Re: Tail Lights

Posted by HH56 On 2015/12/14 0:00:45

I forget which car you have and you didn't mention the model or if the harness is original or a replacement. That makes some difference in brake lights. With stock looms, fusing and where feed comes from is different for various years and models. Brake light switches do go bad so if the fuse is good that would be the first thing to check. If it is a 55-6 with the three terminal switch, a definite problem place.

Pre 23rd series (mid 1949 and before) and brake switch feeds the bulbs directly with a connector or splice to the right side usually located near the left tail light. Anything after 23rd series and once the brake light switch provides voltage the circuit goes thru turnsignal switch and the bulbs are fed separately out of the switch. Depending on your car, that would determine what to look for if the fuse and brake switch is good.

Depending on how much difference between bulbs, the brightness can be due to a bad ground on the dim side. If ground is OK, it could also be the wrong filament is being lit. Some models have connectors for each filament near the left tail light. Perhaps one bulb is reversed in the connectors. Make sure the bulbs are the ones called for in owners manual. Something that has come up occasionally is the sockets can be worn so the locating pins don't index properly and will allow the bulb to be inserted incorrectly. Probably not an issue now but at one time there were some import bulbs that had slightly offset pins that were also slightly smaller in pin lengths. That slight difference allowed bulbs to be inserted improperly. Look carefully at the bulb base and the terminal locations to verify when the bulb is inserted and twisted to lock in the sockets the terminals actually connect with the socket.