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Electrical Woes... Tail light and turn signals

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Old 03-22-2012, 04:28 PM
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Electrical Woes... Tail light and turn signals

This is a direct copy/paste of my thread over at 1stgen.org but I'm in a hurry for an answer so I'll post it here as well.

Well, I'm having some more problems with my truck. My turn signals and tail lights don't work. I've replaced all 4 bulbs in the rear, replaced the fuse that was labeled as "stop lights" and still nothing. When I turn my parking lights or headlights on, the rears light up, but when I press the pedal they don't. What could be the problem? I'm not much of an electrical man (as most of you know) so it may be something simply I'm overlooking.

Also, as I was replacing the fuse last night I apparently didn't put the fuse box back up correctly and when I was driving the work my boot knocked the box back down. I reached down to put it back up and heard a pop and sparks started flying. I assume the metal part of the fuse box hit my steering column or something, but now my windows won't roll down. Every time I hit the window switch all the lights on the message center light up and I don't hear the motor running. I'm assuming it's just a blown fuse, but before I go back to the auto parts store I figured I'd run it by you guys.


Thanks for any help.
Old 03-22-2012, 06:17 PM
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I would check on the driver's side fender area and check the fuse link's sound's like you might have shorted 1 out I would also check your headlight switch and look up under dash right by the brake pedal and check your brake light switch make sure when you press on the peddle that the switch looses contact with the arm
Old 03-23-2012, 01:22 AM
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i had the same problems after the wires under my steering column burned up,,,my brake lights wouldnt work or turn signals but after changing everything i pushed the emergency blinker switch down and they all started working ,,,,try pushing your blinker switch down and try your brake lights and signals
Old 03-23-2012, 10:55 AM
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The symptom you first described is usually caused by a bad ground at the tail light.

After you made the sparks fly, all bets are off.
Old 03-23-2012, 03:23 PM
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The best part about the taillight grounds is that they go all the way back to the cab. They are tied in to a grey wire that grounds to a screw just to the right of the steering column at the bottom of the dash. I just went through this on my 91 D250.
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