tail lights out (HELP)

[dgray69]

got home from working out of town to find that my tail lights are not working, checked all the fuzes under the dash, and the hood, so now where to start, ive checked the grounds, they appear to be fine, tomarrow i will pull them appart hit the frame with the grinder and remount them, does any one have any idea what fuzes are for the tail light, i do not have my manual, so i just checked them all but be nice to know to trace wires from front to back, HELP

 

[fishnboy]

have you checked the switch at brake petal.ive had to replace one of them on a mustang.

 

[dgray69]

its not the brake lights, its the rear markers, every thing else works fine

 

[lakesidebluexpy]

you might try this.....before you go to all that trouble-

cycle the 4way flashers about 20 times at the same time spray some contact cleaner or wd40 into the 4way flasher switch on top of the steering column.

apparently, over time, grud and grunge build up, entering through the flasher opening. this causes the tails (and turn signals) to not function properly.

try it.....same thing happened to me ('97 eb expy) recently on a trip to ny state.

do a search/google. you'll find it is fairly common and well known.

lakeside

 

[dgray69]

K that disnt work, im haveing to think its a ground, or broken wire, ive only driven the truck during the day so i havent needed the lights since i did the lift kit, so now to retrace all the wires, grrrrrrr

 

[ELVATO]

So the "running light" aspect doesn't work (the dim setting that one with the headlights?). The brake lights and turn signals work fine?

 

[outkast]

do you have dash lights? parking lights in front? headlights?

 

[dgray69]

yes guys have every thing but rear running light and plate lights,every thing else works as it should,

 

[outkast]

gimme a few, one of my drivers had this problem on his 97...I'll call him once he wakes up and ask him what it was.

 

[dgray69]

ty outcast, im stumped,

 

[dgray69]

k im fed up with this truck time to sell it and buy a chevy, hehe, just kidding ill fix it and then sell it to buy a big jeep

 

[ELVATO]

See here for manual http://expeditionforum.com/showthread.php?t=5073

 

[dgray69]

Thank you , i have a haynes manual, but that gives me no direct info to check, hope this helps

 

[outkast]

I'm still trying, douche bag won't answer his phone...

 

[dgray69]

thats alright, i just really dont want to have to take this to the garage, i hate paying to have someone do something im capable of, but im not sure where to go with this next, let me know when you can, thanx

 

[walnuts4x4]

wondering if you found anything out yet? seems weird everything but running lights work... i'll agree with you thinking its a ground... check all grounds because you should have put on brackets to lengthen grounds with body lift

 

[dgray69]

yeah ive given up for the day, i talked to several 4x4 shops there all stumped, did find out that the problem is prob not a ground issue, got info from another forum that the lights are all on same circut, to check the dark brown wire for power, starting at front and going back, if it was a ground id be missing them up front to, so that makes my day a little easier tomarrow, then to see if i can get in and weld up a new support rail for radiator, yeah fun, got a welder, but im far from being a welder, guess its time to call dad, hmmm

 

[outkast]

ok, my buddy's problem was his wires pulled apart where the trailer lighting plugs in, then on a seperate occassion, he only had his third brake lights, and that was some module under the dash..

sorry it took so long, hope this helps

 

[dgray69]

I found out through another ford forum what the prob may be there is one wire that runs power to all running lights, so now this afternoon i will attack that dark brown wire with a tester, and find the problem,

 

[ELVATO]

Yea, that makes sense if the running lights and the plate lights share the same power/ground.