Tail light Issue
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Toronto Ontario
Tail light Issue
Hey guys,
I'm having a problem with my far left tail light. At night the tail light does not light up but the other three do. When I hit the brakes, all of them light up though. When I turn the left turn signal, the blinker in the car flashes faster than usual.
I thought it was the bulb dying out, so I replaced the bulb but I'm having the same issue. I also noticed water that got into the tail light. I disconected everything, dried it up and reconnected everything back but still same problem.
I suspected it was the harness that got corroded since water leaked in. I went to my dealership, and they told me they can't just replace the wire, but they have to replace the whole tail light which will cost me around $300 CAD!
Is there another way around this? Am I missing anything?
I'm having a problem with my far left tail light. At night the tail light does not light up but the other three do. When I hit the brakes, all of them light up though. When I turn the left turn signal, the blinker in the car flashes faster than usual.
I thought it was the bulb dying out, so I replaced the bulb but I'm having the same issue. I also noticed water that got into the tail light. I disconected everything, dried it up and reconnected everything back but still same problem.
I suspected it was the harness that got corroded since water leaked in. I went to my dealership, and they told me they can't just replace the wire, but they have to replace the whole tail light which will cost me around $300 CAD!
Is there another way around this? Am I missing anything?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 266
From: San Jose California
First of all, at $300 for a tail lamp assembly, your dealer would be ripping you big time. GM's MSRP for a left side tail lamp is $145 and it can be had on line here for ~$115 (USD)
The tail lamp unit itself has no wiring. It's all plastic. As suggested, what is likely screwed up is the metal connection between the bulb and the bulb socket. (The wiring harness connectors are pretty good quality units so I would have them down the list of possible issues.) I agree re: rough up the socket with some *fine* sandpaper.
Here's the idea:
http://www.gmpartshouseusa.com/partl...layCatalogid=0
*IF* (a big if) the wiring harness is the issue then you *can* replace the rear harness. It's around $100 or so for the rear lamp harness if I remember correctly.
Replacing the tail lamp assembly couldn't be easier - one torx screw at the top of the lens and just pull it out. Do that and you can easily see how it all works. (Of course, you know this if you swapped out the bulb.
)
Even the rear harness isn't that big of a deal to do yourself. It's just more awkward than anything else.
NO WAY I would pay them $300 for a tail lamp. Sheesh.
Z//
The tail lamp unit itself has no wiring. It's all plastic. As suggested, what is likely screwed up is the metal connection between the bulb and the bulb socket. (The wiring harness connectors are pretty good quality units so I would have them down the list of possible issues.) I agree re: rough up the socket with some *fine* sandpaper.
Here's the idea:
http://www.gmpartshouseusa.com/partl...layCatalogid=0
*IF* (a big if) the wiring harness is the issue then you *can* replace the rear harness. It's around $100 or so for the rear lamp harness if I remember correctly.
Replacing the tail lamp assembly couldn't be easier - one torx screw at the top of the lens and just pull it out. Do that and you can easily see how it all works. (Of course, you know this if you swapped out the bulb.
)Even the rear harness isn't that big of a deal to do yourself. It's just more awkward than anything else.
NO WAY I would pay them $300 for a tail lamp. Sheesh.
Z//
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Toronto Ontario
Thanks for the info guys... I'm going to try and clean it up tomorrow... I definitely wasn't going to pay 300 dollars to replace what may seem to be a simple fix! I was really curious about if it was worth the hassle to fix it myself... they gave me 300 reasons why to fix it myself! I'll update this tomorrow.. if anyone else want to chime in with any other ideas I'd truly appreciate it!
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,367
Likes: 211
From: Edgewood Washington
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Add some dielectric grease inside the connector. It will keep the moisture out and prolong the life of the connection.
As a test, you could swap one of the working taillights for the the one that doesn't and vice-versa. That would tell you if you have a harness problem.
But I agree with the others, best bet is corrosion on the socket.
As a test, you could swap one of the working taillights for the the one that doesn't and vice-versa. That would tell you if you have a harness problem.
But I agree with the others, best bet is corrosion on the socket.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 462
From: Southern Utah
The taillight itself is just a piece of plastic, so I can't imagine how it would be involved in an electrical problem. The taillight is a separate item from the bulb socket... they are not a single unit.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,367
Likes: 211
From: Edgewood Washington
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I keep thinking the socket's part of light fixture.....too old I guess.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 462
From: Southern Utah
I see what you mean, but the bulb goes into the socket, then the socket screws into the back of the taillight. Kind of hard for me to see how water could get in there as there's a pretty nice gasket there between the two. I guess it could be condensation.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Toronto Ontario
Yeah, I know... which drives me nuts cuz the dealership wont sell me the wire on its own. They told me they can't get the wire by itself and that I need to buy the whole taillight to get the wire, which is rediculous!
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 266
From: San Jose California
http://www.gmpartshouseusa.com/partl...layCatalogid=0
you can see that you can get the "assembly" which is the "lens"+"socket back"+"bulb back" all as a unit OR you can get the "socket back" seperately and/or the "tail lamp bulb back" seperately (MSRP = ~$10.) You can also get the wiring harness seperately (I bought the european harness seperately so I'm pretty sure you can get the U.S. harness as well
)Knowing how this all goes together I'm having trouble figuring how *anything* goes wrong here. It's all such straight-forward, well-protected stuff.
I like **** jockey's suggestion of swapping left to right as a test (just remember that they won't fit the body openings correctly doing that! - the lenses are actually marked 'L' and 'R')
Z//
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 4
From: Phoenix AZ
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Left Taillight
I had purchased/installed sequential taillight harnesses a few years ago and I had the same problem--only the far left taillight. I used dielectric grease on the socket when I installed it, but came to find-out that the socket had serious corrosion on it anyway. I finally removed the sequential harnesses, but recently installed LED taillight bulbs and for some reason, the far left taillight harness is getting wet, and I don't drive it in the rain--I have no clue why only the far left is getting a lot of moisture--all the rest of the taillights are fine. 
