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Rear lights ground question

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Old Dec 18, 2016 | 01:47 PM
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Rear lights ground question

Working on this 2000 excursion. Tail lights/brake lights are screwy. Tail lights are very dim. I could tap on the third brake light and one bulb would light up. I replaced the blown bulbs. Lights very dim with the three bulbs in. Pushing in the brake pedal lights the third light up,but the regular lights go out. Turn signals light up and pulse the third brake light and license plate lights. Looked at the signals and replaced the bulbs. Right signal had a mouse nest behind that and a chewed through reverse light wire. Fixed that, still doing the same. Need to know where the ground is on the rear lights or where to run a new ground.....thanks guys! The ex thanks you too!
 
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Old Dec 18, 2016 | 05:13 PM
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I would start with the grounds from the battery to the fame and engine block first. A lot of times they are loose or corroded.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2016 | 06:32 PM
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I almost feel like I should build a better ground wire instead of just replacing it. I will do that this week!
 
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Old Dec 18, 2016 | 10:38 PM
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just ordered....

10 feet of 4 gauge wire and crimps, crimping tool and mil spec terminal connectors. Should be here in a couple days...
 
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Old Dec 21, 2016 | 07:39 PM
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Got a couple items in today, a few more to go!


 
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Old Dec 23, 2016 | 01:54 PM
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Cable came in- Hoping to get this done this weekend! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
 
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Old Dec 24, 2016 | 06:51 AM
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Need to know where the ground is on the rear lights
The ground for the rear lights are just inside the rear bumper on the driver's side
 
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Old Dec 24, 2016 | 08:32 AM
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Excellent news is that the flasher fixed the turn signals and tail lights- brake lights are still however no good, 3rd row gets really bright, tail lights go out completely. On to checking grounds!
 
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Old Dec 24, 2016 | 10:08 AM
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The wiring from the switch on the brake master seems off to me- anyone confirm this looks right?

 
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Old Dec 27, 2016 | 10:36 PM
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Pulling the rear bumper this weekend. I figure if a mouse chewed through one wire, it probably wasn't only one. Going to check the whole wire harness out first.
 
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Old Dec 28, 2016 | 07:55 AM
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That pic above isn't the switch for brake light, that is under the dash.


What you do have in that pic is a factory recall issue that has been fixed (by adding fuses, it is for cruise control). And a lot of rust. I'd definitely closely inspect your frame/body grounds.
 
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Old Dec 28, 2016 | 08:53 AM
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Carefully inspect the sockets that hold the turn signal and taillight bulbs themselves. They can get corroded and cause issues like that.
 
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Old Dec 28, 2016 | 01:09 PM
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It is NOT the light sockets, it's the common ground between where all those sockets' ground wires splice together and the frame rail.

This isn't rocket science to diagnose, he just has to get under the truck and check it instead of putzing around on other stuff in the wrong area. He's been told specifically where to check.

While it's possible a critter ate the wires, it's far more likely that Mother Nature and road salt are to blame (corrosion) given the sate of the metal under the hood.
 
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Old Dec 28, 2016 | 09:33 PM
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So tonight the new ground went in- cleaned up the areas needed, put in a 4 guage main ground to the engine along with cleaning up the old grounds that existed. No change in the rear lights- still goofy and all of them flash when the taillights are on and you put a turn signal on- including the license plate lights..... Bumper coming off this weekend. Even though it didn't fix the issue- I'm really happy I ran that new line- much better than the older wiring.
 
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Old Aug 9, 2018 | 07:03 AM
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I'm chasing down the same symptom, somewhere there's a short in the circuit for the rear tail lamps. I do not see a ground following the harness from the left rr housing down across inside the bumper. Nothing is pinched, chaffed, or broken. Is it worth looking next at the switch on the brake peddle and work back from there?
2003 Excursion, EB edition.
 
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