Parking light problem...pics
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Maker of Sharp Objects, AL - Roll Tide
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
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Parking light problem...pics
I think I may have a short. My front passenger side parkin light has been blown for a little while now. Went to autozone and picked up some bulbs - 3157. I replaced the bulb and it still won't come on. I doubt it is a fuse, because if it was wouldn't both of them be out on both sides?
The light that I am talking about that's blown is the one that comes on when no other lights have been manually turned on. When you are driving down the road, the two orange lights appear up front. The passenger side one is out (which is one of the filiments inside the dual filament bulb). New bulb and it still happens. What gives?
The light that I am talking about that's blown is the one that comes on when no other lights have been manually turned on. When you are driving down the road, the two orange lights appear up front. The passenger side one is out (which is one of the filiments inside the dual filament bulb). New bulb and it still happens. What gives?
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
Check if your parking lights will come on. The parking lights use the lesser of the 2 filimants.
I believe the turn signals are on seperate fuses since they have to operate independantly.
I believe the turn signals are on seperate fuses since they have to operate independantly.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
The bulb is a dual filament bulb. On the lamp unit you have 3 wires:
a blue/white wire which is the hot for the turn signal filament
a brown wire which is the hot for the parking light filament
a black wire which is the common ground.
The DRLs feed the turn signal circuit through the A2 fuse (underhood) and relays 38 and 40 (footwell).
If the DRL on the other side is working then its not a fuse issue or it would be dead too. That makes me think its at the light unit. Start the car and let the parking brake off to activate the DRLs. Put a multi meter on and check if you have power at the lamp. If so its a bad bulb. If not it could be a connection at the lamp unit or corrosion/dirt. Beyond that you'll need to troubleshoot upstream.
You could switch relay 38 and 40 on the footwell fuse panel. If its a bad relay it will switch the problem to the other DRL bulb.
Here's the circuit diagram to help troubleshoot.
a blue/white wire which is the hot for the turn signal filament
a brown wire which is the hot for the parking light filament
a black wire which is the common ground.
The DRLs feed the turn signal circuit through the A2 fuse (underhood) and relays 38 and 40 (footwell).
If the DRL on the other side is working then its not a fuse issue or it would be dead too. That makes me think its at the light unit. Start the car and let the parking brake off to activate the DRLs. Put a multi meter on and check if you have power at the lamp. If so its a bad bulb. If not it could be a connection at the lamp unit or corrosion/dirt. Beyond that you'll need to troubleshoot upstream.
You could switch relay 38 and 40 on the footwell fuse panel. If its a bad relay it will switch the problem to the other DRL bulb.
Here's the circuit diagram to help troubleshoot.
Last edited by DeeGee; May 18, 2009 at 01:42 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 218
Likes: 53
From: RI
Make sure that the socket that the bulb goes into is okay, too.
I just replaced my passenger side light and had to replace the socket, too, as it looked like it had suffered from overheating.
Be sitting down when you find out the price for the socket. <g>
dan
I just replaced my passenger side light and had to replace the socket, too, as it looked like it had suffered from overheating.
Be sitting down when you find out the price for the socket. <g>
dan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 860
Likes: 3
One thing to watch out for is that the DRLs generate enough heat to melt holes in the top of the housings, which then allows water into them, which blows bulbs and messes up sockets. Check for this and patch it up if you have a hole - it will cut down on the time you'll spend changing bulbs.
