Tail Lights

[MaryBeth5941]

I have a 1995 Windstar I am going crazy trying to find out why the tail lights do not work when you turn the lights on. Brake lights work and so does the turn signals. We repalced the bulbs thinking that would work.. but it did not. I read in another thread that the ground could be rusty. Where in the heck do I look to find the ground?

[sahib]

Before chasing after a "presumed" missing ground, take a test lamp or VOM and see if you have a light or voltage off the tailight wire. Historically, this wire has been brown on Fords. You would read this lead with the test lamp or neg. side of VOM clipped to chassis ground and lights turned on. If you have light/voltage, then you would be looking for a missing ground. The light circuit is through the center of the bulb through the filament and out the side of the bulb through the bulb holder to ground, normally. Keep in touch.

[ncbro]

If you changed the tailights yourself, how did you get to the bulbs? I am having a hard time trying to get all the panels out of the way and don't know if I am going about it right. My brake light needs changing.

thanks

[ModMech]

The rear lamps are replaced after removing the lens assemblies from the vehicle. This is not the easiest of things to do. There are two screws on the inner part of the lens, they are reached with the hatch open. Remove them, the PULL HARD on the lamp assembly straight backwards, you may need to gently pry on the outer edges but use extreme care not to damage the paint, and if you do use a "touch up stick" to cover any damage. With the lens assembly out, you can remove the bulb holder(s) from the lens with a 1/4 turn CCW looking at the back of the lens.