power. There is only one wire supplying tail lamps and if equipped on newer cars, side marker and license plate lamp
THAT ALSO can be a clue. If you have markers and they work, or the license plate lamp works, but not tail lights, RIGHT AWAY you should realize that power is "making it" to the rear, and the trouble HAS to be in the sockets or bulbs.
You do realize? I hope? that tail /stop bulbs are actually two bulbs in one. IE the tail section can burn out but the stop / turn filament can still work.
Several things can go wrong there.........
Clips can be loose from heat / corrosion damage.
Clips can be rusted / corroded, losing contact
Fuses sometimes blow in the end caps where you cannot see. This is usually also caused by a poor connection at the clips, because that generates HEAT
Last, might be poor connections between clips and buss/ wire connections in the back of the fuse panel.
If that looks good get into the left kick panel. There's a connector in there where the rear harness takes off to the rear of the car. As above ^^ get into the diagram, find the wire color, and probe for power. There is only one wire supplying tail lamps and if equipped on newer cars, side marker and license plate lamp
THAT ALSO can be a clue. If you have markers and they work, or the license plate lamp works, but not tail lights, RIGHT AWAY you should realize that power is "making it" to the rear, and the trouble HAS to be in the sockets or bulbs.
You do realize? I hope? that tail /stop bulbs are actually two bulbs in one. IE the tail section can burn out but the stop / turn filament can still work.
I put a new fuse in just to see. Whenever I do anything with fuse 7 then turn the power back on, the door buzzer starts working. Until I press the horn to stop the buzz, then it doesn't work until I reseat the fuse again. Seemed odd.
After poking around with my voltmeter trying to get a good contact at different fuses, the majority of things have worked out. It seems like there was just a bad connection in the fuses somewhere. I now have tail lights, a horn, and....well dash lights I'm not certain about. They were always so dim, it's very hard to see during the day if they're working. But I can see the indicator turn on when I hit the high beams.
-
