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02:33:54 - 04/25/2024
V6 Dakotas
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Mike Stager
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/23/2007
15:58:48
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 Subject: brake light woes
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Message:
I've got a problem, and the prescription isn't more cowbell...
My brake lights started working oddly, and I don't have back up lights. I've pulled both sides and checked the bulbs for operation...and switched them ( same part number bulbs ). When I hit the brakes, I'm getting a parasitic drain to the back up lights. Instead of the bulbs glowing brighter on the brake light socket, the back up bulbs glow dimly. This just started happening a short while ago. I pulled the harness for the trailer lights to see if that was the culprit, but there was no change. The left tail light seems to be more of a problem as I was pulled over and told that the drivers side was out. When I test it at home, it's on. I have noticed one blade of the drivers side connector ( under the truck ) had some corrosion when I installed the trailer harness, but I used dielectric grease in it and didn't have any issues after I installed it.
The fact that I don't have back up lights makes me wonder if I don't have a problem with the back up switch, but I can't seem to figure out where it is . I figure if I pulled the plug on the back up switch, I could eliminate the actual switch as a problem.
Anyone have an idea of what is going on? Oh, and my gas gauge started acting funny when I get down to a half a tank recently too...I don't know if they are related... possible a common ground?
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dakota49
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/24/2007
17:48:40
|  RE: brake light woes
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Message:
Mike, could be a ground, for the lights, and possibly the fuel gauge as well. The back up light switch should be close the the shifter on the trans if an auto, a manual would likely be close to the shifter on the drivers side of the trans. Mine is an 88, and you didn't say what year your's is a lot of changes were made through the years.
I think there are a few grounds all over the truck so you might get under it and remove all the grounds and clean them with sand paper and put the bolts back in and see if that helps.
Good Luck,
88 3.9 4X4 5 speed 16000 miles on reman engine
Dakota49
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Mike Stager
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/24/2007
22:04:31
| RE: brake light woes
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Message:
ah, forgot...1997 dakota automatic. I'm going to start going through the grounds..it seems that the problem is biased towards the drivers side, but the passenger side has issues....It was so much easier when the ground was at the tail light...
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Mike Stager
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/06/2007
22:07:23
| RE: brake light woes
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Message:
Finally got a chance to muck around with the truck again.
Interestingly, pulling a trailer, the brake light woes do not transfer to it...
I pulled the harness off the drivers side ( disconnected it from the circuit ) and when I hit the brakes, the passenger side lights up just the brake light..no back up lights. However, I did not get back up lights when I put the truck into reverse.
One pin on the harness to the tail light that's giving me trouble has some corrosion on it, so I think I'm going to just pull that part of the wiring harness out of the truck altogether and check it for continuity with my multimeter, since it is only about 18 inches long and not too hard to do.
The weird thing though, my brake light has now come on after wedging something into the brake pedal to keep it engaged so I could observe the lights. I didn't come close to touching the switch or the wiring harness as far as I could tell. Then the ABS light came on, then went out.
I remember one thing about this...my battery died on me and I replaced it ( along with having to repair the battery connections ) and then this started. I've got 2 wires going to the ground post on the battery...I'm wondering what could be an issue in that area if I did something wrong, or forgot a ground....I don't know if it is related to it or just a coincidence...though the fuel gauge started giving me fits right before the battery died....I've got pieces to this puzzle, I just can't seem to figure out which piece is the missing one....
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dakota49
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/09/2007
23:09:19
| RE: brake light woes
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Message:
Hey Mike, well you should have two grounds on your battery, one goes to the engine, the other to the body, usually right close to the battery. What I have done in the past is also run another ground wire from the body to the frame, but there should be a few all along the body and bed, that's why I suggested that you try going under it and try cleaning all the grounds. I had an old 50 model Ford Pick up and I had a lot of problems with the lights on the rear, so I wound up using a grinder to clean the frame then used new bolts to reattach the grounds, it sure helped. You might want to make sure the brake light switch is good as well. With my old Ford it would eat those things every 6 months, to a year. A lot different than what you have though.
Just a few ideas, I hope it helps. Good Luck.
Dakota49 88 3.9 4X4 5 speed
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Mike Stager
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/09/2007
23:26:35
| RE: brake light woes
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Message:
Well, ended up the ground connection in the pigtail harness was completely shot. Got a good on from the boneyard and it works as it should again. So, it was a ground problem.
Now, to fix my reverse light.
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dakota49
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/11/2007
16:34:59
| RE: brake light woes
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Message:
Mike Glad to hear you got it fixed.
Dakota49
88 3.9 5 speed 4X4
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