Taillights not working

Stereo, security systems, vehicle electronics, and electrical-related discussions
Post Reply
Jubjon
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:21 am

Taillights not working

Post by Jubjon »

2006 Vibe , 93,500 trouble free miles. i lost my tailights and DSL as well as the dash dimmer switch function, probably more but I was concerned about the taillights. I read this posts and others like it. I dropped the relay box above the glove box and just as some others have said here the relay was more than 1/2 way out of it's socket. There is no way that relay worked it's way out on it's own. I am the second owner and as I do all of my own work, I can only guess that someone at a shop that the original owner went too was playing dirty or someone at the factory was having a bad day or playing games.
Anyway, I pushed it back into it's socket and everything was good. I have photos but their files are to large to post, PM me with email address if you need to see.
elrodvoss
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:49 pm

Re: Taillights not working

Post by elrodvoss »

Been a long time since I posted, but currently have an issue with my 2005 vibe 190k miles.

My 2 main break lights will not work, but the 3rd does. Turn signals work and night driving (if only the top tail light is suppost to come on). My cruise control is has recently failed to turn on. It won't even light up at ignition.

My 1st guess is that it's a fuse since they all go through the same STOP fuse, but are tail and 3rd on the same fuse? Otherwise I have a more difficult problem, since 3rd still works.

Thanks.
User avatar
joatmon
Posts: 10018
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 5:19 am
Location: SMC MD

Re: Taillights not working

Post by joatmon »

It sounds like the main side mounted brake lights are not working, but the turn signals, tail (running) lights work, and the center high mounted stop light still works.

The rear combination lights have three sections. The bottom section is red, but it is just a reflector, it doesn't have a light bulb in it. The middle section is yellow, it serves as the turn signal and the hazard light. It has a single filament #7440 bulb. The top section is red and has the dual purpose of tail light and brake light, it takes a dual filament #7443 bulb. This dual filament bulb has one filament/element/wire that lights up bright for the brake light, and a second filament/element/wire that lights up not as bright for the tail light.

Odds are that since the center high mounted stop light still works, things up front in the car are ok, and it is just that the brake light filament has burned out in both the rear #7443 bulbs. That's at least the cheapest and easiest first thing to try, replace the brake light bulbs and see if the problem persists. It is more likely that only one filament in a dual filament bulb burns out, compared to the odds of having both burn out at the same time

Electrically, there is no fuse or relay that would affect the side brake lights and leave the center brake light still working. Its possible that somewhere in the back end of the car the wires to the side brake lights are damaged, but nobody's had that and lots have had bulbs burn out

None of that solves your cruise control problem though
Image
elrodvoss
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:49 pm

Re: Taillights not working

Post by elrodvoss »

Well, I check the fuses for STOP under the dash, and it's fine. I checked another fuse in the engine area, it's fine as well.

Replaced the brake bulbs (top one) on both sides, and the passager side still will night light up.

So obviously were looking at wiring now. The turn signal for the passager side works and assume they all on same loop.

Could the fact that this light is faulty he causing my cruise control issue as well (not turning on at all) or separate issue completely.

Thanks in advance.
jolt
Posts: 945
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: Taillights not working

Post by jolt »

Check for a poor or bad ground on the brake light that is not working. It could also be a bad lamp socket. Spray some WD-40 in the socket and re-seat the bulb a couple of times. The only part of the cruise control that is related to the brakes is the brake light switch. Since your brake lights are being switched on/off, that is not the problem. The cruise control is a separate issue. Do you have a manual transmission? If a manual, there is a clutch switch also for the cruise control.
Post Reply