Avant (for a change) rear light problem

[andyg plym]

Evening all

Got an issue with the NSR light, whatever bulb I try the brake light doesn't want to work.

I had the auto check come on a week ago and thought it would just be the bulb, I got the bulb holder out and surprisingly it had corroded on the board itself and slightly on the connections.

I have a few spare lying around so I tried another that was mint and still got the auto check light on and no brake light hmmmmm.....

I tried another couple of bulbs and no good unless I try to put in 180degrees out,then it works (albeit dimly)but obviously won't be held in as remember the bobbly bits on the sides of the bulbs are offset

Thought it maybe a loose connection but tried wiggling, sprayed contact cleaner on the connections but still no good.

Is there another area I should be checking?

[UrS4boy]

You said your rear taillight lamp holder was corroded. I don't know if you totally cleaned up the corrosion, OR, perhaps, whether you pushed one of the metal bulb contact traces too far in (away from the end of the bulb) when you were cleaning things up.

I am talking about the B4 equivalent of this:

[andyg plym]

Dave thanks, but I replaced it with another bulb holder that looks brand new, I wonder if it's an issue with the connection to the main loom

[andyg plym]

Also I bent the tabs up under the where the bulb sits

[UrS4boy]

Dave thanks, but I replaced it with another bulb holder that looks brand new, I wonder if it's an issue with the connection to the main loom

Apply this between the appropriate harness connector pin in question and a ground and see how many volts DC you get.

[andyg plym]

Apply this between the appropriate harness connector pin in question and a ground and see how many volts DC you get.

Love it.....I may just do that

[UrS4boy]

Love it.....I may just do that

I am not joking. Only way to tell if you are getting the proper voltage to the lamp holder is to check the harness connector pins for 13.7 VDC with the engine running, one pin at a time. One should give you zero because it will be the ground (2/31). The others should have good voltage.

If you have voltage, with the lamp holder off the taillight, connect the harness connector to the lamp holder and start tracing current to the lamp holder in question. (Watch that you don't short anything out because that will blow the fuse and you will have to replace the fuse before carrying on with the test).

Good luck.

[fourringsrus]

In the past when messing about with coupes, I found that even with known good bulbs and bulb holder board, the issue has been the plug of many contacts which is the culprit, being corroded internally

[turbodriver63]

Just curious to see if you sorted this?
Mine sounds similar.
I have no NSR tail light.
But it works when I leave the indicator on and ignition off.

[fourringsrus]

Thats supposed to happen, it's your parking light.
Still worth looking at the multi plug as it is so confined internally that corrosion plays havoc.
Good look at a decent independent earth aswell

[turbodriver63]

Thats supposed to happen, it's your parking light.
Still worth looking at the multi plug as it is so confined internally that corrosion plays havoc.
Good look at a decent independent earth aswell

Sorry, maybe I didn't explain my symptoms properly.
The parking light works as normal when you park up, but I have no rear light on the car when it's running/driving with the lights turned on.
So it seems as though it's getting a feed for the park light to work but not the normal lighting.

Definitely have to check out corrosion.