Car Repair Advice by Professional Automotive Experts.
Repair Topics /
Lights Lamps Electrical Circuits-1 /
Lights Lamps Electrical Circuits-2
Car External - Interior Lights, Lamps and
Electrical Circuits This
category contains featured questions as
examples. They relate to most vehicles.
Question: 2004 Ford F-150 mileage 35,000. We
use it every day to deliver newspapers. Four days ago,
we noticed that there were no brake lights, so he
changed the fuse and they came back on. Then, on
Saturday, he noticed that they had gone off again. This
time, when he tried to replace the fuse, the fuse kept
blowing. He would put it in, and then when he pushed on
the brake pedal, the fuse would blow. He tried 15, 20
and 25 amp fuses and they all blew out. Now, I'm going
to tell you what he said, even though I don't know
anything about this. It might not make sense. He said
that he checked the relay that the hazard lights and the
brake lights are on, and the points were burnt. He filed
the points down in the hopes that this would work. He
tried another fuse and again....when he pushed the brake
pedal down, the fuse would blow. We have tail lights,
and the hazard lights work, so we think that there is a
short, but we can't find it. Do you think that's what it
is? We really need to have this car fixed because we use
it everyday. Could you please tell us why the fuses keep
blowing when he pushes on the brake and maybe where to
look for a short if you think there is one? I really
hope this makes sense to you.
Answer: First, check for damage in any of the
wiring. If your car is equipped with a trail hitch,
check the wiring that hooks to the trailer. If this
checks out okay, you may have a faulty turn signal
switch.
Question: 2003 Toyota Tundra
mileage: 67,000 I live in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and a
requirement for cars here is daytime running lights.
Recently these lights have been going on and off. I
checked the fuse and it was alright. And there doesn't
appear to be any other problems in the electrical
system. Any suggestions?
Answer: Yes, it sounds like
your head light control switch is shorting out, replace
with new and your problem should be fixed.
Question: 2001 Dodge Durango
mileage: 60,000. The door ajar indicator light comes on
at unpredictable intervals even when we have shut all
possible doors and made sure that no door is ajar. It
goes away for several days and then for no reason if
starts doing it again and does it for a day or two, then
stops. Any idea what's wrong?
Answer: You may have a door switch
that is out of adjustment. Try opening and closing each
of the doors and giving each door a little extra push to
see if the light will go out. If it does that door
switch needs adjusting or replacement.
Question:
1999 Lexus ES300 mileage: 77,000. My right
headlight has condensation inside which makes the glass
foggy and damp and therefore does not throw as much
light out as it should. In order to pass state
inspection (I wish to sell it soon) the dealership tells
me I must replace the whole wraparound light unit at a
cost of $539, plus $89 labor. They said the seal
has come undone. I maintain they should just be
able to replace the seal, and wipe off the glass.
They say no, the whole unit must be replaced. The
condensation is a result of a high powered washing, and
happened once before, but eventually disappeared on its
own. Night vision is still excellent, even with
the fog, but I do understand that it diminishes the
lighting distance. My question is this: Is
there a substantially cheaper way to correct this
problem than the suggestion by the dealership (replace
the whole unit.) The car is otherwise in
exceptional shape, inside and out, and has been very
well maintained. Thanks in advance for your
advice!
Answer:
Try removing the light bulb and socket from the back of
the lens assembly. Let the lens dry out
moisture. Replace your headlight bulb with new the seal
that repels the water is faulty.
Question:
2003 Toyota Avalon mileage: 46,000. I have
replaced the dimmer switch which is also the headlight
switch, and turn signal twice now. It seems that
when my heat is on for any extended period, my
headlights go out; not the parking lights or interior
lights, just the head lights...Please help. That
includes the brights too. If I turn the car off
for a while to cool, they work again.
Answer:
Check the main power wires to the headlight switch.
You may have a bad connection if tests ok replace the
headlight switch.
Question:
2004 Pontiac Grand Am mileage: 52,000. How do I
align the headlamps? I know how to remove the
assembly to change the bulbs but they are out of
alignment.
Answer:
Aiming headlights correctly requires special equipment.
You can try shining them on the garage door you can get
them pretty close that way.
Question:
2002 Dodge Caravan mileage: 50,000. The headlights
on our Dodge Caravan won’t come on and the fuses are
fine. The fog lights and hazards work but is there
any other reason besides the fuses that wont let both
headlights come on?
Answer:
Check the headlight switch, it may be faulty.
Also, check the fuseables at the power distribution
center under the hood.
Question:
2001 Chevrolet 1500 Truck mileage: 200,000
mi. I recently bought a Chevrolet 1/2
ton. The bright lights do not let me see as
far as the dim lights.
Obviously, I need to align the headlights.
Years ago I had a book of some kind that
told me how far to be away from a wall and
how high each light should beam. I do
not have that book anymore. Can you help?
Answer:
Aiming headlights correctly requires special
equipment. You can shine them on the
garage door you can get them pretty close
that way.
Question: 2002 Honda Accord mileage:
86,000. My left directional signal does not flash. All
bulbs are good. When activated the indicator on the dash
remains on but does not blink. The right directional is
fine.
Answer: Your turn signal flasher is bad.
Replacing it should repair the problem.
Question: 2006 Toyota Tundra
mileage: 3,000. I have automatic headlights and my
lights had been flickering on and off, now they won't
come on at all by way of manually turning them on or by
the automatic. The parking lights do work. I have been
told that it is the relay and needs replacing. Where is
this relay for my headlights located?
Answer: The headlight relay is
located behind the dash to the right of the steering
column. Or in the power distribution center under the
hood.
Question: 2003 Chevy Impala
mileage: 63,000. I need to know how to change the bulb
on my parking lights? How do you get to the bulb, I
tried by unscrewing the adjustment screw but it still
didn't budge. Do you go from underneath, under the hood
or what? I was out there for about 30 minutes and the
manual does not show how the change the parking bulb.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Answer: The bulbs are changed
from underneath the front of the car.
Question: 2002
Ford Ranger mileage: 75,000. When my lights are turned
on the right blinker light comes on at the dash and the
turn signal lights on the right side of the truck stay
on (not blinking). When the lights are on the right turn
signal does not blink. When the lights are off the turn
signal works but all the dashboard lights flash as well
as the clock/radio station light. Do I have a Bad ground
or is it the flasher (I have been to several auto parts
stores to switch out the flasher but I cannot seem to
find one. If it is a bad ground how can I find where it
is or how can I fix this annoying problem.
Answer: Check, the tail
light/stop light bulbs and front turn bulbs. We are
betting the wrong bulb was installed in one of these
locations. A bulb with a single contact will "back feed"
the circuit that requires a double contact bulb.
Question: 2002 Buick Century
mileage: 68,000. When I step on the brake pedal, my
brake light in the rear window goes on but the other
brake lights do not. I have checked all of the bulbs and
fuses and they all seem to be working properly. I have
also traced the wires as far as possible to check for
breaks but found nothing. Any suggestions?
Answer: Check your turn signal
switch. Sounds like it has shorted.
Question: 2002
Ford Ranger, mileage: 89,000. My son has a Ford Ranger,
which has been a great truck for him. Recently his rear
running lights, dash lights, and windshield wipers all
stopped working at the same time. I suspect a lose or
bad ground. Is there something in common to all of these
components that could cure the problem? The rear turn
signals and break light work fine!
Answer: Check the
fuse panel for a blown fuse. Test the fuses with the
circuit under load (running lights switched on).
Question: 2001 Nissan Altima
70,000 miles. Just recently, when pushing down on the
brake pedal, the lights on the radio display will dim
and flash. When the brake is release, all lighting
appears normal. Sometimes, as well as the radio display
problem, there will be a popping sound. I was told that
it could be the module housing for the headlights,
parking lights, etc. Is this correct? Any other ideas
that I need to check before I start buying and replacing
parts?
Answer: Check rear tail\brake
light bulbs (sounds like you have the wrong bulbs
installed.)
Question: 2001
Ford F-150, miles: 56,000 The fog lights were filled with
moldy water and the bulbs were rusted along the shaft. I
tried to replace one but no success. Can the fog lights
work if only one has a bulb or do I need to have two new
bulbs, or is there a wiring problem?
Answer: Yes, they
will work with one bulb, but it looks like you have a
connection problem at the socket. Also, check for proper
grounding. Disassemble to clean or replace sockets, and
try to seal the fog light housing or replace them.
Question: 2002 Pontiac Grand Am
miles: 78,000. I find when I turn my lights on the
digital odometer and digital message board in the car
goes off, they sometimes come on again but not always.
As soon as I turn the lights off, they come back on.
Answer: The instrument cluster
is going bad. To fix the problem it needs to be
replaced.
Question: 2001 Chevrolet 3500 Truck
miles; 165,000. The wire harness for the tail lights was
taken off and put back on, and now they don't work. One
blinker works ok and the other is very dim. There are no
running lights or brake lights. Any suggestions?
Answer: Sounds like you have a
poor ground connection between the tail light assembly
and the fender or try disconnecting and then
reconnecting the harness. Sometimes dirt can get in the
connector causing the poor connection. Then clean the
mounting surfaces or add an extra ground wire from the
tail-light housing to the frame. 
Repair Topics / Lights
Lamps Electrical Circuits-1 / Lights Lamps Electrical Circuits-2
Look up your lights lamps electrical circuits question in our
Car Repair forum section.
Got a Car Repair Question?
We will answer it for FREE!
Related Subjects
GET AN ONLINE
CAR REPAIR MANUAL .
Get instant access to your vehicles drive belt routing, wiring
diagrams, trouble code information, updates and factory bulletins.
|