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Dim Tail Light - pulled over by police!


kad3338

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The tail lights on the driver side of my 96 STS are much dimmer than the right side. So much so the cops pulled me over and gave me a warning for taillight bulb out! I tried new bulbs but that's not the problem, since all of them are the same brightness. When I hit the brake, one of the lights goes out altogether and one turns brighter like it should. When i hit the turn signal two of the lights in the main tail light section alternate on and off. The ground behind the light looks good and the fuses check out. Anyone have suggestions on what to look at next? are there other grounds close by before the harness splits from right to left taillight? Any help would be appreciated so I don't get pulled over again!

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Even if the ground "LOOKS" good...It might not "BE" as good as it looks.

Take it loose and clean it anyway. :D

Also check the actual bulb sockets.

They can get dirty and corroded inside.

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The sockets.

The sockets looked clean. Since all three of the bulbs (two in the rear quarter panel section and one in the trunk lid section) were glowing about the same, I was thinking the problem would be downstream from where the left/right tail light harness split. Could one bad socket lead to all of the bulbs dimming?

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The sockets.

The sockets looked clean. Since all three of the bulbs (two in the rear quarter panel section and one in the trunk lid section) were glowing about the same, I was thinking the problem would be downstream from where the left/right tail light harness split. Could one bad socket lead to all of the bulbs dimming?

It is hard to say without a diagram. Someone with service manual may help.

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent

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you may want to consider checking your TSS, turn signal switch. If it is going bad you will most defiinately have the kind of problems you are menntioning. They are a very common problem on most GMs in the early to mid 90s. It can mess with the turn signals, brake lights, and parking lights

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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you might also take apart the ground assembly and tighten and clean each wire that plugs into it. I had one of the wires a little loose so my headlight would not work right. You take the top off and it has the common buss in it and the bottem part has wire connectors in it just tighten each of them up a bit with neddle nose pliers. good luck

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stmaryscowboy
Welcome to CaddyInfo! :yupi3ti:

There is a St. Mary's near here, so we may be neighbors!

Never underestimate the amount of a persons greed.

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Check the base of the socket for flattening of the lead contacts. With the lights on, push the bulb down and move it around in the socket to see if there is a change in brightness.

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