Tail Lights and Brake Lights Inop.

[LuckyRR]

Need help with Left rear tail lights and brake lights.

Picked up an 88 Carrera last week, car has been in storage for at least 4 years.
The left rear brake light was out, all other lights on the left rear were functioning.

Removed tail light lenses to replace brake light bulb on the left side, and noticed
that there was a mix and match of bulbs and several fit poorly in the light buckets.
Replaced all bulbs on the car with the Sylvania 7506 and 7528's that the car calls
for. However it appears that I have a ground problem because nothing in the left rear light box housing works now, no running lights, brake lights, turn signals or brake lights. Additionally the only way the brake lights come on, is if a single fillament bulb is placed in the brake light on the right side, then the 3rd brake light will stay on all the time as if it is being back fed.

Also after replacing the front left turn signal, the bulb illuminates however it is very faint in comparison to the right front. Which I would think would be a poor ground.

So it appears I have a poor ground for the left rear light box housing, brake lights are inop, and left front turn signal is very dim.

Help!

Thanks in advance

[DRACO A5OG]

Because you stated the other lights work. It leads me to believe the problem may be in the light assembly itself.

I have had some issues with my driverside turn signal and brake lights going out but not burning out. Just intermittent power drop.

I have tweeked the contacts out ( which in hyne site may have promoted to the troubles) placed orings to insure the bulb will not move around. All to no avail, then most recently, my brakes lights had a mind of it's own. My after market 3rd light which was working fine before this and it would always glow when I turn on the head lights Brake lights would not even switch on dring the day light driving.

Enough is enough, so I took the assembly apart and found the PCB type plastic/board had fractured in half and the hot lead was creating a short in the left rear system. I also found the brake light PCB was loose as well. FOUND the SOURCE of the electrical mayhem.


The side tabs were loose and the PCB part snapped in half, I JB welded a thin piece of plastic over the PCB to reinforce it.

I also pressed down the socket tabs on the the lens as well.

When you re-seal the back you can use Bathroom/Kitchen Caulk, it works pretty well and does not crumble like the OEM stuff.

PO may have tried similar fixes and try to jam in the bulb thinking it will make a better contact, not.

All is snug now and I am 5X5 on all rear assemblies, verified by DVM.

Jim

[kiwiokie]

Have you removed the whole taillight housing? On my SC the wiring loom has a ground wire that you can get to once the housing is pulled out of the body.

[kidrock]

by any chance, did you mess around with the light housing under the engine lid? This fixture will reek havoc on your left-side lights if it is not operating properly.

Otherwise, it will most likely be your grounds or the contacts in your housing. A volt-ohm meter will be an indispensible tool in helping you track down the source(s) of your demon(s).

[LuckyRR]

Everyone, thank you for your great responses.
-I tried to remove the left rear light bucket, but one of the screws stripped immediately.....
-The light in the engine compt. is not illuminated, not sure if its the bulb or a wiring issue.

I will work getting the assembly out, and check to see if the compt. light has power to it.

Thanks!

[kiwiokie]

Also there is a 6(?) pin connector inside the engine bay that joins the tailight to the main wiring loom. Best check it is still plugged in OK. had to drill out a couple of pesky screws on my lights. What a pain. While the lights are out take the opportunuity to clean the years of crud that will have accumulated back there.