Taillight not working?

[clarkkent]

Hey guys! It's been awhile since i've posted on here. Not sure where I should post this but i need help? My taillights on my 99 Mountainer arent working anymore? At the same time my Headlight sensor stopped working and turning on my headlights and taillights automatically. I checked my taillights and the bulbs are good. Heck, even the brake lights work and it's a dual filament bulb, so I would think the wiring is good? I even put new ones in to make sure. My Manual Headlight switch works but only turns on the headlights. The little light on my rear view mirror that shows if the auto lights are working still turns on as well but the headlights aren't on unless I manually turn them on. Any help guys? Thanks!

Ps. I miss you guys, i've been a part of this forum since 2003! ...and i'm not a elite yet!? lol. someone sponsor me!

Footnotes
-My taillights don't work even with new bulbs
-My autolight sensor stopped working at the same time. I have to turn on my headlights automatically. yet the light on the rearview mirror still lights up
-My brake lights still work? Even though the bulbs are dual filament.

 

[DjDom]

Short somewhere for autolamps mirror or a relay/fuse is blown.

If the lights don't turn on with the factory switch, it's definitely a relay/fuse.

 

[clarkkent]

Thanks DjDom. I checked all the fuses and they look all good

 

[2000StreetRod]

fuse 11?

Did you check fuse 11 in the battery junction box? It provides the power to energize the park lamp relay. If the fuse is good then check the park lamp relay in the relay module (behind center of instrument panel).

 

[clarkkent]

behind the center of instrument panel? So i have to take the speedo guage off right?
Thanks!

 

[2000StreetRod]

park lamp relay location

behind the center of instrument panel? So i have to take the speedo guage off right?
Thanks!

I've never accessed mine before. You may be able to reach it just by removing the radio. Let me do more research. I doubt its necessary to remove the instrument panel which is a lot of work. I suggest confirming the relay is the most likely source of the failure before trying to replace it. There could be an issue with your DRL. I won't have time to follow the wiring diagrams until later today.

 

[2000StreetRod]

manual headlights work

If the headlights come on with the main light switch but the front parking/side lamps don't then there's a problem with the main light switch or the park lamp relay activation. The relay module is probably more likely to fail than the main light switch. See the following post for location of the relay module: Relay module location

 

[2000StreetRod]

autolamp sensor?

After more studying of the wiring diagrams I think your symptoms indicate a failed day/night mirror/autolamp sensor. The sensor energizes the park lamp relay and the headlamp relay. If the unit fails there is no other way to activate the park lamps. Check fuse 11 and fuse 36 in the central junction box. Does the autolamp on/off LED illuminate when the switch is on? Try turning the autolamp switch off and see if your park lamps come on using the main light switch. You can try disconnecting the connector to the autolamp sensor in the rear view mirror and connect the pin to the white wire with purple stripe to chassis ground. That should energize the park lamp relay allowing the park lamps to light when the main light switch to turned to park or head. Check the connector for corrosion. Some members have reported that a water leak in that area gives them autolamp problems.

 

[clarkkent]

Thanks for the help 2000StreetRod. The little light on my rear view mirror does light up and the lights and parking lamp lights turn on only with the manual light switch. My main problem is my taillights arent turning on no matter what i do? Would the Park Lamp relay affect my taillights as well? My brake lights work by the way.

 

[2000StreetRod]

tail lights only

If your front parking and side lamps work then the park lamp relay is working. It controls front and rear park lamps. There's a connector (C213) between the park lamp relay and just the tail lamps. It could be loose. It is located at the right corner of the instrument panel , near cowl panel grommet. It looks like it's near the inertia fuel shutoff behind the right kick panel.

 

[clarkkent]

If the C213 Connector is bad.. Would my taillights not work and my brake lights work still?

 

[2000StreetRod]

C213

Good question! It turns out C213 is common with the right rear turn signal lamp but not the left. However, C213 is a 14 pin connector. The rear turn signal lamps and the tail lamps share the same ground point. I suggest doing easy things first to isolate the problem source. You can pull the lamps and check each black wire connection to chassis ground using a ohmmeter. It should be a short and I suspect the test will pass. Then you have to work back towards the power source to find an open. The easiest access should be the C213 connector (Pin 11) brown wire. It should have battery voltage anytime the front park lights are on.

 

[clarkkent]

Might I mention my Turn signals stopped working awhile ago as well?

 

[swshawaii]

Might I mention my Turn signals stopped working awhile ago as well?

Possibly MFS wiring connector or switch related? Have you tried tilting the steering column all the way UP?

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=384971

 

[clarkkent]

Yea i've tried moving the steering wheel up as well. My hazard lights stopped working soon after as well.

 

[2000StreetRod]

which ones?

Might I mention my Turn signals stopped working awhile ago as well?

Left, right, front, rear?

 

[2000StreetRod]

all of the symptoms

Yea i've tried moving the steering wheel up as well. My hazard lights stopped working soon after as well.

It would be helpful if you could list all of the symptoms:

Hazard flashers?
Turn signal indicators on instrument cluster?
License plate lamp?
LED array stop light?

 

[clarkkent]

all the brake lights work.
none of the turn signals dont flash
dash lights don't work
taillights dont light up

they all went out at different times. i've always lived with the no turn signals and dash lights, but the no taillights thing burdens my night driving just a bit..

 

[clarkkent]

oh and hazard flashers don't work either

 

[clarkkent]

Hey last night i realized my side amber parking lights stop working..... could that be my parking lamp relay?