Hey guys, I'm just a little stumped what my problem is with my tail light. The other night I got pulled over in the truck because he said I had a missing tail light. So I took it down to Autozone and replaced it. I turned my lights on, and the bulb was still not lighting up. But when I applied the breaks, it would light up. Any reason why it won't light up when the lights are on, but it will light up when I apply the breaks? Thank You.

 

Neon, dude. Get your truck out of Maine. That's your problem. lol.

I'd say it's some kind of electrical doo-dad. In my nova, there was certain connections within the headlight switch itself, and it was loose (due to me and my lesser patient self) near the rear, so sometimes my rear tail lights would go out randomly and i'd have to physicall move the headlight switch so that all the connections were receiving voltage.

Have someone watch your rear and play around with your headlight switch a little bit. Could just need to be clamped down a little tighter, but I've never seen how our switches work.

 

Did you get 3157's.

 

Yes, the guy gave me 3157s. It worked on the other tail light, but this tail light is just not functioning unless you apply the brakes, then it will light up. I will mess around with the headlight switch, but what a pain in the butt. Three steps forward, and then 2 steps backward.

 

Yeah like I said, I don't know exactly how ours work, but I know I had the same problem in my Nova. Actually had a lady yell at me one night comin home from work saying my tail lights were out. When I pulled over, they were on, so that's how random they were, lol.

 

I doubt it's the actual switch. Check the wiring going to the bulb socket. It may be loose or corroded.

 

I agree with Dusty. Check the wiring & connector on the bulb.

Jeff

 

Hey well I was reading earlier about aftermarket tail lights and leaking; maybe some water got where it didn't?

 

Electrical problems like this are usually a pain to track down.

 

Here's what I would do if you can't figure out the problem. Cut all of the wires off of the bad bulb and get a new socket. Run brand new wires to the other side of the truck and tap into the wires that you KNOW work.