One tail light goes out
03-02-2014, 03:42 PM
#1
One tail light goes out
97 F-150 2 wheel drive. Eddie Bauer
My right side tail light will come on for a short time, then go off. I have replaced the:
1. Bulb. Nope, went back out. Tear apart again and:
2. Replaced the socket. Come on, all is well. Re-assemble. Next time I check it the @#$%^ thing is out again! Try ANOTHER new bulb to be sure, and nothing!
So, I then....
3. Get another plug to plug into the socket. BOOM! All works. Re-assemble AGAIN. Cool, it's fixed. NOT!
I go out today, and again, it's out. Mind you, this is ONLY the right side tail light. Everything else works. Break, turn and all lights on the left side. Just the right side tail light.
Your thoughts oh masters of the F150????
My right side tail light will come on for a short time, then go off. I have replaced the:
1. Bulb. Nope, went back out. Tear apart again and:
2. Replaced the socket. Come on, all is well. Re-assemble. Next time I check it the @#$%^ thing is out again! Try ANOTHER new bulb to be sure, and nothing!
So, I then....
3. Get another plug to plug into the socket. BOOM! All works. Re-assemble AGAIN. Cool, it's fixed. NOT!
I go out today, and again, it's out. Mind you, this is ONLY the right side tail light. Everything else works. Break, turn and all lights on the left side. Just the right side tail light.
Your thoughts oh masters of the F150????
03-03-2014, 09:55 AM
#2
Senior Member
Often issues with lighting are ground related. Under a light load a ground may be ok but other times it separates and the power is lost. Is this only the running light or is the turn signal and flasher affected? There are harness connectors under the truck in the corner of the body that can be damaged OR wet creating a short. Check that out too. Also our trucks have a separate fuse for each tail light in the hood fuse box. Contacts can be bad even if a fuse is not blown. Pull the fuse and replace it. Good luck
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jtfoto (03-04-2014)
03-04-2014, 07:51 PM
#3
it's ONLY the one tail light. It is on for a short period of time (less than a minute) and then will go out. Where would I find the ground for it?
It ONLY has 298,000 miles on it. How could wiring go bad in such a short time?
Thanks
It ONLY has 298,000 miles on it. How could wiring go bad in such a short time?
Thanks
Last edited by jtfoto; 03-04-2014 at 07:53 PM.
03-05-2014, 06:34 AM
#4
Mark
iTrader: (1)
check your trailer plug too..
03-05-2014, 09:27 AM
#5
Senior Member
You really need a factory wire diagram to trace the light circuit especially by color. The ground is a part of the wire harness, not a strap wire attached to the body. With 298K miles anything could have damaged the harness. This is usually under the rear end of the truck. Yes check the trailer plug for shorts since this leads straight back to the harness. 12 volt wiring is a very strange system and can be affected by even the smallest damage.
Get a test probe with a light and work back to the first plug under the truck and check for power to that light. Power good? go back to the light. No power? Continue forward to the front of the truck until you do find it. Then look for the break moving backwards. Good luck
Get a test probe with a light and work back to the first plug under the truck and check for power to that light. Power good? go back to the light. No power? Continue forward to the front of the truck until you do find it. Then look for the break moving backwards. Good luck
03-05-2014, 04:30 PM
#6
So of the three wires in the plug to the bulb, obviously one of them is a ground. I can take my multi-meter and find which are hot and which is a ground I'm sure, but I guess my question would be, is it ok to simply ground it to the frame, splicing into it between the light and harness? Seems logical so probably not.
