No running tailights, side marker lights, or license plate light

Tiny
THECARMAN345
  • MEMBER
  • 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA
  • 3.5L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
The running rear taillights do not work. I have dash lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights, but no running taillights, or even side marker lights. I am wondering what is causing this issue. I've checked all fuses. Checked some wiring not all. The front side marker lights come on when I hit the unlock button on key fob but do not come on when parking light switch is on. I've also replaced the parking light switch. So just to clarify I have no parking lights in front or rear, rear running taillights, and no license plate lights. Not sure what to do. Any help would be great! There is a loose wiring harness connector under dash not sure what it is or where it gets connected.
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Monday, February 25th, 2019 AT 10:43 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Did you check left park lamp fuse for voltage? Headlamp switch on, use a test light to check for voltage, the voltage comes from that PCB relay. As you can see, the BCM grounds the control side of that relay upon signal from headlamp switch. Voltage for switch side and control side of that relay is hot all the time. There are trouble codes for park lamps, B type codes. To check codes yourself, at the least, you need an obd2 code reader that will work with your vehicle and read manufacturer specific codes as well as p0 codes.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2019 AT 10:57 AM
Tiny
THECARMAN345
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Okay thanks a lot for the information! I'm going to get a multi-meter and check the left park lamp fuse for voltage. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again! Your information is helpful.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2019 AT 12:06 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Hope you get it going your way.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2019 AT 1:09 PM
Tiny
THECARMAN345
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Well, after doing some playing around with the multi-meter and a test light I was able to probe the socket where the left parking lamp fuse sits with the headlight switch on, and the socket appears to be dead. There is no juice at all coming from that socket. I am guessing that the PCB relay is probably bad. Do you think getting a new fuse box would be necessary to get it fixed?
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Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 AT 11:29 AM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
You see the white wire leading to BCM from that relay, it's just a ground. Try a redundant ground, jumper wire from the white wire to chassis ground/clean metal part. If the fuse goes hot, nothing wrong with relay. So the problem would be BCM or headlamp switch, maybe wiring circuit to or from? I know testing is a pain, but, I'd rather try to be sure. Some relays that are soldered into fuse box, sometimes I can gently pry the top off and then do some testing. Sometimes if your sure the relay is a problem, you can wire up external relay. I'm not sure how big of a problem that would be?
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Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 AT 11:48 AM

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