Hi! So I need to fix this problem before a huge trail trip in 1 week time!

I don't have the original bed, so I built one and bought some cheap universal tail lights that I fit in my bumper, been running them for a year without problems. Recently only one side would work, the brake/parking bulb were loose in the socket and the contact was really bad. I bought aftermarket sockets of higher quality and installed them with new 1157 light bulbs of better quality. It fits really snug now. Here is my problem:

When the lights are off and I hit the brakes, the drivers side glows bright like supposed to but the passager side is dimmer like if I was just on the parking lights. If I turn the lights on, both parking lights work fine, but if I brake with the lights on, the passenger side turns off and the driver's side glows bright like it's supposed to.

The sockets have 2 wires, one for parking, one for brakes, and they ground on the tail light housing. The flashers and backup lights work good. Is it a bad ground? Inverted connection? I suck at electrical, I have a test light and a multimeter but barely ever used them. Any info apreciated, thanks!

 

I too am terrible at electric but most issues I have seen with the lights is a ground issue. If the 1137 are the bulb with the metal sockets, I have seen corrosion get to the bulb or the socket in the light assembly. Usually the socket in the light assembly is corrosed real bad and the wire and socket just needs a good cleaning.

 

Thanks for the quick responce terry, I made a mistake it's a 1157 bulb and socket, kind of like this:


with this type of bulb



The bulb and socket are new, the socket grounds to the light housing (all metal) to my metal bumper, no corrosion anywhere.

 

That is the style I was thinking of and the ones I have had issue with. If it is more then a ground issue, it is over my head and dont really have any idea what it could be.

 

Did you ever get to the bottom of this?


Was wondering if actual contacts are twisting around in socket causing strange characteristics? sounds like the contacts are making a connection on both bulb contacts @ same time.


Just a thought.

 

I have seen cheap sockets twist like that.

 

Well the problem IS fixed, but the other problem is that it fixed itself, I messend with it a couple of days and it didn't change anything, one day I went to look at it again and it has been working fine ever since. I have driven a lot since then (1000+ km), including 5 days trail riding and beating on it hard on trail roads, so much that I loosened suspension components, but the tail lights are still working fine! I suspect the contact between the tail light and the housing (ground) but I can't be sure..

 

Son's 92 truck same problem, lost dash lights and taillights last night... 15 amp fuse blows as soon as you put it in. Some good reading here, we will start working though the list tonight - hopefully the relay..?

 

If the fuse blows immediately, then you have a short circuit somewhere. I doubt the relay is at fault, but I suppose it is possible. The short is more likely to be in the wiring and connectors, or in a trailer wiring connector or converter box if you have them.

Since the original post was in regards to a pre-1984 Truck, I would start a new thread here (https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116/) so we don't confuse the two Trucks.