right tail light problem

jola1925 · 04-04-2023, 08:49 AM

Hello, when checking my lights I noticed that the right turn signal is not working, brake light is weak & light in general is dimmer.

I would like to start with simplest solution, replace the bulb, but looking at the housing I can't tell if I can pop off the internal black cover to get to t bulbs.

Does anyone know? I've included a picture..

I suspect this problem will be more than a bulb issue, but I'm 2 days from home.

Thanks, Jola

Shane826 · 04-04-2023, 10:17 AM

Looks like an LED assembly in which case the whole unit would be replaced if it’s not working properly.

Before you junk it check the power and ground to make sure those are good before you condemn the light assembly.

jola1925 · 04-04-2023, 03:23 PM

Thanks, will do. Hate to condemn an innocent assembly.

**Bill** · 04-04-2023, 05:29 PM

Sounds like a connection problem to me. LEDs don't partially fail, they either work or they don't. First thing I would do is open the hood of your vehicle, disconnect the fixture and bring it up to the battery. Then touch the leads to the battery posts - white goes to the negative (-) post, the others, one at a time, to the positive (+) post. If the lights come on brightly, then they are good and you need to look elsewhere. For whatever reason, the usual culprit is a ground connection somewhere.

Do the other fixtures light up properly?

Bill

jola1925 · 04-08-2023, 12:53 AM

Hello, I'll remove the fixture tomorrow and test the connections.

Thanks,
Jola

jola1925 · 04-08-2023, 09:27 PM

Today, I connected my trailer directly into the 7pin connector & using my Curt Bluetooth brake controller.
1) the right turn signal is now working, although it looks like some bulbs are out .see photo

2) My running lights now no longer work.

I think corrosion may be the issue, see photo.
Appreciate any thoughts

Shane826 · 04-08-2023, 10:41 PM

I think you’re right.

**Bill** · 04-09-2023, 08:45 AM

I agree that corrosion on the connector is a problem. You should get a can of spray contact cleaner (Lowes, Ace, etc), spray it liberally into the connector, let it sit for a minute or two, and then work a strip of thin cardboard in and out of each opening to scrub the metal a bit. Do not use sandpaper, screwdriver, wire brush, or a file to clean them up, as they would take the plating off the metal surfaces. Do the same thing for the car end of the plug-and-socket pair.

In your picture, the four contact pairs in the top half of the connector appear to be spread out / separated a little. The pairs in the bottom two positions appear to have a good spacing. After cleaning, you may find that you need to reduce the gap in each of the top four pairs. One way is to find a narrow screwdriver, push it all the way into the pair, outside the outer contact. Gently bend the outer contact toward the inner one until the gap closes a bit - when you remove the screwdriver, it should look like the lower two pairs. You don't want to close the gap all the way - there still has to be room for the matching blade in the other half of the connector to enter between them.

Bill

**Bill** · 04-09-2023, 09:04 AM

Quote:

I connected my trailer directly into the 7pin connector & using my Curt Bluetooth brake controller.
1) the right turn signal is now working, although it looks like some bulbs are out

2) My running lights now no longer work.

I'm getting a little confused. The brake controller won't make the running lights come on. However, all the corrosion in the 7-pin connector could prevent them from coming on, so I bet that when you clean up the connector, the running lights will be restored.

The brake controller will make the stop/turn half of both fixtures come on. However, as you pointed out, it looks like some of the bulbs in the fixture are bad, while others still come on. I don't think there is anything in the 7-pin connector that can cause this, so it points to bad bulbs in the fixture (as you originally proposed), or corrosion at the individual bulb sockets inside the fixture. Once you have cleaned up the 7-pin connector, if those bulbs are still dead, I think you have nothing to lose by removing the fixture and "convincing" it to open. It is quite common in this kind of fixture for the red lens to pop off the base with a little gentle prying around the edge.

I'm mystified about how you got so much corrosion. In addition to the 7-pin connector, it looks like there is corrosion around the edges of the black base of the fixture. Did you park your rig at the beach, so close to salt water that it got sprayed or splashed or misted?

One other question. Does the fixture have a clear part of the lens for a backup light? I'm having trouble finding info about that fixture.

Bill

**Kidkraz** · 04-09-2023, 01:59 PM

Bill, might this be ok for the corrosion removal? I bought it for electronics inside the house; when ya find a AA or AAA battery compartment corroded. I've used fine emery boards, but I agree, using a high grit sandpaper will degrade the connection cause ya took too much off the connection points.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019V18D2...t_details&th=1