Tail Light Wiring

MP99Alero · 05-15-2010, 11:44 AM

I remember talking to everyone about my issue in Az. at our little meet but now I'm in kind of a predicament. The wife wants me to get rid of the ho if I can't get it fixed. I was hoping to get someone that can walk me through a temporary fix so that I can at least drive the car until I can afford to go get the whole thing fixed by a professional.

Just so I can clarify for those who haven't got a clue as to what I'm talking about. My tail lights aren't working. Not all aspects of them though, the break lights work, and the turn signals work, its just the driving tails. The head lights work though, if that matters. I can't opperate the vehicle leagly without those tail lights and I can't afford to go get them fix by a pro right now.
If anyone knows what I can do to fix them temporarly that would be great, and please don't say use another light source, i.e. a bike light, cause I've done that and still got ticketed.

Monza · 05-17-2010, 11:19 PM

Do the front park-lamps work but all of the rear ones don't work?

What year?

Chris2000 · 05-18-2010, 12:57 AM

check your fuse boxes. under the hood first.

MP99Alero · 05-18-2010, 11:50 AM

the rears are the only ones that don't work, and its a 99. and I've checked the fuses. when I first started looking into the issue the fuse was burnt out so I replaced it, and once i turned poer on it blew that fuse, then a week again i tried again and this time nothing, not even a blown fuse. a while back we checked for bad connections, but couldn't find anything at the tails or the fuse box (mike, let me know if I'm wrong please). now I just want to know if there is a way I can just wire them up to something else so the car can get mobile again.

strtrydr · 05-18-2010, 12:14 PM

if I am understanding the issue correctly:

Something so stupid could be the problem and I have seen this done before. Make sure you have the correct bulbs in the sockets. 3157 should be what they are but iirc 1157 also fits ... The problem between the two is 3157s are dual filament to support driving light and then brakes. Where as 1157s only support brakes.

Check that first.

gerry · 05-18-2010, 12:59 PM

I agree with that.

Also change the fuse even if it doesn't look burnt. (or test with a meter)

I've been burnt with defective fuses right out of the box! Great way to waste an afternoon for nothing!

Quote:

Originally Posted by strtrydr

if I am understanding the issue correctly:

Something so stupid could be the problem and I have seen this done before. Make sure you have the correct bulbs in the sockets. 3157 should be what they are but iirc 1157 also fits ... The problem between the two is 3157s are dual filament to support driving light and then brakes. Where as 1157s only support brakes.

Check that first.

pimpalero2003 · 05-18-2010, 02:05 PM

get a multimeter and check the plug if doesnt work ground the multi eter on the body and try again. i had the same problem with pass turn signal ended up just grounding the negtive on the light works great now. if that doesnt work. tap into the wires and check for power if still none. itd be easier to rerun wires and tap into front lights or cubby hole light.

Monza · 05-18-2010, 05:11 PM

Does the display in the radio dim when you turn the park lights on? Is it the factory radio, or has it been changed?

The brown wire for that function comes from the right side instrument panel fuse block where all the other brown wires to power each rear park light connect. If the power isn't getting to that fuse block then it's a brown wire from there up to the underhood fuse block where it should connect with all the brown wires that are working to power the front park lamps. That wire or it's connectors may be the problem.

I can email you a schematic if that might help.

MP99Alero · 05-18-2010, 07:52 PM

I know they are the right bulbs, they are the same ones that worked before the issues. I can change the fuse again if I need too, but nothing is happening, bought a few of them in case they got blown.
as for the radio thing, I had the radio replaced while I was still in Hawaii, but the idiot that was putting the new one in wired it wrong and shorted it out, now I have no radio. I don't know how that vould be the problem though, the car ran fine for almost a year before the tails went out. Monza, if you can send me that email that would be awesome, I will use my next three day trying to figure it out.

Monza · 05-18-2010, 10:53 PM

email sent

The botched radio job might have been the beginning of the problem. Couldn't the tailights have been out for a while before you found out?

MP99Alero · 05-19-2010, 10:32 AM

no, when I got to AZ I worked from 0500 to 1300, weapons draw being at 0430. If the tails had been out I would have found out for a bit I would have known. The post I was on isn't vary big, I actually found out about them because another MP saw them out and let me know.

rarert · 01-11-2011, 06:11 PM

I'm having the same basic issue, however, my front lights don't work either AND they don't flash with the keyless entry. I've changed fuse and relay. Maybe a BCM problem?

robalero · 01-11-2011, 06:41 PM

is the service vehicle soon on? and what year?

slownlow43 · 01-11-2011, 07:44 PM

To the op, If you're blowing one fuse after another then you more than likely have a short somewhere. To hold you over for now you can run a power wire off the battery to a relay, and you can connect to the license plate lights (or the previously mentioned cubby hole and front parking lights) for a trigger.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rarert

I'm having the same basic issue, however, my front lights don't work either AND they don't flash with the keyless entry. I've changed fuse and relay. Maybe a BCM problem?

If you don't have front or rear parking lights there is a chance the problem is the multi-function switch. A LOT of Blazers, Express vans, etc. had this issue. I had an 01 Blazer that had this exact issue. Hope that helps.

rarert · 01-11-2011, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robalero

is the service vehicle soon on? and what year?

Yes, the SVS light is on. It's an 01. The Multifunction works for the headlights, but not the parking lights. I ran a jumper wire to a switched fuse and spliced it into the left front parking light. All lights work ok when I turn on the key.

Any way to test the multifunction?

rarert · 01-11-2011, 10:51 PM

This is so weird. I changed out fuse 45 (parking lights) 3 different times. Finally, while racking my brain, I thought I would jumper it with a paper clip. Voila! It worked. Finally, then, I found a fuse that worked!

Thanks all!