Stumped Spnt 2 hrs trying 2 find prking light short

[89MJComanche]

When I picked up my truck yesterday I found that I had no parking lights and no dash lights.

 

10 amp fuse blown.

 

Replacement of the fuse it blows back.

 

Tried larger fuses up to 30 amp. Dash lights hold at 30 amp but no parking or running lights.

 

I searched all over today, light bulbs, wires, everything. I can't find the short. I unplugged the rear harness and tested the wires and it is not shorted.

 

Any suggestions??

[Oizarod115]

it could be the actual light socket,

 

my parking lights didn't work, just the blinkers and a new socket fixed it (one each side) but mine weren't blowing the fuse either.

 

the replacement part is a ford parking light socket from the HELP! section at any autoparts store

 

hope this helped!

[Eagle]

Take out the front parking lights and remove the bulbs from the sockets. Then try it with the 10-amp fuse. The sockets are often the problem.

[BLHTAZ]

Yes, my front sockets were the problem as well when I bought mine.

 

DO NOT put a large capacity fuse in there as you will end up causing more damage and trouble than you already have.

[89MJComanche]

Yes, my front sockets were the problem as well when I bought mine.

 

DO NOT put a large capacity fuse in there as you will end up causing more damage and trouble than you already have.

 

I only used a large capacity fuse to troubleshoot with. I blew a few fuses trying to get it to work.

 

I'm going to investigate the front light sockets....

[comancheon33]

One thing I do when I am chasing an electrical short in a cicuit that helps. I take a standard flasher and put wires on it to plug it into the fuse box. That way it only sends power through there ins short flashes and won't burn nothing up. Still allows you look around for the problem with burning yoour Jeep to ground. HTH

[Tonedef131]

Is there a trailer hitch on it? Once part of my plug in at the trailer hitch was grounding itself on the truck and shorting all the lights out. I covered the open end in electrical tape and everything was fine. I also unplugged the rear harness to troubleshoot and that is where it led me.

[comanchekidwa]

check the plug that is in the left front corner of the engine compartment under the airfilter box. it likes to corrode......

[89MJComanche]

OK I isolated the problem to the rear end tail light harness...

 

Tomorrow I have to pull the tail lights and check the bulbs, sockets, and trace the wiring back to the drivers side rear bed corner where the plug is at and see if I can find the problem.

 

I also need to install a new license plate light and license plate mounting bracket on the awful rear bumper that is on this thing right now (crappy piece of C-Channel on some home brew brackets)

 

Thanks for the advice guys