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I don't suppose anyone has any suggestions as to why my rear driver side tail light isn't functioning? The brake light filament in the bulb is working, but the tail light isn't at all. I've swapped the fully working bulb from the other side, and also the fuse under the bonnet and still the problem persists. I shut the boot and the tail light came on for a bit, so I'm wondering if wiring damage in that flexi area into the tailgate could be responsible but I've no idea about electrics. Any suggestions much appreciated and many thanks!
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Can you use a multimeter or do you have a power probe. You'll need to see if your loosening power to the unit or an earth. -
Thanks LSG, I don't have one but I'll see if I can borrow one over the weekend.Comment
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Check the connections where the loom joins the light unit, disconnecting the plug and reconnecting might be enough to clean it.Comment
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Thanks John, I already gave them a whizz with a scotchbrite wheel in the dremel and some contact cleaner but sadly no joy. What I'm suspicious of is that I shut the boot and it started working again for a short while. I wasn't sure that wiring damage into the boot should matter given the faulty tail light is in the main body of the vehicle and all the boot lights are working correctly, but perhaps an earth fault there could be at play? I've had issues with a broken wire in the flexi area in the past. I'm sure you can tell I am not skilled with electronics haha!Comment
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The brake light filament uses the same ground so it must be the connection to the side light.
It shouldn't be anything to do either the flexi to the boot lid.
Slamming the boot shut almost certainly shook the poor connection into life.
I would try some careful tapping of the lamp holder and wiggling of the wires to see if you can find where the intermittent connection is.
Check the contacts in the bulb holder and make sure the sidelight connection is actually pressing on the base of the bulb and hasn't got a little bit of spot corrosion just where it touches the bulb base.
Examine the metal tracks of the bulb holder, they're zinc plated steel and can rust where they're riveted. If not rusted through I reckon you can fix it. All else failing the bulb holders are available from Tradition.Comment
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Newsh that is majorly helpful, thank you very much indeed. I've just gone and had a closer look and after the rain all day it's a little damp in the lamp holder. There was another one on ebay so I've ordered that and I'll reseal the tail light and see how that goes.Comment
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Newsh many thanks for sharing your wisdom. Pleased to report that after drying out the lamp holder overnight the lights are back working again, and you saved me from cutting into the rubber flexi cover into the boot.
Thanks for all the help everyone!Comment
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Excellent, a smear of silicon grease or Vaseline on the bulb contacts and the lamp holder wiring plugs will keep moisture out and keep it working longer. Coupe boots tend towards dampness! (Actually Coupes tend to dampness in general! lol)
Looking down at the black trim visible when the boot is open, there are some plastic plugs covering the securing screws, pop the plugs out and you'll probably find some damp. The ones above the light clusters allow water to drip through directly into the bulb holders. Take the screws out and clean them. Roll a small worm of dumdum with your fingers and wrap around the screw and screw it back in. This will stop water dripping through into the boot.
The light cluster might not need re-sealing..
If you do need re-seal the light cluster, warm it up with a hairdryer from the back to soften the sealer (make sure you remove all the nuts, some are not obvious) and refit with the proper dumdum type sealer, not silicon or tiger seal, or you won't ever get the light unit out again in one piece.Comment
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Great advice Newsh, I'll try some silicon grease and see how I get on as I've had a look at the location of the four bolts holding the tail light on and I can see they might be entertaining to reinstall once removed haha! Mine is an avant but when I get a moment I'm going to check the boot over for moisture, but the car isn't misting up at all etc. Thanks again for the great advice.Comment
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The plot thickens. Driver side tail light is back out again and a garage helped me with a multimeter and there's no power to the fuse under the bonnet. Every other light is working fine. Is the input power supply to the fuse box the same connector for the left side tail lights as the right side i.e. Is it isolated to the fuse box or some wiring issue before it gets there? If anyone has any suggestions it's much appreciated.Comment
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Left and right tail/side lights have a separate fuse (S6,S7) and separate contact in the lighting switch. So a contact and a fuse for left and a contact and a fuse for right.
If you have no power to the fuse then you'd have no front side light too. If so it could be a dodgy/dirty contact in the lighting switch or a dirty connection in the fuse box. You could try bridging fuse S6 to S7 with a short bit of wire or bent paper clip and see if that lights the bulb. You can probe the fuse while it’s plugged in.
If your front side light is working then here must be power at the fuse.Comment
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Newsh thanks so much again for the help. You know it's possible I didn't check the side lights properly as I think I was just turning the switch to headlights most the time. I'll try cleaning the contacts again although now the tail light is back working again. I'm planning to pick up a piggyback fuse holder so I can run them off the side that is working properly if I need.Comment
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