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No taillights?

"Fast68back" said:
No, the taillights come right off the harness, no connectors, there are two, 2 pin connectors, one for each of the backup lights.
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Quite right: each backup light has a hot (black/red) and a ground (black). The running lights (black wire) is a single lead connecting at the bottom of the turn signal switch. This is where I think you've mixed the backup lights and running lights.
 
"daveSanborn" said:
No, it doesn't work at all, which should help me figure out whats going on. I mean it's not like I turn the fan motor on and my reverse lights illuminate or anything mind blowing like that.
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I would be guessing a fan switch or power issue.
 
"Midlife" said:
Quite right: each backup light has a hot (black/red) and a ground (black). The running lights (black wire) is a single lead connecting at the bottom of the turn signal switch. This is where I think you've mixed the backup lights and running lights.
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But the plugs for the reverse lights are in the trunk and this one is at the turn signal switch?


I used the bulbs that came with the new back up light assemblies. I tried unplugging the back up lights to see if they were drawing everything and got nothing. I need to break out the manual to see the TS switch wiring.
 
Well, the tail light harness has two ends: one at the turn signal switch, and the other at the tail lights. I believe you have plugged the running light lead from the headlamp into the backup light connector near the turn signal switch. Your reverse light pig tails are plugged into the correct connectors near the tail lights, but that signal is incorrectly connected at the other (long) end of the tail light harness.

Does that make sense now?
 
Well, not exactly, but possible. Usually, the turn signal switch connects to the main harness that carries the signals to the front, and also the rear tail light harness. The tail light harness connections are usually split off to the turn signal switch, the backup lights, and the running lights. It is here that I think a "switcheroo" might have taken place, connecting the wrong part of the tail light harness to the wrong connector (remember what I said about confusing the black wire and the black with a small red stripe?). The genders of these two leads would be the same (both female).
 
Not to confuse the issue but I thought those connectors were reversed so they could not be plugged in wrong. The schematic I looked at shows that anyway......
 
Well.........After about 30 minutes on the phone with Sluggo, we figured out that I am indeed a dumb@$$. He had been telling me all damn day I had the blue connectors connected backwards and I kept telling him it was not possible, it was indeed possible and it was the connector that controls the reverse lights and taillights, all three wires on the harness side are black and the other connectors two wires are black as well and in my ignorance, I didnt think the connector would go together backwards. I feel stupid as hell, but some how vindicated in that I can type it out, here for all to see. I'm really glad I dont have to swap the turnsignal switch. When I started screwin with these lights this weekend I finally installed the horn. I was think how stupid I would feel that I have to take out the horn that after many month I finally installed to remove the turn signal switch. Live an learn.

Thanks who all that offered there help.
 
That's the connections I was referring to. Did not look like they could have been reversed from my schematic. Glad to see you have it fixed.
 
"AzPete" said:
That's the connections I was referring to. Did not look like they could have been reversed from my schematic. Glad to see you have it fixed.
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Same here.... I will say the Mustang project tail and brakelights make HUGE difference :icon_thumleft:
 
What he had going on was the connector that carries 14 and 140 was flipped so that the circuits were crossed.
Thats why the headlight switch fired the backup lights. and the brake lights and turn sigs did not work because the backup light switch was disconnected making the circuit open.
 
Randy and I could never find the two black plugs, it ended up being one of the blue ones, but the wires were all black (some had stripes). I kept looking for connectors at the end of the steering column, but there is only one, the one for the reverse switch.
 
I thought Midlife was referring to the two plugs swapped as in plug with 14 & 140 plugged into plug with 5 & 9. As I read this fix, it appears that that one plug (14 & 140) can be installed backwards. Interesting. Is the plug bad or is there no guide pin/flat side or channel to ensure proper connection?
 
"AzPete" said:
I thought Midlife was referring to the two plugs swapped as in plug with 14 & 140 plugged into plug with 5 & 9. As I read this fix, it appears that that one plug (14 & 140) can be installed backwards. Interesting. Is the plug bad or is there no guide pin/flat side or channel to ensure proper connection?
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No...wires 5 and 9 are colored (orange/blue and blue/orange, IIRC). I was specifically referring to 14 and 140 being switched near the turn signal switch. 14 is black; 140 is black with a small red stripe and is easily confused with 14.
 
Mid is correct, however he kept saying at the end of the steering column and the plugs are actually behind the kick panel. I kept looking for black plugs, not black wires. Pete is correct they two can not be connected incorrectly because the genders do not match. Both the plugs had the connecting/guide tabs broken. I just didnt look close enough at the wires to realize what I had done wrong.
 
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