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#1
07-15-2008, 11:54 PM
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***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
 Ok before I start, I'm going to apoligize if this is already a thread somewhere, I'm just too dang frusterated to search for it!   Now for my problem... It might not come out too clear... I was driving home from work tonight in my 1999 Honda Accord EX-L 2.3L 4Cyl Coupe (there's all the specs!) and some redneck in a giant F-250 beeped at me at a stop sign and told me that my taillights were out. So I got home thinking I just blew a fuse or if a breaker had just turned them off for the time being but further examination shows that there was more... ONLY my headlights turn on, no taillights (but my brakelights work), the amber lights won't turn on (but they flash when I use my turnsignal/hazard lights) but my high-beams work fine and so do my backup lights. I spent half an hour looking at fuses, testing connections, looking at wires, under the dash, the hood, in the trunk and everything, and being 6'-2" and having scoliosis, it wasn't very comfortable!  I don't know if it's my battery (I hope it is!) cause I do have neons, a 1200W amplifier, two subs, foglights, and four LED strips all on my car too, but all that stuff works fine! IM SOO CONFUSED! HELP ME!!!!!
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#2
07-16-2008, 09:54 AM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
Welcome to AF.
All the lights that you describe as not working are typically on one fuse circuit. I would first locate that one fuse and inspect it. Sometimes, a fuse can look good but be bad so a replacement is best, or use an electrical tester to see if BOTH sides of the fuse are getting power. Look in your owner's manual. It will tell you exactly which fuse is responsible and where it is located. There is no need to check all the fuses for this one problem.
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#3
07-16-2008, 03:09 PM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
Really? Kool thnx... I hope it's just a fuse; I really dont have enough money to take it to a repair shop! I also disconnected some of my aftermarket lights hoping that would put less strain on the battery, I still have the factory one. I'm saving up money for a new, stronger battery. Would anyone have any recomendations as to what I should get? I was looking at one of those Duralast ones...
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#4
07-16-2008, 07:37 PM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
The taillights are part of the same bulb as the brakelights be separate from the amber lights, correct? And it sounds like the amber lights work fine, right? Or are the amber lights you're referring to the front marker lights? It is possible that the "dim" filament of the taillight bulbs are bad and a few new bulbs will fix your issue. Before spending more time under the instrument cluster, I'd suggest you check for voltage to the low filament of the taillights when the headlights/parking lights are on.
-Rod
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#5
07-16-2008, 09:18 PM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
Ok here's an update...
I found the fuse that was blown, it was the "small lights/licence light" fuse... I replaced it and... IT BLEW AGAIN! so that means there's probably a shot in the curciut somwhere... right? and to rod, neither my markerlights (or rear marker lights) or turnsignals work, but the turn signals work when I signal for a turn...
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#6
07-16-2008, 10:48 PM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
You're right, you have a short circuit somewhere if the fuse blows that quickly. You might try removing all the lights on that fuse and seeing if the fuse still blows immediately. Or, if you want to save the number of fuses you may go through during the troubleshooting process, use a test light in place of the fuse. If the light is glowing brightly, you still have a short circuit.
What are the chances someone installed trailer wiring at one point, or maybe an aftermarket alarm/remote start system? I'm guessing chances are pretty high will all the other electronics you have installed. Most alarm systems will flash the parking lights, so if it was not installed well, the short could be due to the alarm install and how it interfaces with the parking light circuit. -Rod
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#7
07-16-2008, 11:08 PM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
The amber lights are working properly. They ONLY flash with the turn signals and hazard lights. The only thing that isn't working is the taillights from your description, so its not as complicated as you think. Check the grounds and fuses. If that isn't the problem, start testing the taillight circuit from the back forward until you find voltage with the lights on.
__________________
Dragging people kicking and screaming into the enlightenment.
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#8
07-19-2008, 12:38 AM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
Ok i fixed it all, it turns out that one of the turnsignal's power wires's coating had melted off somehow and it was touching the a grounded screw in my engine, I taped it off and it all works now, thanks for the help guys!
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#9
07-19-2008, 10:15 AM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
Wow, make sure you have the proper fuse for that circuit installed. The insulation melting off would imply some pretty extreme current flowed through that wire. The fuse should have blown long before the wire got hot enough to melt off the insulation!
-Rod
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#10
07-19-2008, 11:37 PM
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Re: ***HELP!*** Strange Light Problem
Yeah I realized that... the car had a 30A fuse in there, and in the manual said to use a fuse half that amperage! My car's pervious owner was 21 year old dog-lover girl... she probvaly had her boyfriend fix it for her or something... he prolly had no idea wut he was doing! hahaha other than that... idk how it coulda happened!
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