Sir John, tell us what is prompting your inquiry?

I gently ask because these bulbs are not related to performance in any way that i can think of.

I'd probably go into the local auto parts store, look up the bulb size on the catalog, buy it and pop it in.



are you thinking there will be noticeable difference between different brands? I never tested that but I'm betting there is marginal differences at best.

tell us some more when you have a chance.

John

 

I went down one road, forgot to tell you how common 2 things are, each will cause that message.

1) look at the bulb's mount surface. Corrosion can cause a bad ground and cause that message. Clean surfaces with pencil eraser.

2) have you performed the Brutal mod yet?
these rear light circuit boards were built with ground wires that are way too thin for the current demanded with more than a few of the lights on. The black ground wire can melt worsening the situation.

the fix is simple. You just run a new ground wire to the circuit board on each side. Any 18 gauge or thicker wire will work.

attach one side to circuit board creating a ground plane. I rivited mine to the circuit board. You could drill a hole and use a nut and bolt. Just solder a connector to the wire's end on each side.

use any nut bolt nearby on the inside of the trunk for the other end of the wire.

this is a good job to do as a precaution, the thickness of the factory ground wire is way to thin and will cause issues sooner or later IMO.

if I went to fast on this, sorry. Just let me know.

John

 

 

 

Sir John,
Several things here......Brake and Tail Lights are both Red 1157's they have (2) connectors on the bottom and (2) Filaments inside....The outside Bulb is the only one of the (2) that uses the 2nd Filament (This is the Brake Light. The one in the Middle is used as a Rear Tail Light only. Neither of these Bulbs can be replaced with LED Bulbs without a series of resistors being added. Same is true of the Blinker Light, it is a #7507 Amber Bulb, It can not be replaced with an LED Bulb without a series of resistors....The 7507 Bulbs have offset contacts down in the connecter and has to be #7507 to fit..….Now this is where you get to have some fun! The English Fog Light is Red 1156 Bulb and can be a Bright Red LED Bulb as can the Back-up light. They are not connected to the CANBus system and will not turn on your "Check Rear Lights" warning ….Look in Super Bright LED's for one of the 1156's that has the Magnifying Lens on the end. They are Super bright and really light up the Driveway at night! I bought one of the Red LED 1156's that has 19 forward firing Clasters for my English Fog Lights Bulb and Sir John, It is "Bright"! It's great in the Winter when some F-250 pulls in behind you with his Bright Dual LED's on and blasting through your Rear Window and Outside Mirrors......I just reach over and turn-on the English Tail Lights and 9 times out 10 they will dim their Lights....It's our only protection as they set-up just High enough that both of their stacked Headlights shine right through the Rear Window.....and you know how they hate Sports Cars! Sorry, but this is Texas and all the Pick--up Drivers think they are Cowboys!

Billy Clyde in Houston

 

The first thing to do is determine if you actually have a bulb that is burned out. With a helper start the car and make sure all of the lights are out. Then depress the brake peedal and verify the brake lights work. Then with your foot off of the brake pedal turn on the lights and verify that the tail lights work. Next with the lights on depress the brake pedal. Do you get the "rear bulb failure" message? Most likely you do. There is nothing wrong with the lights you just have a poor connection at the ground wire.
To fix it you will need to remove the light. First their is a small panel (cover)at the base of the light assembly. Pull up and out on the tab and it will come off. You will then have access to the connector assembly. Their is a wire clip holding it in place around the outside of the connector. Remove the clip and unplug the connector. Next if you look at the back of the light assembly you will see a couple of tabs sticking out of a depression in the assembly. Squeeze them up and the entire light assembly will lift off of the tail light lens.
Examine the connector that runs under the carpet. You will probably note one end of the plastic is deformed and heat damaged. That is the side where the ground wire is connected. Look directly down on the plug and you should note that the prongs on each side are an Ell shape and there is a uniform gap along the plug except where the last prongs are. They are the ground prongs and will usually be distorted. You will need to use needle nose pliers and a small screwdriver to reshape them to look like the others. Then clean all of the connectors with electrical contact cleaner and a small wire brush.
You are now ready to put it all back together and should not see the message for a year or so before needing to do it again. I have to do mine about a year in between to keep the message from occurring.

 

Hi Billy Clyde, that was exactly the type of recommendation I was needing. Sad that just one of them can be an LED, but great that at least one of them can be an LED...and probably the most important one. I leave in florida, we have some cowboys here too. Nothing against cowboys, but it's good to have that kind of "protection".

One question, since you are in Texas...once you use the bright light to prevent them to burn your eyes, how you deal with the cowboys when they grab the shotgun? Just to be prepared...

 

Sir John....First of all you indicated above that only 1 could be LED...That's wrong! Both the Back-up Bulb and the English Tail Light Bulb can be LED as they are not connected to the CAN Bus System! Please reread my answers to your questions.....As far as the Cowboys and the F-250's go; I've noticed that the Ram and Chevy Guy's have started installing the Brightest LED Bulbs they can find, as well!

As to the 12 Gauge, my 45 leaves a hole on the wat out that is about the size of the 12 Gauge entry hole.....So, I guess that would be what you call a "Stand-off"!!!

BC

 

 

Three OEM tail light bulbs (excluding the amber turn signal bulb and small backup light) are all single filament. The replacement bulbs I can find are two filament. Can anyone tell me the correct part number for the clear, single-filament tail light bulb? I do not want LED bulbs either. Thanks!

 

4zfed,
The OEM Bulbs that fit your 2000XKR Tail Lights are:
Back-up Bulb - 7506 or 1156
Brake Light - 7528 or 1157
Turn Signal - 12496 or 7507 (Amber)
Tail Light - 7528 or 1157

Billy Clyde in Houston

 

Turns out that what I needed was the 1156 bulb, this is a single-filament, single contact bulb, with parallel retaining pins. I have three of these in each tail light in my car. The way we zeroed in on these was by matching the physical characteristics, not by the listing in the "book".

All of the listings in the parts book pointed to the 7528/1157 bulb for the brake and tail lights but these are double filament, double contact and I don't have any of those in my car.