1996 chevy taillights out

[ssgoodman]

Hey guys, long time no see.  I was wondering if anyone knew alot about 90's chevies.  My taillights are out, brake lights work fine, turn signals are fine but no taillights.  All the fuses are good.  got pulled over for it tonite and looked at the fuses and pulled them all out and they were all fine.  don't know what else it would be.

thanks
Sutton

[zieg85]

I had a 95 with the same problem.  It ended up to be the whole light assembly.  They make aftermarket ones fairly cheap.  I think it ran around $10 a side at a swap meet.

[VileZambonie]

Uhh... did you check the bulbs?

[ssgoodman]

not yet, i'll check them tomorrow when its light outside.  think both of the bulbs would burn out at the same time?  i was thinking it might be the switch, i pulled the dash apart a few weeks ago to put in a cd player.

[Irish_Alley]

the things it could be,
a. bulb
b. bulb housing they tend to melt overtime
c. the switch.
when i worked at autozone that seamed to be what the problems were in that order

[VileZambonie]

Always start at the source of the device that's not working. In this case it would be a bulb. From there if they check out ok check for B+ and B- at the socket with a test light (headlamps on). If no check the circuit board.

[Irish_Alley]

Vile thinking about it if he just took the dash apart it might be the switch just has a bad connection

[VileZambonie]

If you walk into a room and flip the light switch and the lamp doesn't turn on, would you check the bulb or would you go to your circuit panel? Would you pull the light switch out of the wall? You would check the bulb...Cars are no different. Go right to the source of the malfunctioning component first. From there you can verify the circuitry and component.

[HAULIN IT]

The circut board panels on the back of the tail lamps are a common problem on those trucks. You have to take them out to check the bulbs(3or4 7mm headed screws), look at the grid for Green areas, check continuity from the plug to the socket as mentioned...Having both tail lamps out & nothing else does seem a little odd. I think I'd look around & test the plug/wiring going from the frame to the bed. Does the truck have a hitch plug on it? If so...look at the connection where the plug/splice is. Good Luck! Lorne

[ssgoodman]

replaced the bulbs, the boards, the fuse, the switch still no dice.  figured it must have been the wiring, climbed under the truck and took the receiver wiring jump plug out and it worked. 

[VileZambonie]

If you tested it at the bulb socket first you would have known you were not getting B+ there. Then you could have easily found your problem by pinpoint testing at the connectors. At least you got it fixed I guess