Taillight issues

[coloradostang 10]

Went arround the car replacing bulbs today. Everything works great now except I have no brake lights or rear turn signals. Rear running lights work in tailights. Bulbs are new. Front turn signals work. There are 2 female wiring connectors sticking out of the loom above drivers side wheel well, I believe these are for C pillar lamp and dome lamp, which I don't have in a convertible. Nothing is connected to these and I don't see anything that would connect. Car has been sitting for a long time. I will check wiring diagrams and look for shorts. Any ideas? 69 Vert. 4 way flashers work in front only. UPDATE- I found an orange wire under the dash that had pulled apart, fixed it and now pass rear signal works, but not drivers side or brake lights on both sides.

Edited April 5, 2013 by coloradostang
more info

[MustangChuck 16]

Sounds like a ground wire came loose.

 

Chuck

[THE EVIL TW1N 12]

Sounds like a ground wire came loose.

 

Chuck

+1

 

sounds like a ground wire. Also, check the wire to see if you're getting 12v.

[coloradostang 10]

Well I have the pass side rear turn signal and brake light working now. Orange underdash wire had pulled apart, but still no drivers side turn signal or drivers brake light. But I do have drivers side running light in tail light. Weird, I'll keep looking for shorts.

Edited April 5, 2013 by coloradostang
more info

[MustangChuck 16]

Tracking wiring problems are the second worst thing to hunt down, just barely behind vacuum leaks..... Good luck!

 

Chuck

[Arvidsson 22]

Should be three wires coming into the bulb socket. Where of one is ground. As said above it sounds like a ground issue. I had the same issue but on the other side.

[danno 128]

My bet is you have either a loose wire in the turn signal switch or a bad switch. The front and rear turn signal wires are seperate as they leave the switch. Look at the wires where they come out of the steering column. You might need to pull off the steering wheel and look at the switch.

[Pizzeck 10]

One of the female connectors in the trunk compartment is probably for the (optional) trunk light.

[etel64 10]

Dont forget to check the bulb. it maybe bad. I have had bad ones out of the chinese package.. use the voltmeter, it is your friend.

[CarZombie 25]

I will add my standard reply to an electrical problem. Clean the fuse box terminals. Dirt connections will cause werid problems.

[danno 128]

The other standard reply also helps track electrical problems. Get a 6 pack, put on some tunes, and sit back on the lawn chair and think about it. I find this will solve just about any problem, including with my girlfriend....

[coloradostang 10]

So true. And with electrical, prayers are sometimes needed.

[Midlife 814]

OK...fuse box does not control the tail lights: power for those comes from the brake light switch.

 

The left side rear is green/orange wire. My experience in 69-73 tail light bulb sockets indicates that more than 50% have bad continuity inside the socket area. If I remember correctly, 69's have a rubber-like shield on the back of the socket that precludes one from easily getting inside the socket. What happens is that the crimp of the wire to the metal tit gets loose with age and one has to go in and re-crimp it.

 

How do I tell if the socket is bad? I use a sharp needle to pierce the insulation prior to the bulb socket and measure voltage (or resistance). If that checks out, surely the problem is downstream towards the bulb socket.

 

Hope this helps.