Rear Tail Lights Don't Work!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Shawnee Kansas
Rear Tail Lights Don't Work!
If anyone can help...I have modified my tail lights, and spliced a total of 12 3157 LED lamps into the wiring harness...the brake lights work and the turn signal work (though I get a rapid flash), but I am not getting any tail light when the headlights come on...not in the rear (including third brake light) or on the side markers...any thoughts?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Dyer, IN
If anyone can help...I have modified my tail lights, and spliced a total of 12 3157 LED lamps into the wiring harness...the brake lights work and the turn signal work (though I get a rapid flash), but I am not getting any tail light when the headlights come on...not in the rear (including third brake light) or on the side markers...any thoughts?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Shawnee Kansas
Thought I would restate, since maybe I made this confusing...
Brake Lights work, turn signals work, tail lamps do not work in any of the rear lights nor the rear marker lights. Could use some expertise!
Brake Lights work, turn signals work, tail lamps do not work in any of the rear lights nor the rear marker lights. Could use some expertise!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
I'm not sure how you wired this (do you have independent turn signal lights, like the Euro lights do?) If so, I had a problem with my wiring harness's ground on the brake light section of my euro harness. The turn signals worked, but the brake lights nor the rear lights ever did. I had to splice an additional ground wire because there was a break somewhere at the harness weather-pack above the right muffler.
Let me ask you this- do your dash /front parking lights come on when you step on the brake? If so, you probably have the brake light ground issue.
Let me ask you this- do your dash /front parking lights come on when you step on the brake? If so, you probably have the brake light ground issue.
Last edited by ericdwong; Feb 25, 2008 at 07:45 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
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From: Shawnee Kansas
Thanks for the response, I did this, and then I removed the stock pigtails, replaced them with aftermarkets I bought that would fit into the lenses I fabricated. There are 3 lenses for each stock tail light hole, and I spliced 3 pigtails into the harness in each location. I then used 3157 20 LED bulbs in each location for a total of 12...24W each...I blew 2 fuses...tail lamp fuse and turn/hazard fuse...replaced both. The brake lights work fine...have no side lamps, no tail lamps and no license plate lamp...and I am stuck. 
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 183
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From: Shawnee Kansas
I'm not sure how you wired this (do you have independent turn signal lights, like the Euro lights do?) If so, I had a problem with my wiring harness's ground on the brake light section of my euro harness. The turn signals worked, but the brake lights nor the rear lights ever did. I had to splice an additional ground wire because there was a break somewhere at the harness weather-pack above the right muffler.
Let me ask you this- do your dash /front parking lights come on when you step on the brake? If so, you probably have the brake light ground issue.
Let me ask you this- do your dash /front parking lights come on when you step on the brake? If so, you probably have the brake light ground issue.
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From: Dyer, IN
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From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
Thanks for the response, I did this, and then I removed the stock pigtails, replaced them with aftermarkets I bought that would fit into the lenses I fabricated. There are 3 lenses for each stock tail light hole, and I spliced 3 pigtails into the harness in each location. I then used 3157 20 LED bulbs in each location for a total of 12...24W each...I blew 2 fuses...tail lamp fuse and turn/hazard fuse...replaced both. The brake lights work fine...have no side lamps, no tail lamps and no license plate lamp...and I am stuck.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Shawnee Kansas
Yeah, I know...but they aren't even lighting...accept on the brake light...and they are towers so they fill the well completely...I will check to see what king of voltage I am getting to the wires...
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Instructor
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From: Shawnee Kansas
Race Director
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From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
If you have gauge illumination, take a tester and see if you have juice 12V in one of the light sockets, if not you have a wire problem in your tranny harness.
The wiring for this is by the battery in the engine compartment. i am away in business this weeka nd don't have my manuals handy to tell you which connector to check.
If you have power to one of the leads, then it's a grounding issue.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Shawnee Kansas
Your fog lights, Gauge Illumination, side markers and rear lamp circuit run off of fuse #6.
If you have gauge illumination, take a tester and see if you have juice 12V in one of the light sockets, if not you have a wire problem in your tranny harness.
The wiring for this is by the battery in the engine compartment. i am away in business this weeka nd don't have my manuals handy to tell you which connector to check.
If you have power to one of the leads, then it's a grounding issue.
If you have gauge illumination, take a tester and see if you have juice 12V in one of the light sockets, if not you have a wire problem in your tranny harness.
The wiring for this is by the battery in the engine compartment. i am away in business this weeka nd don't have my manuals handy to tell you which connector to check.
If you have power to one of the leads, then it's a grounding issue.
Checked and I am getting 12V to the sockets...no DTC codes...everything on the car works...except the tail lamps...is there a relay or something I could have blown when the fuses blew?
Last edited by catch06; Feb 26, 2008 at 12:16 AM. Reason: Update
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
If you're getting 12 V to the sockets then something else is wrong like grounding. Most likely not the relay or fuse if it still reads 12 volt. You are checking the parking light circuit and not the brake light circuit right? Have you tried using a standard bulb?
Can you get the LED's to light up at all (one at a time) in another vehicle? You may have one defective LED.
Can you get the LED's to light up at all (one at a time) in another vehicle? You may have one defective LED.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Eddy Texas
If you're getting 12 V to the sockets then something else is wrong like grounding. Most likely not the relay or fuse if it still reads 12 volt. You are checking the parking light circuit and not the brake light circuit right? Have you tried using a standard bulb?
Can you get the LED's to light up at all (one at a time) in another vehicle? You may have one defective LED.
Can you get the LED's to light up at all (one at a time) in another vehicle? You may have one defective LED.
Sounds like a grounding problem to me, if you have power at the connector. Or, a faulty LED. Unplug the subject LEDs and test them with some jumper wires and a different battery, completely disconnecting them from your cars electrical system. If they fire, you have a ground problem. If not, you have a bad LED.
Good luck!
