69wideglide

I'm a new Corvette owner working on my 1969 coupe.

I'm trying to get my right rear(passenger side) brake light/turn signal working.
The bulb lights up correctly on it's low filament when the headlights are one but when the turn signal or brake light are used the brighter filament does not work.
When I turn on the turn signal the right arrow lights on the dash and stays lit, the front turn signal comes on, and stays on, but nothing out back. When I turn on the emergency flashers both arrows flash on the dash and everything flashes except this same right turn signal light.
All the other lights are currently working correctly.

The wiring looks all original and un-altered.
I've located the flasher behind the passenger dash and it works correctly for the left turn signal, I assume there's only one turn signal flasher for both turn signals?
I've installed a new 1157 bulb.
The ground looks to be in place and I assume it's working since the low filament comes on with the headlights?

Any suggestions on where I should look next?
Anyone know what color wire the right rear turn/stop light is?
Where does it run through the car?

Thanks in advance for any info and advice.

Durango_Boy

Does the problematic bulb light up when the brakes are applied? I believe that same filiment that signals is also the one that lights up as a brake light.

If the brake pedal will light up both sides then you know it's the signal wire from the harness, and it may have worn through and is grounding out somewhere.

RagTop69

Replace that bulb with a known good unit (the left lamp bulb?) and try the right signal again. If it works, it's a problem with the old bulb. If it doesn't work then you have a wiring problem and you now need two new bulbs, as well as to trouble shoot the right rear line. You might also visual the old bulb when you pull it to see if there is any obvious break in the bright filament.

69wideglide

No the bulb doesn't light when the brakes or the turn signal are applied.

69wideglide

I put a new 1157 bulb in the right light and it didn't work, then I put the same new 1157 bulb on the left side and it worked.

Thanks.

LYLE

Most strange tail light problems are caused by bad grounds. I use wires with alligator clips from the battery ground to the light housing to make a quick test to see if the ground has been lost. All four lights have grounds on studs that may be rusty.

Theiskell

Lyle has a good point.

I just went through this on my ’69 what it ended up being was a bad connection at a rubber boot about a foot back from the light. I just separated the boot shot some contact cleaner in the connection and I was back up and running.

...Roger...

Check the ground even though the parking light is working.But you really should be using a test light on the contacts inside the tailight socket instead of a bulb with the ground end of the test light attached to known good ground.Also it might be a good idea if you get closer to the source and check the green wire coming from the turn signal switch in the harmonica connector.69 are known for bad turn signal switches.

69wideglide

OK, time to show I'm a Corvette rookie.
What's the "harmonica connector" and where is it located?

Also if the turn signal switch is bad would the problem light still come on when the brake pedal is pushed?

Thanks.

...Roger...

The harmonica conn. is under and attached to the steering column.Its a flat connector with around 10 wires in it.
The wire for the brake light is the same wire as the turn signal-a turn signal is a broken or pulsed brake light-same wire same filiment.So the answer would be sometimes but not always to your second question.It depends on whats going on in the switch.Probe the green wire and press on the brake pedal and see if you have current on the green.If you do then move to the back of the car.

69wideglide

Thank you.

After doing some searching I think I found a picture of the turn signal switch and the connector?


Is there only one green wire on the connector?

Is this connector fairly accessable or do I need to disassemble the bottom of the steering column?

...Roger...

Its easy to get to-just unhook it and bring it down so its easier to work on.Should only be 1 green-if there is more than one then the one you want is between the yellow and the white in position "N".The letter should be on the plastic connector.

...Roger...

Took another look at the pic you posted.I see the light green-thats a key buzzer wire and thats at the opposite end of the connector from the wire your looking for.The key buzzer is pink on your 69.In the pic the green you want is dark green-yours in your car could be dark also but it will be next to the yellow.

69wideglide

Well this morning I continued tinkering with the car's wiring.
I found the harmonica connection under the dash.
I checked the connection and found the dark green wire next to the yellow wire was a little loose.
I cleaned and checked all the wires in the connection and put it back together and everything appears to be working correctly

I want to thank all you guys for helping.
I posted in my intro page that I've been restoring Mopar musclecars for many years but this is my first Corvette and I have a lot to learn.
The internet and these wonderful website forums have been a real blessing in finding valuable information and advice on both restoring my Mopars and this Corvette.
Now on to the next item on this car.

easyrider19691

I just want to say thank you!!! I have been tracing wires on the back of my 69 coupe for the last 2 nights trying to figure out why the front passenger side turn signal worked great but I was only getting 5 volts at the rear signal. Turns out it was a loose connection on the harmonica connector coming out of the steering wheel. If only I had checked here first I could have saved myself a whole lot of frustration.