1990 Honda Civic 4 Door - Tail lights trouble!

[steinkeD]

Hey folks! I'm new to the forum but it looks great!
I had my car in the shop because my new alternator was going, and the battery discharged so I bought a new battery. A week prior to this I noticed that my tail lights would sometimes not come on when i turned the lights on. I would leave the car running for 10 mins and when I came back outside they would be on. So when the new alternator died, I brought it in to the shop to have the alternator replaced and told them about the tail lights. They said the found a short and resoldered it and everything looked great. However, when I turn the lights on, the tail lights come on. When I turn the key to ON or start the car, the tail lights go out. When I turn the key back to off or INT, they come back on.

Any idea why this is happening? I'm not sure if it has to do with my acc or something, but at about the same time I think I noticed that my head unit (cd player) which normally turns off when I turn the car off (its connected via remote wire to the accessory wire on the car harness) that now my cd player stays on even when I turn the car off. Could this have something to do with? Should I take the deck out and recheck the wiring? Is there a way for me to trouble shoot it?

I know I can just take the car back in to the mechanic, but its friday and I have a road trip on sunday *cry*

Much thanks for any help that can be provided...

And again, great forum! Wish I found it sooner!

-Darren

[ci5ic]

Welcome to the forum!

Certainly sounds like the shop buggered your wiring.

I'd be willing to bet that it's something at your fuse-block (for both your brake lights and your stereo problems). Your guage cluster lights are on the same fuse as your brake lights... do you have a similar problem with the gauge cluster lights? (Same goes for the license plate lights).

And when you say brake-lights, I'm assuming that you're referring to the rear running lights (like when you just turn on your headlights). But what happens when you step on the brake pedal? Do they work then? When the car is off? When the car is on?

[steinkeD]

My brake lights work fine...its strictly my tail lights (if i don't turn on the lights, there are no lights at all on the back)

Havn't noticed anything wierd with my gauges, will check it out though.
Are you talking about my fuseblock underneath the steering wheel where all the fuses are?

-Darren

[Magik Si]

Welcome!

As far as your cd player...it sounds like it was wired direct so that it is always on...if you don't turn it off then it will eventually kill your battery (obviously) I don't know why someone woud "ever" wire a deck this way?

Hope that helps...

Jason

[steinkeD]

My deck is wired to my accessory not direct....
And it did turn off when I turned the car off before it worked fine

-Darren