Tail lights not working on right hand side

Start with the ground wires for the sockets. Fastest way to tell if the ground is bad is with voltage measurements. Use a test light to back-probe the wires for one of the non-working lights. Turn the tail lights and turn signal on, then poke the test light's probe through the rubber seals where the wires go into the socket. You should find steady 12 volts on one of them, pulsing 12 volts on a second wire, and 0 volts on the last one. If the ground wire is broken, the test light will light up dimly on that wire, and the dead bulb will also light up very dimly.

Whenever the head lights are turned on every function of the tail lights shuts off. The brake lights dont work as well as the turn signals. With headlights off the brake lights work but are very faint and when the turn signal is on while pressing the brake the signal goes twice as fast. Any ideas if this is a short or if maybe a wire has come loose somewhere? thanks

Hello,

It sounds like the headlight switch is bad but to be sure here is a guide and the tail light wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works and which wires to test for power.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.

Thank you for this post I had this problem and had to replace the headlight switch cost me $64.00 all fixed I love this site.

For some reason the only lights that are working on my truck are the reverse lights. When its dark and the headlight switch is turned off the back light is lit up but as soon as i turn the switch on the back light goes off and none of the lights come on (headlights, tail lights, driving lights). The dome, cargo, and brake lights do not work either. I have checked the fuses and they are all fine. Any insight to what this may be would be greatly appreciated.

......but i may be able to get you a wire diagram from "mitchell i" of the exterior lighting

i need more specific info.....like the "exact" nomenclature of your truck and the engine size......any other surprises like drl (daylight running lights) etc. etc.

sometimes there are hundreds of diagrams for each vehicle, being specific helps me find the correct one

the "mitchell i" diagrams show locations of components (like fuses and fusible links)

a diagram might help you narrow down the problem, they are darn ez to read!

i work until about 1800 hrs e.s.t. tomorrow, so i won't be able to look it up.....unless you respond fast tonight, before i hit the sack!

the medic

Sorry for the delayed reply i have been out with family. The truck is a 1995 Chevy Silverado c1500 W/ the 4.3L v6. All lights are stock and the only lights it has are the stock lights that came on the vehicle (High beams, low beams, amber driving lights, corner lights, and tail lights.) A wiring diagram would be great! If you need more specifics about the vehicle please let me know.

all righty then

needed more info....probably woulda took longer than doing this

i got you 6 diagrams..........you will only use 3......the correct ones for your truck

"drl" is daylight running lights

composite is plastic headlights......the ones that get all hazed over in the sun

sealed beam is the "real glass headlights" ....like i grew up on

diagram:

1) exterior lamps---1 of 2 (keeper)
2) exterior lamps---2 of 2 (keeper)

take your pick on these---only one is you:

3) headlights composite w/ drl
4) headlights composite w/o drl
5) headlights sealed beam w/ drl
6) headlights sealed beam w/o drl

lemme know that these aided in your fix!!!

the medic

Yes, this helped a great deal. It turned out to be a wire coming off the switch that had been cut. Thanks a lot for the help. Sorry for the long wait my family and i have been on vacation

Nice work, we are here to help, please use 2CarPros anytime.

my tail lights dont work but my brake lights and turn signals work. i can see 2 broken wires, a brown and a black. but when put together nothing happens and there is no other broken wires.

first things first, check the fuses, as the tailights would be affected if one blows out, dont go into too far of trouble shooting to find out its a fuse.

Lol will do!! Thanks again for the help

[quote:852a66c299="blackop555"]first things first, check the fuses, as the tailights would be affected if one blows out, dont go into too far of trouble shooting to find out its a fuse.[/quote:852a66c299]

i have checked all the lighting fuses said in the manual but i see a brown and black wire with no other corresponding wires in the harness

seems i have to sorta be the last to sign off---i keep getting notified

see you. maybe not too soon!

the medic

where are the brown and black wires, and do they come from the same connector and harness as the other lights?

We have a 1993 chevy 1500 2wd autotrans with 143,000 miles and the taillights, dash panel lights, and parking lights do not work. However, the headlights do work. All fuses and bulbs are good. The driver side brake/turn and reverse light works. There is no juice to either the driver or passenger side tail light socketts. Strangely, the passenger brake/turn and reverse lights will not light although juice is present and the bulbs are good. I have checked what grounds I have found and they seem tight. Pehaps a switch or relay is bad. Please advise.

Sounds to me you got a bad brake light switch, Its located near the brake pedal, You cant miss it.

Good Luck.

I would check for power at the headlight switch with a test light to be sure all is ok there.Also test for power to the dimmer for the dash lights.

My tail lights dont work parking lights dont work and my dash lights dont work headlights work and my interrior lights work brake lights and signals all work all the fuses looked good but th fuse labeled PANEL LPS is dead and with no power going to it please let me know where to go from here thanks

The voltage to panel lamps fuse comes from fusible link, battery junction block, underhood, passenger side firewall. The fusible link is black, check for voltage on both sides of link, if one side has voltage and the other side doesn't, the link is faulty. If more than one black fusible link, check them both.

I checked that red wire near ECM an There was power there i removed headlight switch an had power on red an orange wire then wen switch is on power to the yellow wire could it be a bad headlight switch

Is there a brown wire coming off head lamp switch? That wire should carry voltage for tail lamps and other. The headlamp switch has two circuits. One side of headlamp switch is a circuit breaker, only for headlamps. The other side of headlamp switch controls feed for other lighting, including the tail lamps. I believe there is a different voltage source for each side. I'd want to check voltage sources to and from the headlamp switch, before condemning the switch.

An how would I do that I only have a test light i kno that everythin worked thursday night

Probe the proper wire with test lite. Does the testlite have a sharp pointed end, that is the reason for the point, probe the wire or backprobe the connector. If you make a hole in the wire, cover it up with nail polish or something.

Give me a second and I'll find the wiring for headlamp switch.

My tail lights dont work parking lights dont work and my dash lights dont work headlights work and my interrior lights work brake lights and signals all work all the fuses looked good but th fuse labeled PANEL LPS is dead and with no power going to it please let me know where to go from here thanks

panel lamp fuse is powered from the headlight switch when the lights are on.

check all fuses with a test light to verify. the headlight switch may have failed but you need to check for power out of the switch for the rear tail lights

roy

Here is wiring for headlamp switch.

okay so turn head lights on and then re check power at that fuse? all the other fuses have power and are good headlights work just no parking lights dash lights or tail lighta but they were workin yesterday just not today so is it possible that the light switch is no good even though the hadlights come on?

heres where im at i turned the headlight switch on got power at park lamp fuse but no power at tail lights tailingts blink and the brak lights works but no pwer for just lights let em kno what you think thanks

yes it is.

I gave you everything you need to check circuits at headlamp switch. Unless you can do the testing. I don't know where to go from here.

so if the orange and red wire have power at the switch that means switch is no good? theres been a delay with my headlights coming on for a few days before this mess happened so i think th eswitch finall quit

I kno you gave the diagram but I was wondering is there any parking lamp relays that could have blown I kno there's 2 relays above the fusebox and 2 inside the fuse box do any of them control the parking lights thanks in advance for your help

My tail lights dont work parking lights dont work and my dash lights dont work headlights work and my interrior lights work so i think my dimmer switch is alright brake lights and signals all work its late but pulled some fuses out and they looked alright but for the past month ive noticed theres been a delay in my dash lights coming on so is it safe to say that my light switch is no good oor what do you guys think please let me know thanks

all the fuses were good i had no power at the PARK LP fuse soo where do i go from here

if you have power in, then you need to check for power out.

it sounds like the switch

roy

No park lamp relay according to my diagrams. Park lamps get voltage from light switch, brown wire is voltage for park lamps.

actually my park lp fuse is fine it was my pnl light fuse i think?

I took switch out had power on red an orange wire then flipped it an the yellow wire had power i don't wanna spend the 20 bucks If its not the switch but with what I jus told you do you think it's likely the switch