Tail lights not working properly

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slantflat

slantflat

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Hi everyone

I have a 60 Valiant and the tail lights and brake lights don't always work. I thought it was bad bulbs, but they sometimes work. And they are very dim. I'm guessing the problem is they are 60 years old. Is there a better socket I can get and splice in? Or will original but new sockets be okay? I tried cleaning them real good but got minimal returns.

Thanks everyone.
 
Have you cleaned the sockets, bulb contacts and added some dielectric grease?

You can also run extra ground wires from the body to each housing.
 
I would start with the sockets, pigtails, grounding at the sockets, and bulbs. And don't forget the springs in the pigtails. Also check the tail harness connector, normally in the left kick panel for tightness and corrosion

Don't be afraid to solder a ground pigtail to the socket shell and bolt to the body
 
60 year old wires! Think about it!
 
Knob and tube house wiring was pretty prevalent that long ago. It is time!
 
When the lighting is in failure mode are all tail lights the same amount of dim?
 
Yes. Sometimes one of the brake lights won't work, then another time it will. Running lights are dim, tried new bulbs same deal.
 
99% of the issues I had before storage were resolved with new harnesses TS switch and revamped HL switch. I understand the need to want to keep the old and soldier on, but. You do yourself no favors in the long run! That said.

It sounds like you have a grounding issue, but without pics of the wiring and situation, hard to Really tell.
 
Maybe just the light switch or TS switch in the column, could be more.
 
Thanks guys. I'll have to get out and start chasing wires I think. I really can't be out driving with the lights this dim.
 
Seems like a grounding issue in the taillights. Think about the path of ground- bulb to socket, socket to housing, housing to body. Go from socket to body with a good jumper wire and see if this doesn't fix it.
 
1969383S said:
Knob and tube house wiring was pretty prevalent that long ago. It is time!
Click to expand...

In the 80's--early 90's I worked in HVAC, mostly service. But I helped with some installs and retrofit, and did the AC end and startup/ checkout. Showed up at a farm house the guys were rattling back and forth through an old closet entrance into an attic area, and one of them came out and bumped right up against some BARE (some of it was installed that way) knob and tube. I did a quick check with a meter an yup!!! LIVE. So I stopped the crew right there and gave them a "little education."

The look on their faces? PRICELESS. guy wonders what they had been doing earlier!!
 
slantflat said:
Thanks guys. I'll have to get out and start chasing wires I think. I really can't be out driving with the lights this dim.
Click to expand...

Take note on how many mention grounding of the lighting.
There's a reason it comes up all the time.:D
Make certain you have solid grounds FIRST, and you may find all your problems are gone.
Any wire chasing you do before that is pointless.
 
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