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Strange Tail Light Performance

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treythompson

Strange Tail Light Performance
« on: November 13, 2007, 07:35:23 AM »
OK, this one is weird.  I'm guessing it's a short or something where all three positive leads are shorting with eachother, but, not sure...

If I use ANY of the three lights INDEPENDANTLY, everything works fine.  Blinker only, OK.  Brake only, OK.  Reverse only, OK.  There MAY be a little "bleedover" to another light, but not much.

As soon as there is ANY combination (brake + blinker, brake + reverse, reverse + blinker, or all three), then all three lights have current to them, and sometimes the brake/reverse lights blink with the blinker, etc...

Ummmm, how do I troubleshoot this?  Is it a short?  Fusepanel?

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Offline lil_Truck

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Re: Strange Tail Light Performance
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2007, 09:37:47 AM »
Look for a bad ground.  The power is feeding back through the ground system and lighting the light.  Clean the ground for those lights.
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Offline Rhinoman

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Re: Strange Tail Light Performance
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2007, 10:37:14 AM »
Definitely a bad ground. There should be a wire from the bumper to the chassis/body. A bad connection there is usually the problem.
2000 Vitara 1.6, 3+3 Lift, 33"MTs, 5:83s, LWB brakes, Winch, Snorkel, Safari Rack
1986 SJ413K PickUp, 1.6L conversion.

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treythompson

Re: Strange Tail Light Performance
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2007, 03:08:02 PM »
I've checked the light assemblies, and they are good.  There shouldn't be a problem having multiple grounds from the assemblies to one point on the bumper, right?

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Offline Toy Box

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Re: Strange Tail Light Performance
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2007, 04:39:41 PM »
Ground!!!
You Play you Pay

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pershingd

Re: Strange Tail Light Performance
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2007, 05:16:37 PM »
Bad Ground!

Take the tail-light assembly out and clean all the mounting points down to nice shiny metal. If the mounting screws are rusty - buff them up with a wire brush or replace them. If that doesn't solve the problem, run a jumper wire from the tail light housing to the frame or body. Be sure to clean the mounting point on the frame or frame down to bare metal.

David