[SA] Holden Nova tail lights not working

[petal04]

Not sure if this is in the right place but have a 1990 Holden Nova sedan and around 3 months ago the tail lights stopped working, got globes put them in and Bob's your uncle they were working. Well Christmas Eve they stopped working again and this time the dash light and parkers have also stopped working.
Have checked the fuses, the globes, cleaned the bottom of the globe and where it sits, checked wires and nothing. Have checked under bonnet and no lose wires.
Being Christmas/ new Years most places are closed this January 6th so if anyone has any suggestions they would be much appreciated. Many thanks.

 

[Calaber]

Is the problem restricted to the parking lamps only? Do the indicators and reversing lamps still work?

If no rear lamps at all work, I would be looking for either a break or disconnect somewhere in the boot area, or a poor earth. If it's only the parkers, check the earth for that circuit. Generally, modern cars with plastic rear lamp assemblies have a separate earth wire for each lamp set running to a point close to the lamps. Locate the connectors between the body wiring and the taillight wiring, pull them apart, check the condition of the metal contacts, clean if necessary then reconnect firmly.

 

[Nut Kracker]

If it is anything like the Commodores, the parkers and the tail lights will probably be on the same circuit.
As well as what Calaber mentioned, check the park light relay for normal operation.
Locate the relay, turn on the park lights and see if you can feel/hear the relay click.

 

[Tasmaniak]

Haven't installed a CD player recently have you?

 

[ari666]

Haven't installed a CD player recently have you?

illumination wire?

 

[Tasmaniak]

Yeah, it'll do exactly that.

 

[petal04]

Is the problem restricted to the parking lamps only? Do the indicators and reversing lamps still work?

The reverse lights and indicators work fine. No CD player installed recently. Where in car would the relay system be at? Will have a lookie at the earth. Many thanks for the replies and advise.

 

[Nut Kracker]

Apparently there are two fuse boxes, one under the bonnet near the front of the car, passenger side.
The other, inside the car on the kick panel, next to the accelerator, so I heard.

 

[Calaber]

If the car has the owner's handbook in the glovebox, the location of any fuse boxes and relays should be shown. The relays are usually located adjacent to the fuses. To check the operation of a particular relay, look to see if a similar relay is fitted for another circuit and swap it with the suspect one.

 

[petal04]

Have checked the relay, when parkers/tail lights turned on relay clicks. We are stumped. Thankfully the auto electrical will be open Thursday, will let you know what the cause is and thank you to all who tried to help.