Archived Electrical Mystery Of The Day...

[MMichaels]

Went to change a rear taillight bulb, and now, everything works - except the taillights. Got turn signals, got brakelights, got interior lights, but no tails, marker lights, or instrument panel illumination.



Suggestions, anyone?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Take the replaced bulb back out and see if things return to normal - it might be installed improperly, or shorted internally - did you check the fuses?

 

[MMichaels]

Electrical Mystery con't.

Took the bulb out, tried another, no change. Is there a fuse that controls only taillights, markers, and instrument panel? I checked the 5-amp "illumination fuse and it was ok...

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Dunno about the '01, but my '02 has 2 fuse/relay blocks - one on driver side dash skirt next to door - the other in the black box on driver side fender under hood - have you checked both?

 

[TAbbott]

Went to change a rear taillight bulb, and now, everything works - except the taillights. Got turn signals, got brakelights, got interior lights, but no tails, marker lights, or instrument panel illumination.



Suggestions, anyone?

Typically, dash and tail lights are on the same circuit. You can suspect you have no tail lights if your dash lights aren't working. I imagine there's a fuse that's blown. Where it's located, no clue.

 

[dtygart]

TAbbot,

Sorry I took so long to get back to you--you may have solved your problem by now. Dash lights are usually on the tail light circuit. This is so when your tail lights are out (and you can't see them, so you don't know they are out); the absence of dash lights is a reminder to check the tail lights. Most often in older trucks and cars the tail light fuse is the only thing in the circuit. Modern trucks like our Dodges have a second layer of protection in that the dash lights are also fused. You said that you replaced the illumination fuse with no results at the tail and marker lights. Fuse 13, (illumination) comes after fuse 18 (park lamp) which is your tail and marker lights. Check fuse

18--it is on the lower row of fuses in the box. Good luck, and come back if you are still having troubles.



david

 

[MMichaels]

Electrical Mystery Solved

Sure 'nuff, it was one of the 15 amp fuses in the power distribution box under the hood on the driver's side. Would've been nice if the owner's manual had mentioned the function of those fuses, rather than just the ones at the side of the instrument panel...

 

[.44 mag]

Just had the same thing happen on my rig tonight!



THANK YOU!!



TDR is just a wealth of info. ; especially when you really ned to resolve a problem quickly.



Hank

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Don't know if you guys have one but the Service Manual has really good wiring diagrams in it, there actually not too bad to read... ... not nearly as complicated and and Airplanes diagrams.



Jim