My car lights aren't working, what could be wrong?

Question

my back lights have totally gone except when i apply the breaks. Also my side lights have gone however my dip and full beam are working. i have tried new fuses but this doesn't seem to be the problem, any ideas?

my back lights have totally gone except when i apply the breaks. Also my side lights have gone however my dip and full beam are working. i have tried new fuses but this doesn't seem to be the problem, any ideas? i have an 86 ford escort but don't get the wrong idea from thinking its 20 years old..its in mint condition and only 50,000 miles due to my grandad having an illness...he had it locked up for 8 years in his garage!!

Answer 1

It could be a dead relay. You say that new fuses aren't curing the problem, are the new ones blowing straight away, or not blowing? The same earth-points and leads tend to be used for side, dip and main-beam, so I would suspect the cars' light switch on the dashboard or stalk. What car is it?

You can 'edit' your question to tell us...

Answer 2

Brake lights are on a totally separate circuit from the rest.

Headlights (dip and full beam) are on (partially) separate circuits from sidelights and rear lights. Sidelights and rear lights share the same circuit. So you only have one fault to find, and it's probably not burnt out bulbs.

Are you sure you have identified the correct fuse in the fusebox? Hope with all your might that this is all you've done. Electrical fault finding in cars is the dog's ring.

To identify electrical faults you need the Haynes manual for your car. Doing it without it will drive you bananas. You also need a multimeter.

The lighting switch on the right hand side of the dash (if a Ford) or stalk on the left of the steering column (if most other kinds of car) is one place where a single fault could take out all of those lights. You could open that up (carefully, properly) and make sure all the connections are good. I suggest getting a multimeter on it and seeing if there's volts there, and if the volts switch when you switch it. If that's gone, you could go to a scrappie and get another stalk/switch and replace the existing one.

You should also put a multimeter across the bulbs and see if there's volts there. There probably won't be, but check anyway.

Alternatively there may be a common earth point for those lights which has rusted. But normally that creates more amusing behaviour than just "they don't work".

If you're not into doing all that crap, get a mechanic onto it.

Answer 3

might be a bulb and/or the wiring to it. I had a similar problem some months ago we just could not work it out even with new bulbs on both sides. As it turned out it was a faulty connection in the wiring on the side where the bulb had gone and this wiring affected the 'good' side too. We got some duct tape to hold the plastic contraption down where the bulb is housed so that all the wires were in correct position and hey presto it worked and it's still working. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

There is usually a relay next to the fuse box. its a small box that slots in via pins into the fuse box most cars have a few of them. There may be a icon to confirm its for the lights. Try removing it and cleaning the connections or buy a replacment they dont cost to much.

other than that it could be the swich that tuns them on or water in the electrics shorting them out. If so go see an auto electrician.

Answer 5

Maybe a fuse. Check your manual. Surely not all of those bulbs gone at the same time?
Could then be, but hope not an electrical problem

Answer 6

what car have u got??? it could be a bad earth look by the back clusters see if there is a nut on the bodywork with some usually black wires in them rough them up and try again or take the cluster out remove bulbs and rub the contacts of where the bulbs sit do you have power going to them???

Answer 7

Sounds like it could be a bad fuse. I was having the same prob. last month. I went through 4 of them. That or the wires could be loose in there. Dobbs fixed mine. Good luck

Answer 8

My answer is bulbs if that doesnt work since you tried the fuses go see a mechanic could be a short somewhere

Answer 9

Sounds like the headlight switch. Or a wiring problem.Either get an electrical tester(about $8) or see a mechanic.

Answer 10

when you open your boot, take out the bit that you clip the bulbs into, chuck them away and get new ones. should only cost about £10 each side. a very common problem with old fords. If you have checked the obvious then i will guarantee that is what it is.