91 honda accord rear tail lights out

My headlights, brake lights and turn signals work but none of the back running lights work. I had no idea until I was pulled over at night by a cop. He only noticed me from several blocks away because I had stopped at a stop sign. Checked all the fuses inside and under hood- they?re good. There?s a relay in the box under the hood called the lighting relay. If that?s bad would it cause only the running lights to not work? That?s the only one for lighting according to the lid diagram. Also checked bulb sockets for bad pig tail. Times almost up on my fix it ticket.

Reply to
teri
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teri wrote in news:992093_ snipped-for-privacy@autoboardz.com:

I suspect your combination switch (headlight switch) behind the steering wheel.

Firstly, do the taillights work when you turn the headlight switch to PARKING LIGHTS only? If so, the switch is faulty.

If they don't work in either position, backprobe the feed wire (the non- black one) at the bulbs with the headlight switch turned to ON. If there is no voltage, then you need to work your way upstream.

I don't have a wiring diagram for your Accord, so I can't tell you which fuse controls that circuit. But it should say on the fuse box lid. If the fuse is genuinely OK, you need to start multimetering the wires at the combination switch connector.

You probably have four wires (not counting the fat white one) at the switch connector. With the headlight switch turned to ON, all four colored wires shuld have voltage. One will have voltage only when you pull back on the switch to actvate the high beam flash-to-pass.

If one wire has no voltage at any time, then the switch is bad at that contact. Try jumpering the dead wire to the white wire. Do the taillights come on now? Then it's definitely the switch.

There are other circuits activated by the combination switch. check all the other lights in and on the car carefully. Any dash lights out? Glove box light? Front side marker lights?

Reply to
Tegger

Tegger, Thanks for the fast reply! I didn?t even think about the switch. They don?t come on in the either position. My son and I have checked every fuse in both boxs they all look good - but for a few bucks I might as well change them all out. And yes, now the dash lights are out also. We?ll be getting out the multimeter and checking wiring. Thanks again for the info I?ll post with results.

Teri

"Tegger" wrote: > teri wrote in news:992093_ > snipped-for-privacy@autoboardz.com: > > > My headlights, brake lights and turn signals work but none > of the back > > running lights work. I had no idea until I was pulled over > at night > > by a cop. He only noticed me from several blocks away > because I had > > stopped at a stop sign. > > Checked all the fuses inside and under hood- they?re good. > There?s a > > relay in the box under the hood called the lighting relay. > If that?s > > bad would it cause only the running lights to not work? > That?s the > > only one for lighting according to the lid diagram. Also > checked bulb > > sockets for bad pig tail. > > Times almost up on my fix it ticket. > > > > > > > > > > I suspect your combination switch (headlight switch) behind > the steering > wheel. > > Firstly, do the taillights work when you turn the headlight > switch to > PARKING LIGHTS only? If so, the switch is faulty. > > If they don't work in either position, backprobe the feed wire > (the non- > black one) at the bulbs with the headlight switch turned to > ON. If there is > no voltage, then you need to work your way upstream. > > I don't have a wiring diagram for your Accord, so I can't tell > you which > fuse controls that circuit. But it should say on the fuse box > lid. If the > fuse is genuinely OK, you need to start multimetering the > wires at the > combination switch connector. > > You probably have four wires (not counting the fat white one) > at the switch > connector. With the headlight switch turned to ON, all four > colored wires > shuld have voltage. One will have voltage only when you pull > back on the > switch to actvate the high beam flash-to-pass. > > If one wire has no voltage at any time, then the switch is bad > at that > contact. Try jumpering the dead wire to the white wire. Do the > taillights > come on now? Then it's definitely the switch. > > There are other circuits activated by the combination switch. > check all the > other lights in and on the car carefully. Any dash lights out? > Glove box > light? Front side marker lights? > > -- > Tegger > > The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ >

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Reply to
teri

I had a similar problem with my '88 Civic, the headlights worked but none of the running lights worked. It turned out to be the head light switch in the steering column. Instead of replacing it, I took it apart and polished the contacts with some 400 grit wet/dry sand paper and lubed it with some silicone grease. It's been working fine ever since and it's been about 6 years.

Eric

Reply to
Eric

All sandpaper leaves microscopic bits of silica embedded in the contacts, so it is verboten to use sandpaper, as the grains are insulators, and abrasive.

We use a "point file" of metal, once very easy to find, for filing the points in the distributor, which is like a metal fingernail file, small, and fine grooves, for "polishing' the surfaces. It leaves no residue.

Reply to
Linuxiac

Found in buggy-whip sections of stores everywhere ;-)

I've had good results with Scotchbrite, that stuff that looks like the scrubby side of kitchen sponges. Many hardware stores carry it in the paint or sandpaper sections. For relay and switch contacts, a burnishing tool (found at electronics supply stores) is best as it does not remove the precious metal plating... but that is a whole different story.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

hehe, I have my collection of point files in tool boxes, scattered over two vehicles, and the shed, and the garage... My burnishing tool for relays (issued to me in the Air Force) is a bit fragile.

Reply to
Linuxiac

OK, so what version are you running, and are you using Pan for a reader?

I have SuSE 10.0 and 10.2 (10.2 with 3D Accel. and Beryl/Compiz). On a USB HDD I have Ubuntu 7.04. Gave up on 6.10 and loaded (UGH) XP instead on another fixed HDD.

Reply to
Hachiroku

that's right. scotchbrite is even worse.

Reply to
jim beam

What do you use when you have a "straight-in" approach only and need to remove oxide?

Reply to
Michael Pardee

swiss file. or even just scrape with a screwdriver.

to be honest, i've used abrasives in "quick fix" situations, especially where i intend to replace down the road, but the info on abrasives is correct - it's not good practice.

Reply to
jim beam

If you view all headers you would find...

User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.7 (X11/20060920)

Reply to
Eric

What's a swiss file?

Reply to
Michael Pardee

one of those little rat-tailed things.

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Reply to
jim beam

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