No tail lights on 81
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
No tail lights on 81
The situation: No tail lights, brake lights, or rear marker lights.
Rear turn signals ARE working.
Also, headlights don't work. However, on High-Beam all four DO work. Front mark lights DO work.
I am thinking it is the switch????
However, I am exactly Mr. Mechanic, but I am learng.
Any thoughts would be apreciated.
Rear turn signals ARE working.
Also, headlights don't work. However, on High-Beam all four DO work. Front mark lights DO work.
I am thinking it is the switch????
However, I am exactly Mr. Mechanic, but I am learng.
Any thoughts would be apreciated.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,706
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
I don't thhink that it's just the headlight switch as the brake lights should work without it. I'd have to check the wiring diagram to be sure, but it sound's to me like more than one issue.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,140
Likes: 7
From: Ohio
Lots of ground problems. Check fuses and bulbs and socket conections and clean up contacts on bulbs, use sand paper.. Make a long grond test wire and hook one end to the battery - and the other end on the housing for a tailight and see what happens.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Chapel Hill NC
If it's like my 75, there is a connector under the dash above the hood latch release. All of the rear lights and rear interior light go through it. It might be partially unplugged. It's not mounted on anything and just dangles under there.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
I think there are 3 frame connections in the back, over by the antenna on the drivers side, approx the same location oin the pass side and behind the tail light on the drivers side, I am trying to remember, been a while since I looked at that page in the book.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Originally Posted by FIRST81VETTE
The situation: No tail lights, brake lights, or rear marker lights.
Rear turn signals ARE working.
Also, headlights don't work. However, on High-Beam all four DO work. Front mark lights DO work.
I am thinking it is the switch????
However, I am exactly Mr. Mechanic, but I am learng.
Any thoughts would be apreciated.
Rear turn signals ARE working.
Also, headlights don't work. However, on High-Beam all four DO work. Front mark lights DO work.
I am thinking it is the switch????
However, I am exactly Mr. Mechanic, but I am learng.
Any thoughts would be apreciated.
On rear lights-turn signal works? thats a broken brake light-I'll think further but I'm heading towards the turn signal switch-I'll let you know.
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Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Hey Sixfooter on page 8A-25 where is the brown wire going to rear park lights?Am I missing something?-----Ok I think I see now-the park lights are on another page
Last edited by ...Roger...; Jul 25, 2006 at 10:05 AM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
This cornering lamp feature really throws a wrench into the works-giving me a headach! It looks like the turn signals can funtion with a blown stop hazard light fuse-my thought are if the turn signal bulb in the rear is working then the ground back there is good.Hmmm-just love a challenge.Guess I better go do some work and work on this later.
Last edited by ...Roger...; Jul 25, 2006 at 10:08 AM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Good news!! I know have: brake lights, turn signals, back up lights.
However, still NO tail lights, rear marker lights.
I replaced a bad fuse(I don't know how I missed it the first time).
Cleanded the ground attached to the frame by the antenia.
Checked balbs.
Also,
Headligts worked once when I turned them on to test the lights, then they did not work after that??? Except for on High Beam.
I am leaning towards replacing the dimmer switch????
Any further thoughts??????
However, still NO tail lights, rear marker lights.
I replaced a bad fuse(I don't know how I missed it the first time).
Cleanded the ground attached to the frame by the antenia.
Checked balbs.
Also,
Headligts worked once when I turned them on to test the lights, then they did not work after that??? Except for on High Beam.
I am leaning towards replacing the dimmer switch????
Any further thoughts??????
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
On the headlights -pull connector of headlight and check tan wire while dimmer is on low beam(headlight switch on)if you have power its not the dimmer- there is also a 20 amp tailight fuse and marker lght
Last edited by ...Roger...; Jul 26, 2006 at 04:00 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 11,891
Likes: 3
From: Kansas City, MO ...I'd like to go fishing and catch a fishstick. That'd be convenient. - Mitch Hedberg
All the wiring in the rear has a common point that they are all crimped together. Mine was crusty as hell and I had similar problems. I cut out the section and reconnected everything, soldered and heat shrinked the connection and everything worked perfectly. The connection is somewhere in teh wire looms running your rear lights inside the bumper area.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Headlights fixed. Previous ownner did a bad wire crimp under dash.
However, still have tail/rear marker light problem.
Does anyone have a picture of the fuse pannel?
Does anyone know which fues is the tailight fuse and marker lght?
However, still have tail/rear marker light problem.
Does anyone have a picture of the fuse pannel?
Does anyone know which fues is the tailight fuse and marker lght?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Originally Posted by FIRST81VETTE
Headlights fixed. Previous ownner did a bad wire crimp under dash.
However, still have tail/rear marker light problem.
Does anyone have a picture of the fuse pannel?
Does anyone know which fues is the tailight fuse and marker lght?
However, still have tail/rear marker light problem.
Does anyone have a picture of the fuse pannel?
Does anyone know which fues is the tailight fuse and marker lght?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 11,891
Likes: 3
From: Kansas City, MO ...I'd like to go fishing and catch a fishstick. That'd be convenient. - Mitch Hedberg
Here is a link to a site that hosts electrical info for the 1980 model year cars. I think most of yours should be the same. There are several good drawings of the fuse panel.
http://iotech.no/corvette/technical/...tics/index.htm
A word of advice, I had some pretty nasty wiring connections from my previous owner. After removing the dash to just fix it all at once, I discovered that my headlight switch and harness were almost completely burned up. It was an electrical fire waiting to happen. I suggest that you purchase the schematic for your car from http://www.lectriclimited.com/mainpage.htm (third row, third column - "Wiring Diagrams") and pull your dash. If the headlight wiring is in that condition, who knows what else is waiting to be found.
http://iotech.no/corvette/technical/...tics/index.htm
A word of advice, I had some pretty nasty wiring connections from my previous owner. After removing the dash to just fix it all at once, I discovered that my headlight switch and harness were almost completely burned up. It was an electrical fire waiting to happen. I suggest that you purchase the schematic for your car from http://www.lectriclimited.com/mainpage.htm (third row, third column - "Wiring Diagrams") and pull your dash. If the headlight wiring is in that condition, who knows what else is waiting to be found.
