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Thread: Breaklights not working

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    Default Breaklights not working

    Hey i recently put a single bulb where a double was meant to be not realising. Then everytime i put the brakes on the parkers would come on, now they dont work at all.. What could be the problem.. Ive checked the fuses and all are ok..

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    Coast_Calais is offline sick of the idiots here
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    ummm, what? what bulb did you use?

    ba15d are your parker/brake lights, but have offset posts, so what did you manage to fit in there?

    are you sure you didn't burn a fuse?

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    Checked all the fusses and they are fine.. I put a bulb used for the parkers in to where the breaklights are, and since then it just stopped working.. The dashlights would light up everytime i put the breaks on.. And then it just stopped after that..

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vp stocko View Post
    Checked all the fusses and they are fine.. I put a bulb used for the parkers in to where the breaklights are, and since then it just stopped working.. The dashlights would light up everytime i put the breaks on.. And then it just stopped after that..
    So you managed to wedge a ba15s (single post) in there!!?!?!?!!
    lol
    Well, it would've bridged the Parker and brake contact, and thus would have lit all your Parkersburg through the brake wiring across the bridged contact.
    Start looking for melted wiring...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coast_Calais View Post
    So you managed to wedge a ba15s (single post) in there!!?!?!?!!
    lol
    Well, it would've bridged the Parker and brake contact, and thus would have lit all your Parkersburg through the brake wiring across the bridged contact.
    Start looking for melted wiring...
    Hmm i dont think that would cause melted wiring.

    You need a multimeter or test light,

    Starting at the rear of the car>

    Are you getting power to the globeholders?

    Are you getting power to the brake switch?

    are you getting power to the fuse?

    These will help you to identify where the problem lies, otherwise your flying blind
    Power is measured in DECIBEL

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    Your tail light looms are most likely the problem, you can get them from rare spares for about $20-$30 each. There's a particular connector that corrodes where the wire joins the metal frame in one of the plugs, it's hard to get at and repair, most looms from the wreckers will have this fault already. It leads to no earth and back feeding of current which means the wrong light lights up and confuses the crap out of you. If you are real keen get a multimeter, pull the looms and track down which connectors are at fault, drill the plastic bulb holder to get at the connection and repair it by soldering the lead onto the metal frame.
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    Quote Originally Posted by SweetWagon View Post
    Hmm i dont think that would cause melted wiring.

    You need a multimeter or test light,

    Starting at the rear of the car>

    Are you getting power to the globeholders?

    Are you getting power to the brake switch?

    are you getting power to the fuse?

    These will help you to identify where the problem lies, otherwise your flying blind
    Powering all brake lights, plus ALL Parker lights (including instrument cluster) through one or two bridges contacts? There's a good chance something got hot..

    2*brake @ 20w each (not including eye level if fitted)
    4*Parkers (2 red 2 clear) @ 5w each
    2*rego light @ 5w each
    6*instrument (minimum, probably more) lights @ 5w each
    Total draw of 100w or more (9 amps easy)

    Anyways, yes I agree it could be a number of other things, but I'm thinking what those bridged contacts may have done...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Warranty Void View Post
    Your tail light looms are most likely the problem, you can get them from rare spares for about $20-$30 each. There's a particular connector that corrodes where the wire joins the metal frame in one of the plugs, it's hard to get at and repair, most looms from the wreckers will have this fault already. It leads to no earth and back feeding of current which means the wrong light lights up and confuses the crap out of you. If you are real keen get a multimeter, pull the looms and track down which connectors are at fault, drill the plastic bulb holder to get at the connection and repair it by soldering the lead onto the metal frame.
    A valid and likely suggestion, had to repair my original VN loom.. Age does those looms no favors...

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    You could of put the globe in backwards, Try putting it in.. in another angle? I'm fairly sure there's only 1 way they go in.. and if you put them in wrong.. only 1 light will work..
    but if your referring you got problems with your VP? then might be a loom problem if its anything like the VNs
    Id honestly try putting the globe in different ways.. if that doesnt work.. Get a test light and test the connections.. If you go no expierence with wiring.. Id highly suggest either a auto elec or holdens/ wreckers for a new loom
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    could of blown another bulb - had the problem once where one filament blew and laid against another causing "by-pass" situation.........just another thought....??

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    buy a can of electrical clean and spray all connection also, vn-vp's get water in the boot then evaporate causing corrosion inside the holders.....bit of coincidence or timing with your problem but, its also good to do too preserve the holders for the future, preventative maintenance sorta thing- also you can rule these common problems out !

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coast_Calais View Post
    Powering all brake lights, plus ALL Parker lights (including instrument cluster) through one or two bridges contacts? There's a good chance something got hot..

    2*brake @ 20w each (not including eye level if fitted)
    4*Parkers (2 red 2 clear) @ 5w each
    2*rego light @ 5w each
    6*instrument (minimum, probably more) lights @ 5w each
    Total draw of 100w or more (9 amps easy)

    Anyways, yes I agree it could be a number of other things, but I'm thinking what those bridged contacts may have done...
    It would have blown the fuse before melting any wiring
    Power is measured in DECIBEL

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    Quote Originally Posted by SweetWagon View Post
    It would have blown the fuse before melting any wiring
    Not always, I've seen plenty of instances where a current below the fused rating has melting wires and fittings.
    It's usually when there is a bottle neck in the circuit, or sustained load. Particularly on older connectors...
    It's the old "I put 100w globes in and they didn't fry a fuse but all my wiring has melted, WTF?" scenario...

    Anyways, as far as OP situation is concerned it could be a number of things, and we're all making suggestions. Hope OP gets a multimeter and finds out what's wrong...

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    My Mates old VL was having issues with Park \ Dash lights.
    On inspection of the fuse it appeared fine, only after pulling the whole thing apart, i took a closer look at the fuse and it had failed.
    By failed i mean, the surrounding plastic had melted and bloated out but the wire inside did not break so it appeared fine.

    My suggestion would be to replace all the fuses for the lights in question and then see if that makes any difference. Re-check and see if any have blown.

    Random idea:
    Remove all bulbs, Tail, park and then test the sockets with a multimeter or test light (preferably multimeter as it will give a better indication of a weak circuit) if you dont have one i suggest you go and buy one they're about $20NZD at DSE.

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    Mate remove the rear looms, they are only 20 cm long, trace and test each wire in the loom from the plug to the bulb holder with your multimeter and go from there.
    Do this first, these things are notorious for corroding. You won't know where you stand until this is sorted out and IMHO 90% chance of fixing your probs just with this.
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    I did this as well a few months back. Ended up blowing the ECU

    Considered checking the wires around the ecu as well, may help you.

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