[98 SNAKE EATER]

So I was on my way back home from the local car show when some kid on a Vespa pulled up next to me and told me I had no taillights

Immediately pulled over to check and everything was working except for the taillights, rear side markers and license plate light (signals, brake and reverse were all good)

My shop was nearby, so I pulled in, grabbed a test light and started checking fuses, but all was good

Checked bulbs and there were good

No power at the sockets, so I started tracing the brown wire back to the front as far as I could

Right when I was about to call it a night and drive home as is, my phone fell out of my shirt pocket onto the floor.

Couldn't see anything in the dark, so I turned the dimmer until it clicked and the dome light went on

Thats when I noticed the reflection of my quarter panel lights on the glass door of my shop

After ~20 minutes of probing, the taillights magically started working again and I didn't have a clue as to why.

Turned the dimmer once more and the taillights went out again

Set it at the brightest instrument setting and the taillights came on again.

Only tested it a couple of times, but If I dim the level to anything less than full brightness on the dash, the taillights will go out.

Managed to get home without issue, but before I parked her for the night, I tried the dimmer once more and the taillights went out again.

Dialed it up to full brightness and a few seconds later, the taillights came back on

I have yet to look at any wiring diagrams, but I'm kinda baffled as why this is happening

[johnta1]

Without looking at the schematic, I'd say the light switch is going bad?

But I'd also check the grounds. May be trying to find a path to ground and the dimmer makes the path?

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Change out the tail light fuse with a known good fuse.

I suspect if you had pushed the door jamb switch in, with your original tail light fuse test, results would have been different.

Dome ground turns on courtesy lights. Courtesy lights are on the same fuse as tail lights. If the headlight switch is 'ON', tail lights will get power same as courtesy lights. That's power from stop/dome fuse instead of tail/courtesy fuse.

It can get confusing even with a schematic
Just try it
Clay

[Formulabruce]

There is a harness ground on the filler neck area in the trunk.

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by "QUICK-SILVER"

Change out the tail light fuse with a known good fuse.

I suspect if you had pushed the door jamb switch in, with your original tail light fuse test, results would have been different.

Dome ground turns on courtesy lights. Courtesy lights are on the same fuse as tail lights. If the headlight switch is 'ON', tail lights will get power same as courtesy lights. That's power from stop/dome fuse instead of tail/courtesy fuse.

It can get confusing even with a schematic
Just try it
Clay

Pulled the fuse, inspected it with a meter and re-installed (I don't have any replacements on hand)

That being said, i wasn't able to replicate the problem at all today and everything seems to be working fine.

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

There is a harness ground on the filler neck area in the trunk.

Is this the only ground that the taillights use?




I've had a bunch of junk floating around the in trunk this past week, so the plug was the first thing I checked, but even with it unplugged, the taillights still worked

[Formulabruce]

That is the harness ground in the rear, yes