I noticed that my passenger side tail light on my '03 was out tonight. Put in a new bulb and it's still out. Can't see anything wrong with the connector, in fact, everything looks like new. Any thoughts?

Since I've had this car, which only had 69k on it when I got it 3 1/2 years ago I've replaced two front bulbs on each side and last week the passenger side inside driver's light went out (can't even get the back off to change the bulb as it's melted together (the housing not the bulb). I thought Lucas was the Prince of Darkness back in the 50's, 50's & 70's. What's going on here?

BTW, car has never been wrecked, bought it from a friend who owned it since new and still looks and drives like new. Thanks in advance.

 

Rick, the best advice that I can give you is to remove the backing plate off of the tail light and lay it in the trunk of the car. Now, put the car in a condition that the light should light. Then, using a multimeter, see if you have 12 VDC on the metal runs going to the bulb in question. If you have 12 VDC there, then your problem is either a bad bulb (I know it is a new one, but stranger things have happened) or the base has been damaged some how and the bulb is not making correct connections.

If you did not get 12 VDC on the first check, then using the multimeter, check to make sure that the associated side marker light is working. If it is not, then check fuse F63 (7.5 amp fuse) in the fuse box under the dash. If the side marker light is working, then measure for 12 VDC from the orange wire (pin 3, not Pin 5) and the chassis ground. If you are not getting 12 VDC there, you have a broken wire between the plug and where the tail light and side marker light split (should be right there near the tail light in the wiring harness). If you are getting 12 VDC there, check the plug (specifically Pin 3) to make sure that the pin is in there tight and not pushed back some. If that all looks good, then your back plate to the tail light has a problem and you need to replace that.

Hopefully this gets you back to 100%

One final check should you still question the wiring, you can use the multimeter to check the top of fuse F63 to verify that you are getting 12 VDC there (small metal posts that are present there, probe both side and verify you have 12 VDC there). Then if you are not getting 12 VDC at the plug, you may have a broken wire between the fuse box and the tail light. Had any work done on the car recently? It may be possible that during that work, they nicked the electrical bundle, damaging that wire. This is all likely situations.

 

Thermo, great stuff. I won't have the opportunity to check this until Friday (I hate driving with a light out, so it's going to really kill me). I will post how it goes then.

Can't thank you enough either way as this explanation surely helps. Again, thank you.

 

Thermo, Had a chance to look at the fuse this afternoon. I guess I got very lucky and you are unbelievably smart. It was the F63 fuse. That not only fixed the tail light but also the front driving light I couldn't get the housing off of.

Again, I cannot thank you enough and this board for always having such great advise that has helped me, and I'm sure so many others in the past.

 

Rick, once you know the wiring of these cars, not much that you can't fix with a few well placed pointers. So, enjoy the kitty and keep stopping back.

 

Thermo is the man , thanks again for my helping me with my tail light issuse the connectors fixed the issue .