Motorhome taillight not working

I have a 1977 Dodge motorhome. The rear passenger side taillight
comes on when the headlights are put on but the directional signal and
brake light has stopped working on the rear passenger side only. I
replaced the bulbs and the two rear light assemblies are only about 3
years old, so I believe it may be a wiring problem. All other lights in
the vehicle work okay, all functions. The wires are buried behind the
walls and I can't get to them. Can I just run a new line from either
the front passenger side directional signal or the drivers side light
assembly? Both are fairly easy to get to. Any help would be appeciated.

Doug and Patty

Doug and Patty

I would suspect the turn signal switch, both the hot wires from the
brake and headlight switch end up there as well as the emergency
flashers and then to the various lights. You did say it was only the
rear light and most of the time a turn signal switch problem effects
one side but I have seen where it only effected one light front or
back. Could be just the bulb socket if there's even a little corrosion.
Get yourself a test light, you can get them at any auto parts store.
Looks like a screwdriver with a pointed end and has a wire with a clip.
You can check if the bulb socket is getting power by putting the clip
on a good ground and probing the center contact with turn signal on,
the light in the probe should flash if not go to the connector if it
has one that connects the tailight asembly to the harness. Also check
and make sure you have a good ground to the body from the tailight
assy. I've fixed problems like this just by removing the screws that
hold the assy to body (bad ground)

Hope this helps and good luck, Rick

I would guess it lost it's ground.

The tail lights on lots use the wiring harness for a ground tag and the
brake lights use the fixture itself. So when the bolts get a little
rusty or moved then they can loose the connection.

I would run a test wire from the bumper or some good ground to the
fixture to see if the light comes on and if so replace the screws
holding the fixture on with new ones or clean them up.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

wrote:
>
> I have a 1977 Dodge motorhome. The rear passenger side taillight
> comes on when the headlights are put on but the directional signal and
> brake light has stopped working on the rear passenger side only. I
> replaced the bulbs and the two rear light assemblies are only about 3
> years old, so I believe it may be a wiring problem. All other lights in
> the vehicle work okay, all functions. The wires are buried behind the
> walls and I can't get to them. Can I just run a new line from either
> the front passenger side directional signal or the drivers side light
> assembly? Both are fairly easy to get to. Any help would be appeciated.
>
> Doug and Patty

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 wrote:

> I have a 1977 Dodge motorhome. The rear passenger side taillight comes
> on when the headlights are put on but the directional signal and brake
> light has stopped working on the rear passenger side only. I replaced
> the bulbs and the two rear light assemblies are only about 3 years old,
> so I believe it may be a wiring problem. All other lights in the vehicle
> work okay, all functions. The wires are buried behind the walls and I
> can't get to them. Can I just run a new line from either the front
> passenger side directional signal or the drivers side light assembly?

No, because the circuitry that lets the rear lamps work as combination
brake/turn lamps is within the turn signal. You can't just hook up to the
front directional and other-side brake lamp, it won't work. Assuming
you've checked the grounds and sockets and found them working, it's time
for a new turn signal switch. They're still readily available.

DS