First Mod: An Overrated Post

If the plugs are the same type, you might have swapped them into the wrong sockets. Pull, swap, and test before reinstalling the assembly.

 

Like homeboy before me said, check the wiring and make sure ya plugged things in the right spots (have yet to even remove my tail lights... so no idea what the plugs look like). If not grab a buddy and a volt meter and start doing some checks to see where the power goes when the brakes turn on

 

I am definitely going to double check in the a.m., but given that the bottom bulb seems to be firing correctly, if I switch the top and middle bulbs won't that just transfer the problem from the middle to the top?

 

Nice job. Haters will be haters.

 

If you just unplugged the bulbs check to make sure the plug is fully attached. Each of the 3 plugs use a different connector so you shouldnt have been able to switch them. If they are fully plugged in and still not working then it may be possible a wire has come loose in the connector. Try pushing each wire in further.

 

Welcome and good job on the mod. I used ATH stiffeners on my truck - same idea.

Your username is one of the better ones I've seen.

 

Thanks man. I've used it as a username for years. In my mid-30s it was kind of a joke. Now in my mid-40s it has become ever more accurate with each passing year.

 

So, I can't seem to fix the problem with the passenger side light. I decided to drive it in to the dealer to look at and now the rear left turn signal does not work.

It should be the simplest thing: you take out two screws to remove the tail light housings and then simple little twist to remove each bulb. And yet I have clearly somehow managed to screw it up.

I just can't understand how.

 

That sucks.

Just a long shot, but if you are disassembling the tail light, why not take some digital photos and post them up? Maybe someone here could see something to help diagnose the problem.

I usually take photos whenever I work on the vehicle, since on rare occasion I could not figure out position/ how to reassemble.

Doesn't cost anything and sometimes comes in handy.

Good luck.

 

Here is a pic of the driver side:




So, I tried messing around and something interesting happened. The turn signal had crapped out on the rear driver side. This is the top bulb (the rightmost one in the picture). When I switched this bulb with its counterpart on the passenger side the signal started working on the driver side and stopped working on the passenger side.

Its possible I guess that the bulbs bad connections?

 

I’ve been drinking a little today, but I’m pretty sure that’s a bad bulb.

 

Yep. You are correct, sir.

I have a buddy who is a master mechanic (i.e. long experienced mechanic by trade) but out of town. He saw my text though, contacted me and said: "first thing, before you spend tons of coin at a dealer: change out the bulbs. OEM bulbs are generally shit with shit connections that get rapidly shittier as you drive the new car off the lot. It is one of the places most manufacturers have gotten loser cheap. Cannot tell you how many times I've messed one up while doing something else with the lighting assembly."

So I went to old Autozone, changed out 3 of the bulbs and...boom: it works.

Lesson learned.