Tail Lamp trouble ...

[Whyildkatt]

I have a 1994 bird with the 3.4L engine in it. The problem I have, is my rear driverside brake lights/turn signals are dimmer than the passenger side... a LOT dimmer. When the parking lights are on, and the left flasher is applied, the two bulbs in the rear pulsate - like a police car ( I am only talking about the rear driverside light bezzle) It has a total of 4 bulbs in it. (starting from right to left) I have the 194, which is just a parking light bulb, then I have the the other 2, which are brake/turn/parking light bulbs (these are the ones that pulsate) and then there is the back up light bulb. I have changed all the bulbs... twice, so I know it isnt a bulb. and I had to change my flasher too. What would be the cause of this problem....

I did a search, and I think it could be faulty sockets, but I want to be sure before I go tearing apart the electrical system... Thanks

[rockotman]

Sounds like a bad ground - when that happens, the ciruit path return to ground for the turn-signal is through the tail-light element to the headlight switch. If the headlights are turned on, then the tail-light return to ground is through the turn-signal elements then through the turn signal switch.

I bet that when your headlights are on, if you turn on the left turn-signal, it comes on when the front turn signal light goes off. If you have the headlights off and hit the turn signal, it will flash at the same time as the front turn signal lamp - if so, then it is DEFINITELY a bad ground.

How about the left side branke-light - is it affected in any way?

[Whyildkatt]

Maybe some pix would help. The problem is when I turn on my parking lights, or regular lights.


lail lamp pix from left to right: Parking lights; Parking lights with left turn signal on; Hazard lights on; brake with no parking lights on; brake with parking lights on

EDIT: url for yahoo

EDIT2: deleted image sources - did not work

EDIT3: added more pix

[ August 20, 2002: Message edited by: Whyildkatt ]

[ August 20, 2002: Message edited by: Whyildkatt ]

[ August 20, 2002: Message edited by: Whyildkatt ]</p>

[rockotman]

Based on those pics, I would first check the ground wire to the tail/brake lamp holder (the oone nearest the license) on the driver's side. Pics 2 through 5 look to agree with what I explained in the first post, unless I am seeing things worng. When the p-lights are one, and the TS, brake, or emergency flasher are on, the "bright" element on that bulb SHOULD be lit, but in your pic, that element is either is off or dim, indicating that there is a lack of a good ground.

[Whyildkatt]

I had checked the wire coming out of that harness that is grounded almost directly underneith the trunk release - I even took the ground off, sanded down the paint to bare metal, and replaced it, same thing :( Could It be something in the steering column? The parking lights on the 3 out most bulb are the same brightness. According to the wiring diagram, there are 2 wires that run to those 2 middle bulbs on the left hand side, and I think they run through some relay in the steering column (I don't have the diagrams infront of me). there are different colored wires running to the right hand side, and passing through a different switch. I will post what I am talking about here when I can get the diagram infront of me. Could it be a faulty socket - that is grounding out both lights, since both are connected using the same color wire??

Thanks for the help~!

[rockotman]

With the parking lights and turn signal on, wiggle the bulb in the socket to make sure it is not just a bad connection in the socket - that used to be a common problem on cars from the 60's and 70's, but is not that common any more since most lights are sealed fairly well. But its worth a try, before you go digging into anything else.

The only thing in the steering column is the turn-signal switch, which routes the proper signals to the proper bulbs, and grounds out any lines to the bulbs that aren't supposed to be energized based on the switch position. That is why I think you have a bad ground back in the lights. I don't think it would be the switch - that is not a common failure.

[Mcaanda]

Change your blinker fluid!

I dunno...I was going to say what the rest of 'em stated already...but I got beat to it.

Good Luck.