bad ground dim tailights
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: US
bad ground dim tailights
Hey guys new to this forum. My girlfriend was just given a mint 79 bronco, 351 auto with 31K original miles. its painted a deep brown metallic with cream center and top. It has the full racetrac mouldings. and evey bit of trim is perfect. The problem im having is that the taillights and trunsignals on the driverside are very dim and not functioning properly. The same filliment on the bulb lights up when the running light, brake light, and turn sigal are applied. both lights are very dim. I know its got to be a ground but i have no clue where to start on a bronco. my experience is with 83, 89, 96, modle fords. thanks for any help
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Gateway to the West
This is where a good manual (Chilton's, Haynes,etc) come in handy. If the running lights and the stop lights are feeding the same filament in the taillamp, you have a problem there. The brighter filament should be the stop and turn signal filament and the dimmer filament should be the runnning light. If this is not the case or both filaments are being triggered by each circuit, I'd be looking at the taillamp socket and the wiring in that general vicinity first.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: NJ
go to your freindly auto parts store and buy a new socket and new bulb. cut the old socket away and solder in the new one. replace the bulb and i think your problem will go away. you could try and just clean up the old socket with a small wire brush and replace the bulb.
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Elder User
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From: US
here is the really butchered part. somone used a 3 wire turn signal/brake light socket for the backup light on that side. so one side has a normal dim backup light and the other has a bright 1175 2 way bulb in it. they have it wired so both filaments light at the same time. also someone installed hella driving lights that turn off automatically when you start the truck and turn on when you turn it off. so you have to manually turn them on and off when you drive and shut it off. all this was done befor the g/f dad bought it. whey drove it so little that he never noticed it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
Likes: 12
From: Gateway to the West
Amateur Electrician = Messy shorts! (or something like that)
Well at least you have found the problems or some of them. Good luck. Sounds like wiring diagrams will become your best friend on this one.
Well at least you have found the problems or some of them. Good luck. Sounds like wiring diagrams will become your best friend on this one.
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