A tail light problem.

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History Commands

[January 04, 2009, 07:18:08 AM] edwin .s.nathan: I live in a tropical country ie malaysia.Need to install air conditioning.Any idea on where to put the vents

[January 05, 2009, 10:21:13 AM] BusManVW70: Hello everyone Im new to the site and I have just added some pictures of my 1970 VW Camper his name is Fred enjoy..

[January 06, 2009, 10:03:55 AM] Jamesbehave: oh man

[January 06, 2009, 10:04:11 AM] Jamesbehave: talk about brain dead

[January 06, 2009, 10:04:22 AM] Jamesbehave: read my post

[January 06, 2009, 10:18:51 AM] JimmyD\'s: 1977 vw camper wont start HELP

[January 06, 2009, 10:19:09 AM] JimmyD\'s: her name is lucy

[January 06, 2009, 11:22:28 AM] Jamesbehave: whats going on

[January 06, 2009, 11:40:04 AM] JIMMYD: i have two shitty batteries I have been taking turns on trickle charges. So I put the fresh good battery in and she tries but

[January 06, 2009, 11:40:39 AM] JIMMYD: she won't flip. I've checked all the fuses.... rolled her back.

[January 06, 2009, 11:41:05 AM] JIMMYD: Found an old allman brothers ticket

[January 06, 2009, 11:42:02 AM] JIMMYD: the starter has always seemed fine.... no problems

[olylawnboy]

 A problem I just found out I have is that wheh I put on my breaks, my turn signal lights (when they are on) alternate from one side to the other! Has anyone ever dealt with this? And how would you fix this?

[bus71]

Often  bad   grounds   cause  this.   Make  sure  the  bulb  sockets  are  clean.  On  the  back  of  tailight  there  is  usualy  a  brown  wire  that   grounds   to  body.   Make  sure  all  connections  are  clean  and  tight.  Replace  all  your  fuses,  They  get  old and cruddy.

[olylawnboy]

 bus71, thanks. I'm in the process of going through all electrical connections, one fuse at a time. But I don't understand how my problem could even happen. I mean really, how is it possible for my turn signals to alternate when I put on the breaks? I'm really puzzeled at this. Any more ideas?

[GostaBerling]

Too me it sounds as if there is a crossed wire some where. Does it alternate no matter which turnsignal is activated? If so, then I'd suspect a short in the tail lamp housing.

[bus71]

I  wish  I  could  describe  this  better.  What  happens  is  when  the  12  volts  in  your  car  does'nt  have  a  clean  path  to  ground   it   travels  along  the  body  instead,  just  enough  to  do  weird  things  but not  to  blow  a  fuse.  When  you  see  an  older  car  ahead  of  you  with  single  bulb  tailite   and  his  lites  are  on  but    goes  out  when  he  steps  on  his  brakes,  that  is  a  bad  ground.  I  have  fixed  many  cars  where  they  wanted  new  wiring  harness  but  just  needed  some  cleaning  and  an  extra  ground  wire  here  and  there.  Our  Vanagon 1980  has  added  grounds  to  compensate  for  its  oddities.  Good  luck!   

[bus71]

I  notice  you  are  in  Olympia,  if it gets  to  the  point  where  you  just  can't  fix  it,  I  am  in  Seattle  so    pm  or  email  and  we  could  work  something  out;  but  clean  those  bulb  sockets  and  put  in  new  bulbs   and  fuses.  There  are  some  other  things  it  could be but  simple  things  1st! 

[Dj:Eep]

Brake lights and turn signals share the same filament in the taillight lamp.  I'm not entirely sure as to exactly how or where, but I can see a misplaced connection or short causing this.  I'd just look over the wiring at the lights carefully and troubleshoot from there.