One brake light, but blinkers work??

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helliphinon8

helliphinon8

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1969 dart auto on the column. Here's what I've done so far.. First I replaced both bulbs, then I replaced the blinker cam since it was bad anyways. Now I went from having all blinkers and only one tail light to having one tail light and no blinkers. I'm not sure what I did. Simply replaced old with new. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.
 
Sounds like you will have to replace the turn signal switch. The brake light curcuit run thru the switch. Had the same problem on a 67 Belvedere.
 
You say "one tail light." Do you mean stop light?

The stop lights and turn signals use the same wires and same filaments. If you have stop lights but no TS, or vice versa, it's the TS switch.

But if you have neither you need to do some checking

What bulbs you using? You checked socket grounds?

Where have you checked for power?

I would probe the rear harness connector in the left kick panel. This is a good place to divide the problem, either that or right at the TS switch connector

What do you have for shop manual / wiring diagram?
 
Sorry, you're right. Only one brake light. I replaced the turn signal switch with one from the help section at vatozone. It looked identical to the one that was on it except the contact wires/rods seemed to have been bent for a better connection, so I did the same to the new one. Do I have to just screw with the contact rods to make a better connection? My dad can't remember what he did 20 yrs ago when he replaced it.

Before I dug into the column, I could stand on the brakes and only the pass side brake light would come on. If I gently moved the turn signal down, the left brake light would come on and the right would go out.lWhen I moved the lever up (to the right), the right brake light would come on and the left would go out. I am clueless when it comes to electrical wiring or diagrams, let alone testing anything. I'm hoping I just hosed up the contact rods/wires on the back of the blinker cam.
 
Well you should not have to do ANYTHING with them. The switch should bolt right in here and work. Is the lever, etc, bent or something, causing something to bind up?
 
67Dart273 said:
Well you should not have to do ANYTHING with them. The switch should bolt right in here and work. Is the lever, etc, bent or something, causing something to bind up?
Click to expand...

Nothing was changed, I bent the wires/rods to match the one I took off. Other than that nothing was different. I'm going out right now to screw with the wires to see what happens.
 
I maybe don't understand what you mean by "bent the wires/ rods"
 
67Dart273 said:
I maybe don't understand what you mean by "bent the wires/ rods"
Click to expand...

He means the spring steel contacts on the back side of the switch assy.
I went through the same thing with a signal switch replacement and it was a PITA to get those contact wires in just the right place where everything works right.
I'm sure it's an aftermarket manufacturing tolerance screwup.

And you are right (we shouldn't have to change them so it works)

BTW, I had to bend/spread them apart a little bit on mine, and it sounds like that is what is needed on his.
 
As asked before, give the PN's of the bulbs in the rear lights; check BOTH rear lamp PN's and make sure that they are installed right.==> These are probably bayonet bulb bases but the 2 pins on the sides have different depths that line up in the sockets only one way so that thay can be installed only one way; sometimes they get reversed and cause all sorts of strange symptoms that get in the way of troubleshooting other problems. The wrong bulbs can do the same.

When the brake lights do come on, do they come on at full brightness or sorta weak? And check your parking lights in the rear with no blinker or brake, and see if they are normal.
 
If you do go back in there... Make sure the cast plastic was/is properly trimmed of flashing so it mounts nice and flat. Tighten the screws down alternating and evenly.
 
RedFish said:
If you do go back in there... Make sure the cast plastic was/is properly trimmed of flashing so it mounts nice and flat. Tighten the screws down alternating and evenly.
Click to expand...


Everything I s trimmed. I'm almost certain that the contact wires need to be custom fit. This will just be a huge p.I.t.a.!
 
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