Lamp Out indicator - Tracking down the offending lamp

[Crunch]

My Lamp Out indicator lit up, but I can't figure out which light is causing the problem. Last night I started the engine, turned on the head lights, checked the turn signals, checked the brake lights and even checked the license plate lights. All were working. Am I forgetting any lights that would cause it? If not, is there a way to track down the problem? I'll add that over the last several months It would flash briefly on occasion when I would drive on rough roads, but it wasn't consistent and it hasn't happened for quite a while.

 

[AEdelheit]

Mine had the same problem, turned out to be the RF headlight pigtail. The rear tail light circuit boards are also notorious for causing problems.

 

[tpuig]

The lamp out indicator came on and off intermittantly the other day. I could not track it down. So finally using the broom stick on the brake pedal and seat method, I discovered it was the driver's side brake light. No problem, I've got spare bulbs and the tools, and even I can handle something this simple. Took the housing out and replaced the bulb. Before I put everything back together, I tested it. Hmmm... brand new bulb doesn't work either. I jiggled it a bit and it came on. Put the old bulb back in, and it worked also. So the bulb socket has a problem.

I spread the pins a bit and it seems to be working fine, but is there a better fix? Odds are it will be fine, but of course the brake light will go out in front of a cop on my way home from a Xmas party...

 

[jelag]

We had that problem with one of our trucks and found it was nothing more than the corrosion from dissimilar metals between the socket and the bulb... we cleaned them and used a dielectric grease to prevent it from happening again...

Vaseline will also work in place of the dielectric grease... I use a company called delcity.net for all my electrical connectors and shrink tube... I like their shrink tube because their clear tubing has an adhesive that when you heat the tube to shrink it... it melts the glue and seals the connection water tight... . so all my connectors are non-insulated connectors and than I use the shrink tubing... If I'm going to use the connector in an area where its ends and is installed on a bolt or other fastener I use a little dielectric grease on the connector before the shrink tubing goes on... so that the grease is inside the strands of the wire...

Just my thoughts... hope its helpful

 

[jhenderson]

Many people have had to replace the boards that hold the bulbs to rid themselves of the lamp out ind.

 

[BGlidewell]

mine was a rear light but all the lights were working. After replacing the rear lights one-by-one, I found it. It was a dual element lamp but IIRC only one element was used...