Need help!! No running tail lights...

No, that is not correct. That does not indicate a blown fuse at all. I just did it and it doesn't work that way.

To check a fuse, put the multimeter on OHMS, then put the probes on each terminal of the fuse. If the meter reading goes to 0.00, the fuse is good.

Or you can use a test light. One side of the fuse receives power, the other side of the fuse is connected to one probe of the test light while the other probe of the test light is grounded. If the test light does not come on, the fuse is no good.

 

As an electrician, I can assure you that if you put a voltmeter across a blown fuse while everything is on you will read voltage. This way, you don't have to pull the fuse to check it.I've seen blown fuses that look fine and actually work until a load flows through it, heating the filiment up which then opens the circuit.
A good fuse will have little or no voltage when putting the probes across it.

 

Although using the voltage drop method for checking fuses will work, there are too many variables that can screw up your test results. No voltage to the fuse, no load or no short on the other end, etc. Everyone has their own method for diagnosing things, but my favorite method is to ground 1 lead of the test light or multimeter and check each side of all the fuses for power. This way you can test which fuses have constant power, and then turn the key on and see which fuses have key power. If 1 side of the fuse has power and the other side doesn't, you know it's blown. This also lets you know if your problem is that power is not getting to the fuse when it's supposed to, and you need to look upstream instead of downstream.

If you use the multimeter set to ohms, with the fuse in circuit, and the fuse is blown, it can send voltage to the ohm circuit in the multimeter, which can harm the multimeter.

 

To each their own. It's quicker and easier for me to check this way...
Especially when a customer is breathing down my neck to get a piece of equipment back up and running.

 

I don't want to get into a pissing match, but doing it your way, you are making assumptions on the functionality of the rest of the circuit.
1. If there's no power to the fuse, your test is only indicating to you that the fuse is good. (may or may not be) From there, your trouble shooting is going to be downstream. Brake switch, bulbs, wire connectors downstream, ground connections, etc., when in actuality, your problem is upstream.
2. Your method requires something drawing current. Either the load or the short. So, for example if you're testing the brake fuse, you need to push the brake pedal while doing the test. If the brake switch is bad, the only indication you are going to get is, fuse is good. (may or may not be)

I fail to see how making assumptions on the condition of the circuit that can lead to incorrect test results, is saving time. Especially when the only time savings is probing a fuse once instead of twice.

 

I misread your post. When you said "open it and pull/lift out", I thought you meant the fuse. I was assuming the fuse was in your hand.

 

We can agree to disagree, no worries.
And yes, I did make some assumptions. I assumed the lamps in question had already been checked and or replaced. Another assumption I made was that 12 volts was present at the fuse.
And you are correct, my way only works if there is a load or a short.

 

was the tail light issue ever solved? I'm experiencing the same issue

 

I’m having a similar issue; The parking lights and DRLs on my 2015 will not come on.

This occurred after a blown fuse for the blinker/hazards happens due to me putting non-CK bulbs into the CK socket; I was trying to get the damn thing inspected and the LED went out that day, so I grabbed one at the parts store not realizing it wasn’t “CK”

Solved that problem, replaced fuse, and blinkers work. But now my parking lights (front side markers) and DRLs won’t come on at all.

-I’ve checked/tested every fuse... literally every one. Both in the engine bay and the cabin.
-I get voltage to the socket for the blinker, but no voltage at any other terminal.... leads me to believe I have a fuse/relay out.

People say check the “Tail” fuse... it’s good, and replaced for good measure.

I’m getting pretty frustrated with it and figured someone here has had this issue...

 

Release the parking brake.

 

Did.
No change

 

Tail lights, Tag lights and the Parking lights all come from the same power fuse labeled TAIL in the fuse box.

 

Was this ever resolved? I am having this same problem and have checked everything, bulb, wiring, and fuses etc... Just the rear don’t work. Front running lights work. I am beyond frustrated and cannot afford to pay a mechanic hours to troubleshoot this. Please help

 

When you mention that the "front running lights work", are you referring to the ones next to the grill, or the corner ones outside the headlights. This makes a huge difference in the diagnosing.

 

Both ones next to grill and outside the headlights work. My dad and I found the wires that come from the tail light where it comes through the floor into the cab and we scraped a little of the casing off and tested it and there is no power there either. The only thing that I don’t know how to test is the relay.

 

If you look at the schematic above, you see that the park lights and tail lights all come off the same circuit. So, you have a bad connection somewhere between the underhood fusebox and the taillights.

 

The under dash fuse box shows power, does that help eliminate anything?

 

OOPS. I guess the tail fuse is in the underdash fusebox. Got it mixed up. Still, the problem has to be somewhere between that fusebox and the taillights.

 

Bummer, its so nicely electrical taped in that plastic spit tube. I just hope I figure it out by Thursday. They’re talking possibly 5” of snow and I have to drive to work in the dark..

 

Yikes! Hope you get it figured out.