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My dash and tail lights keep going out

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Discription: General Mobile Electronics Questions and Answers
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=48236
Printed Date: May 05, 2024 at 1:38 PM


Topic: My dash and tail lights keep going out

Posted By: 83malibuRida
Subject: My dash and tail lights keep going out
Date Posted: January 21, 2005 at 9:20 AM

My 83 chevy malibu is virtually undrivable at night. Ive gone to electronic shops to get estimates and the lowest was $50 an hour. that was just to figure out what was wrong, not to correct the problem.  The fuse keeps blowing and this is a recent reoccuring problem.  I have had the car for three years now and it just started a few months ago but its not a new thing because I contacted the previous owner and he was having the same problem but instead of fixing it he decided to sell it to me:). The car is equipped with a DEI rattler that the previous owner had installed. if any one knows of any quick test to narrow down what is going on or replacements I can make to fix the problem I would be VERY thankful.

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Nick Scott



Replies:

Posted By: kenmci
Date Posted: January 23, 2005 at 5:18 PM
if your tail lights and dash lights (parking lights) are going out then check the parking light wire on the alarm.  If you have an aftermarket deck then check the illumination wires.  It sounds like one of those wires is shorting out causing  your fuse to blow




Posted By: 83malibuRida
Date Posted: January 24, 2005 at 9:40 AM
THANK YOU!!! Do you have any idea what color are those wires? or where I can get the color codes?

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Nick Scott




Posted By: Mwsounds
Date Posted: January 24, 2005 at 10:44 AM

Nick,

The wire off of the alarm is solid white. This wire should be fused coming out of the alarm brain. If this fuse was bypassed that could be the problem, otherwise it is probably not the alarm. That  fuse would blow if the polarity setting on the alarm was wrong for the car.



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Thanks,
Mike Ward
Get it done right the first time!




Posted By: Mwsounds
Date Posted: January 24, 2005 at 10:45 AM

Nick,

Also, you can check the forums here on the site for the wire colors for your car.



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Thanks,
Mike Ward
Get it done right the first time!




Posted By: 83malibuRida
Date Posted: January 26, 2005 at 10:31 AM

Mike,

"The wire off of the alarm is solid white. This wire should be fused coming out of the alarm brain. If this fuse was bypassed that could be the problem, otherwise it is probably not the alarm. "

First off thanks, the white wire is fused and connected to  the "rear marker light power" wire,  (brown in my car), at the fuse box it has 12v but there is a plug connected to the left side of the box with the wires going to the rear lights and I get nothing(no power) are these constant 12v wires? I had the lights on at the switch.



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Nick Scott




Posted By: overworked
Date Posted: January 27, 2005 at 6:04 PM
I had the same sort of drama when I did my first installation of a head unitI didn\t cap the illumination wire when I removed it off of the origianl head unit, pull out the new head unit and and insulate the ends of any wires not connected to anything, if there isn't any use the forums guide of wiring diagrams and trace the ill wire for its entire route and make sure that there i no shorting anywhere...remember to look carefully though it only takes the tiniest nick to cause a short! also check for other accesories that have been added on to th car, if the illumination wire was tapped into thinking it was an earth then this would cause the same problem and cause an accessorie to stop working as well <~~~~speaking from inexperience....whoops! hope I have been of some help! later tater!

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