The lights started to screw up, by having pass. stop light come on when ever you turned on the running lights. Now the dont work at all. I have power to the the running light wires (black/yellow tracer and grey). I have up plugged all the lights from the rear of the truck. If I step on the brake I have power to the Brown/yellow tracer and the grey. I have taken apart the connector under the hood drivers side that supplys power to the rear lights and gas tank,and cleaned all the grease incase of stray voltage from another wire. I could use some help I'm at a loss. Thanks

 

Sorry it is a 1988 dakota

 

Did you check your grounds?

 

The grounds at the battery has been scrapped to bare metal along with the ring terminal, then coated with a light film of battery terminal grease. I was going to try to install grounds at each light. Removed harness to rear of truck, tested harness with ohm meter for any partial short tested clean. All wires tested from front to back were checked for continunity, tested ok. Tested where the connector joins to rear of truck, now looking to cut open wiring harness on firewall. Do you know where to get wiring diagram to see where the wires go. I hope they don't go to the ECU.

 

i had a very similar problem in my 93 previously and i grounded the lights right at the screw that holds the tail light into the bedside and never had a problem with them after that

 

Try testing power to the light socket. Not sure how it is on an 88, but my 95 had a connector from the wiring to the socket, it would get dirty and needed to be cleaned.

 

also check the plug where the trailer wiring splices into. my rear light went out once and it was a corroded wire at the connector.