1974 Duster /6 rear lights

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DukeTheDuster

DukeTheDuster

Duke The Duster
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ok here’s the deal, none of my taillights work neither do brake lights, but the odd thing is is that the left blinker works! Bulbs aren’t blown, they look brand new. When i first got the car they worked fine, but after a week or two they just stopped working! If you have any ideas as to what’s going on with it please let me know! Thanks.
 
I'd start with rear body wiring connector behind the drivers side kick panel. Unplug it, and using either a light tester or volt meter, check to see if you have power at the terminals when you step on brake pedal, or use signals etc.

Personally though i think it sounds like your turn signal switch is fragged. Your signal and brake lamps run thru it. But that wont make your running lights not work.

You can pick up a full color 11x17 laminated wiring schematic for your car from www.classiccarwiring.com about $22 well worth the money spent. I have one for each of my cars 67 and 69 cuda
 
Did you reseal your rear tail lights? Those bulbs need ground thru the housings. Easy test is put your running lamps on and use a bare wire from lamp socket to a clean metal body part and see if they work.

I also agree with MoparMat2000 above. That plug can be corroded and no power getting thru. The turn signal switch can also hamper the turn and brake but not the running lamps.

Old cars come with old wiring and dirty connections.
Welcome to the club. Keep us posted.
Joe
 
DukeTheDuster said:
ok here’s the deal, none of my taillights work neither do brake lights, but the odd thing is is that the left blinker works! Bulbs aren’t blown, they look brand new. When i first got the car they worked fine, but after a week or two they just stopped working! If you have any ideas as to what’s going on with it please let me know! Thanks.
Click to expand...
I’ve tried y’all’s suggestions and am sad to report that this didn’t fix the problem :( it’s super weird! The rear driver side turn signal works fine! But the taillights and brake lights themselves don’t work!
 
I’m at a loss, I have no idea what could be the problem! This is the one thing holding me back from actually driving it!
 
What exactly have you done to troubleshoot this problem? You have a test lamp? Multimeter? Some alligator jumper wires? Start where it's easy to access. The turn/ stop power goes through the turn signal connector, so that is easy to access right at the column. Better yet, ONE SCREW removes the left kick panel and then you can access the harness connector going to the rear. Measure voltage there

You can download service manuals and aftermarket wiring diagrams free from MyMopar.
 
Do the front park lamps work? If so that fuse is good. Does the tag lamp work? If so the park lamp current is going through the harness to rear of car. I've seen a crushed or otherwise defective tag lamp fixture blow the park lamp fuse repeatedly.
Turn signal switches do fail to interrupt turn signals and brake lamps in a variety of manners. Left and right turns work but brakes don't, One turn works but other and doesn't and/or one brake doesn't, etc...
A lot of owners will replace the cancel cam alone which is only about half of a turn signal switch. That can be short lived fix. Lets not go there yet though.
If the rear bulb sockets are metal, they have only 2 wires. 2 contacts in bottom of socket. 2 contact at base of 1157 bulb. One is park lamp, same color wire both sides and at tag lamp. Other is turn, different colors for left and right. The ground path for any and all begins with bulb base/side wall to interior of the socket ( corrosion there has been fault found for some ). Ground continues through the socket fit into a metal fixture, the fixture to body, and finally ground jumpers from firewall to engine block, and radiator support to battery neg. The one rear turn working says there is some ground path there.
 
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