I need a tail light genius mine are possessed...

[u2cmefly82]

Ok... So we got to bring our 1993 Gulf Stream Tourmaster home today! I got all the way home thinking everything worked great until a car that followed me let me know my tail lights were not working... So here are the weird symptoms... All the lights in the front work as they should. My problems are all at the rear. The running lights work. Both blinkers (left & right) don't work, when I hit the brakes the left one lights up and the right one completely shuts off (no light). When I turn on the hazards they both blink, but at different times. When the right one is on the left one is off etc... Everything works fine in the front. What is causing this mess. I have looked around, but no one seems to have my exact problem. I have heard this can be caused by bad grounds, bad wiring, bad fuses, bad bulbs, bad relays, flashers or fuses. I really don't know where to start. I need a miracle here or a shop that can be recommended... Please help

 

[weewun]

Will you verify that you are talking about the lights on the back of the MH and that there is no Towed vehicle connected.

 

[billandpam]

Your tail  lights have lost their ground.  Trace the ground circuit from the bulbs to where they are supposed

To be grounded.  Either the wire is broken (open circuit) or rusted/ corroded at it's connection to the chassis

Good luck

Bill

 

[gwcowgill]

Second what Bill said.

 

[u2cmefly82]

Yeah confirming that I am not towing anything and the problem is just at the back of the motorhome in the rear tail lights. I am on the West coast as soon as the sun comes out I will trace the ground and see if that resolves the problem. Thank you for the fast responses. Any idea what the ground color will be?

 

[driftless shifter]

X2 on ground, also check that a dual filament bulb isn't jammed in backwards.

Bill

Edit to add
sometimes these problems are in the wiring to the seven pin trailer lite connector. It being tugged and yanked on all the time.

 

[dan680fl]

x3...I will add; Many times the ground point(s) looks fine however, it is not making good contact. I would still remove and clean the contact surfaces to ensure optimum ground. I have done that before and seen my lights go from what I thought was ok to much brighter.

 

[HotTommy]

Sometimes its easier to run a new ground wire than to find the bad one.  You can also confirm the above diagnosis by running a temporary ground wire from a known good ground to the tail lights just to test things.

 

[BobNSam]

One bad bulb can also cause the same symptoms. It an be shorted internally to cause unbelievable results.
Bob

 

[Larry N.]

One bad bulb can also cause the same symptoms. It an be shorted internally to cause unbelievable results.
Bob

And the bit about the flashing one one being opposite to that on the other might make a bulb the prime suspect, especially if one blinks OFF and ON while the other blinks DIMMER and BRIGHTER, but not off.

 

[Wigpro]

I laid under the back of my old truck for almost an hour to try and fix mine with a test light and finally figured out that an obscure fuse had blown...and the fuse was buried in a small box under the hood that was specifically for the "trailer package'....

But I agree with previous posts, you more than likely have a ground issue...


Jim

 

[u2cmefly82]

Alright the verdict is in... I figured it out thanks to all of you wonderful people who gladly help newbs like me. I removed the covers and found rust, moss, bugs, water etc... After cleaning them out I realized the corrosion had some of the bulbs stuck. Some were burnt out some were good. I pulled all the good ones out of one side and cleaned the terminals with a wire brush and some wd-40... Put the good bulbs in and after playing around with them (wiggling them while in socket) I got them to work.  ;D Looks like were off on our maiden voyage to the lake after all. Thank you everyone for the fast responses.

 

[gwcowgill]

When you get back from your maiden voyage, go back in and remove all the bulbs and put dialectric grease in all the sockets to prevent what you just cleaned up.

 

[u2cmefly82]

Will do thank you

 

[dabrooks]

If at all possible you should try to replace the sockets with new ones. It seems once the corrosion starts it is hard to stop. Most auto part stores carry replacement sockets.

 

[SMR]

When you get back from your maiden voyage, go back in and remove all the bulbs and put dialectric grease in all the sockets to prevent what you just cleaned up.

what's the procedure for using dielectric grease and also the brand. I have the same problem with one of my back up lights.

thanks-- Steve

 

[BobNSam]

There are various brands available at any auto-parts store. They come in "single use" ketchup package sizes to toothpaste size tubes. The single use containers are good for several bulbs.
Use just a light coating on bulbs base and contact surfaces and inside socket area only. You apply with your finger...any residue wipes off easily with a tissue or rag. If you use too much, it may flow out of socket area.

 

[SMR]

thanks

 

[The Bandit]

I had the same problem with my 84.. well almost the same.
I found the ground was bad put new wire end in and used new screw worked great. My ground was right by back bumper on frame.

But my cusin had this problem we checked all grounds couldn't get fixed the light fictures their self was in bad shape (he had three on each side) so we went to Walmart got just a trailer light with 4 in one function pulled the old ones out plated the hole and bolted new ones to plate and worked fine sense

 

[thesameguy]

I'd consider hosing down the sockets with Deoxit (use the plastic-safe version if appropriate!). Dielectric grease is great for heavily-exposed area, but personally I'd avoid it if it's not necessary. As the name implies, dielectric grease is non-conductive - it's only there to protect exposed surfaces and not to improve conductivity. Too much results in poor contact and can have unwanted effects. IME, occasional cleaning sockets with Deoxit gets you what you want.