Tail lamps won't go out

There are boards in the back that the lights plug into. These fail due to the heat of the bulb. Change 'em out and you should be fine. Only problem is there about $50.00

Personally if it was me, I think I'd try to find a way to remotely mount those boards so the heat from the lamp couldn't hurt 'em.

~KJ~

Only problem is, the boards aren't "always hot." They are only powered when the brake light switch, turn signal switch, etc. completes the circuit. If they are remaining on all the time, it's likely a problem further upstream.

Doc

Check your trailer wiring.

Les

Mike wrote:

brake light switch sounds most reasonable to me?

Snowman

I could have sworn that lights that didn't go out were the symptom of these boards? Again for my $0.02 if I knew I had these boards I'd try to relocate the board and just have the bulb back there. I've never seen them but I'd guess even 3 inches between the bulb and the board would be more than enough.

~TLGM

the board is nothing more than a bunch of traces from a wiring connector to the bulb sockets. moving it won't help anything. what GM should have done in the first place was to use twist in bulb holders like everyone else on the frigging planet.

-Bret

Heat isn't what kills them; it's corrosion. Seperating the bulbs from the boards won't solve anything.

Doc

Maybe the headlight switch itself?

Doc

So desolder their connector, or their bulb, and solder on wires. Relocate it somewhere else in the fender. Few things that you can't make happen. I mean, if the board has NOTHING but traces, f*ck the board and make your own that is just a socket. Use a piece of sheet metal to mount the socket in. Mayhaps LED lights? Cool running, very bright, and much faster to light.

~KJ~

Ah, I was always under the impression that it was a heat thing. Thanks for the info!

~KJ~

I don't think many car manufacturers used twist in bulbs since 87!

Chrysler, Ford nor GM!

That plastic push in type is here to stay!

I'm not talking about twist in bulbs, I'm talking about the bulb

-Bret

you really need to go to a junkyard and take a look at the taillights in a 88-98 truck. it's just not a good design, unless you're going to use gold plated wiring, the corrosion problem will continue.

-Bret

I have an 88 S10 that uses lamps just like any other truck.....

~KJ~

go look at the 88-98 C/K tail lights and you'll see the infamous bulb mount board.

-Bret

I've been meaning to get into the local yard just to scope out the 73-91 blazer/burbs for any toys, etc....

~KJ~

What I don't understand is, because it's the running lights that are on, where are they getting power with the headlamp switch off? I know it's not the switch because the front parking lamps turn off with the switch and when you pull the fuse, but the rears stay on! It's like a power wire to the rear lights is shorted to another power wire that's always hot?

The only one I can think of is the orange wire in the trailer plug that's always hot to charge the auxiliary battery in the trailer to power the electric brakes in the event of a disconnect.

As someone mentioned, it must be in the trailer plug. I'll let you all know what I find out.

Thanks for all the replies, Mike

FYI, These are always on EBAY. Need to get some myself soon.