Help Rear Tail light problem
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Outside of Twin Falls
Help Rear Tail light problem
I have a 1970 Ford F 100 that is giving fits. My drivers side rear tail light will go on and off. I cant figure it out. There is a ground after the side marker light. I pulled that off and cleaned it up thinking that it was the ground. That didn't do a thing. So I thought there would be something wrong with the connection so I hard wired it and the problem still exists, except now when the tail light goes off my marker works as a brake light and a blinker? I need to put a new pigtail in but I'm sure that isn't the problem with it turning off and on. I've got pulled over enough I just quit driving it at night which is hard to do. It's really a pain and it would be greatly appreciated if somebody could shed some light on my problem. I also tried un hooking the brake light sensor and that did nothing also.
Thanks
Dustin
Thanks
Dustin
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 264
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From: las vegas nv.
Sounds like a ground problem...get out the ol' test light,meter or whatever you got. Start at the light bulb contacts, touch or hook to the hot side, go to ground and wiggle, knock, pull, push things around, all the while watching your test light to see what it does. go back along the wire towards ground. And since it is an intermitant problem you may need an ohm meter to "ohm"it out, an intermitant problem can show up as resistance. Had a problem like yours a while back that drove me nuts,it turned out to be a problem in the light itself from the manufacturer. And it too, was an intermitant gremlin.Trying to git him to show himself while I was watching was tough!
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Outside of Twin Falls
Well as far as replacing the whole fixture goes I already did that. I don't have an ohm meter, but I did already break out the test light and poke around. When I grounded out the whole fixtrue and itself then my marker light would come on and if it was in reverse the backup light would come on. I was thinking about sanding off the paint and sticking a ground wire between the fixture and bed and ground it somewhere else? Maybe two grounds would fix my problem? It has really been a pain. I'm ready to just park it and drive my superbee. I hate to park it but until I can calm down and fix it she's gonna sit. By the way this truck is my daily driver.
Thanks for the input
Dustin
Thanks for the input
Dustin
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Dustin, As soon as I started reading, ground poped in my mind, and after your second post ground was shouting.
First, if it burns or flickers at all it is working, power is getting back there. (maybe not enough, but it is getting back there) I have used a battery terminal brush in the sockets trying to clean them better. Seperate the connecter on the drivers side and clean it. Add a new body to chassis ground wire. (Newer vehicles have many more) Checking for chafing where the insulation can be worn and you are having a weak arch. One wire feeds both tail lights and markers, if one is working properly they all should be.
Take a deep breath, while they can be aggravating it usually is simple.
John
First, if it burns or flickers at all it is working, power is getting back there. (maybe not enough, but it is getting back there) I have used a battery terminal brush in the sockets trying to clean them better. Seperate the connecter on the drivers side and clean it. Add a new body to chassis ground wire. (Newer vehicles have many more) Checking for chafing where the insulation can be worn and you are having a weak arch. One wire feeds both tail lights and markers, if one is working properly they all should be.
Take a deep breath, while they can be aggravating it usually is simple.
John
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: las vegas nv.
gremlin control
Ground wires are always getting messed up or just ignored altogether. Everything,EVERYTHING on your truck works better with good grounds. Frame to body, to engine,to lights, starter, heater, water pump, alternator, ignition, and on and on. Try makeing up some jumper wires, various lengths with nice strong aligator clips on each end, when a ground is in doubt, try the jumpers. From devise to body, to frame, another ground source...and they are good to have around for finding a bad ground, or a temporary fix to keep you rollin'. Also, there is a style of lock-washer that has teeth on the outer edge and the inside hole, I like using them on any ground wire bolted to something, the teeth give an extra "bite" into the metal instead of "riding" over paint,rust,etc. I hope some of this helps...
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