Taillight issue

[Mrfixit24]

My 04 galant tail light doesn’t work I’ve changed the bulb when I hit the brakes its comes on but when the lights on doesn’t work could this socket be bad or sum

Topic

[william]

Could be the ground wire, if you have a voltage tester (the probe with a lightbulb inside it) clip the alligator clip to a good ground and with the lights on insert the probe end into the base of the socket at the ground wire connection, if the light comes on just trace the ground wire to where it is attached to the body and check for corrosion there. If there’s corrosion take the wire loose clean the connection and replace the screw. if there’s no corrosion then try using your probe at different points along the ground wire until the bulb lights, if it does cut the wire at that point splice on a new wire of the same gauge and attach it to the ground point the old wire was attached to. One other thought, if it uses the old style bulbs that push in and turn to seat, look into the socket, if you see 2 metal contacts in the socket make sure your bulb is the correct type (with 2 contacts) also make sure it is inserted correctly, they have a pin on either side of the bulb, one higher than the other that usually keeps them from being installed incorrectly but I’ve seen it happen.

[Mrfixit24]

Yea it does have the old style where u push to seat the bulb so u want me to trace the the ground wire my side light is not working either it all in the taillight

[william]

Did you replace the bulb in the side light as well? Some of these systems use a series ground so if one bulb burns out the others in series won’t light. If you have one of those probe type testers, you can also use it to test the contact in the socket for voltage (with the lights on of course)
If you do that ground test on the side light as well and they both come on then repair or replace the groundwire from that point.

[Mrfixit24]

Yea i did it on the taillight assembly a few Inches away so I guess they use the same ground the bulbs look blown but when I tried it on the other the left taillight it came on the bulb was black but it still worked on that socket

[william]

Did you test for voltage at the contacts inside the socket?

[Dustin Hicks]

Also look for corrosion/garbage in the socket. I’ve seen this cause intermittent lights (taillight worked, brake and turn lights might or might not.)

[Mrfixit24]

Found there was a blown fuse under the hood but when I replaced it it blew out again

[college man]

If you replaced the fuse and it blew when activated
theres a short.unplug all your tail lights.replace the
fuse.plug one tail light in at a time.when the fuse blows.
You found the short.

[Mrfixit24]

You mean unplugged the harness for the taillight its the right taillight that’s having issues that fuse controls the interior lighting not the cluster though

[Mathieu]

You have an expressive electricity draining that cause the fuse to blown. You need to inspect first the light bulb wastage for you car. Then It’s possible you have a rusty light bulb socket that create resistance so electricity over consumption. Third thing to do, It’s to find It the cable connection do not touch metal : cable connect to the bulb socket, wire whiteout rubber insulator et etc. You know, all circuit are insulate from each other to prevent electrisity lost and short circuit.

[EricTheCarGuy]

If you can find a circuit breaker it would help you find the short.

Electrical diagnosis basics

Electrical diagnosis basics 2

[Author]

Replies