Luvtohunt Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Was driving my 88 Comanche tonight, the dash lights went out, and only come on now when the brakes are applied. Anyone have a clue what is going on? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daltonmcgill7 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 could be a short have u checked the fuses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 I bet your tail light ground is loose, and it gets enough juice to make a connection when you hit the brakes. Tail lights and dash lights share a fuse, and Tails and Brakes share a ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 I bet your tail light ground is loose, and it gets enough juice to make a connection when you hit the brakes. Tail lights and dash lights share a fuse, and Tails and Brakes share a ground. Do you know where the ground is? Thanks for the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 IIRC it's behind the driver's tailight. If it's not there, it's behind the passenger one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 IIRC it's behind the driver's tailight. If it's not there, it's behind the passenger one. Sorry for my ignorance, is it just a wire that is screwed to the frame or body? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 It'll screw into the bed right behind the light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 It'll screw into the bed right behind the light. Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun... Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 It'll screw into the bed right behind the light. Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun... Rob L. how do you guys break so much stuff on a junkyard run :hmm: ? :rotfl2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 It'll screw into the bed right behind the light. Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun... Rob L. how do you guys break so much stuff on a junkyard run :hmm: ? :rotfl2: Jake's taillights haven't worked right since he bought it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 It'll screw into the bed right behind the light. so if I understand correctly, I just take the tail light assembly out of the drivers side, and I should see a wire attached to the bed? Thanks again for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Yup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 It'll screw into the bed right behind the light. Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun... Rob L. how do you guys break so much stuff on a junkyard run :hmm: ? :rotfl2: Jake's taillights haven't worked right since he bought it.... oh that makes sense now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Yup checked that ground out behind the drivers side tailight, that was secured good and solid. Any other ideas on what could be causing this? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 fuses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 fuses? Fuses all look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 odd . broken wire perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986Comanche Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Check the 2 upper parking/turn signal bulbs in both taillights. They should both be double filament bulbs. Sometimes people put single filament bulbs in them and it connects the 2 prongs and will backfeed through the system. I hope this info helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Check the 2 upper parking/turn signal bulbs in both taillights. They should both be double filament bulbs. Sometimes people put single filament bulbs in them and it connects the 2 prongs and will backfeed through the system. I hope this info helps. I will try that, its weird, it has been working fine for thirty thousand miles, then last night out of the blue it quite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Try rotating the knob of the headlight switch. The dimmer is a rheostat, and over time the connection gets dirty or burned and you get dead spots. It might be that you have a dead spot and stepping on the brake pedal causes enough vibration or movement to change where the rotator touches the resistor coil. It's an outside chance, but it doesn't hurt to check anything you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Try rotating the knob of the headlight switch. The dimmer is a rheostat, and over time the connection gets dirty or burned and you get dead spots. It might be that you have a dead spot and stepping on the brake pedal causes enough vibration or movement to change where the rotator touches the resistor coil. It's an outside chance, but it doesn't hurt to check anything you can. Thanks, tried rotating the headlight knob, didn't help, but thanks for the idea. This is so frustrating, if I turn my left turn signal, both turn signals turn on, if I turn the right one on, no problem. Not having dash lights is a real pain.... Any additional ideas would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildman Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 First.......I'm going to toss this at you....... If you follow the schematic above, you'll see where the brake switch goes to the turn single switch (AKA- the smart switch) from what you just described, that your left turn lights both indicators, that could be a bad light socket in the front marker/turn, but your dash lights don't work, so.......I would think the smart switch is shot/shorted. When you turn on the turns, do you hear a "blinking/clicking" sound??? You could just switch the 2 turn blinkers first to see it that makes a difference. I know, this don't sound like it has anything to do with the dash light, but, unless you double checked the cluster for shorts, or even for a good ground, the other option would be to change the light switch it's self, if when you turned it, and the dash didn't light up or go dim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 First.......I'm going to toss this at you....... If you follow the schematic above, you'll see where the brake switch goes to the turn single switch (AKA- the smart switch) from what you just described, that your left turn lights both indicators, that could be a bad light socket in the front marker/turn, but your dash lights don't work, so.......I would think the smart switch is shot/shorted. When you turn on the turns, do you hear a "blinking/clicking" sound??? You could just switch the 2 turn blinkers first to see it that makes a difference. I know, this don't sound like it has anything to do with the dash light, but, unless you double checked the cluster for shorts, or even for a good ground, the other option would be to change the light switch it's self, if when you turned it, and the dash didn't light up or go dim. Think I will try to order the smart switch, is that enough description, or does anyone know if there is a specific part number? Thanks again for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvtohunt Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 Tail lights went out tonight, didn't know it until I was pulled over. Cop was a great guy, didn't write me up and followed me to a truck stop to park it for the night, it is going into the shop tomorrow, as I can't figure it out. Hope it isn't too expensive, but, regardless, can't drive it until its fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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