tail lights out! but interior on

[greenleg88]

Hey all

97 Legacy L 167500 miles

 

my exterior front side marker lights and rear tail lights recnetly went out.

i looked for fuses but the one i had exepcted which was the tail light fuse in the cabin fusebox was fine. the lighting switch fuse in the engine bay blown so i had that replaced.

 

my radar detector which was wired to the same line as my lights will work again. originally it would work when i turned my lights on to the first click. but when the fuse blew, thats what tipped me off that my lights were out.

 

now that i replaced the fuse, the radar works, and the interior lights are on. but no exterior parking lights, or tail lights.

 

i ran a multi meter to test for voltage at the tail lights and i got a zero reading.

 

any ideas would be appreciated -i work at night and really need them to work again..

 

thanks

[muffman]

There may be a ground somewhere in the circuit.

 

Try putting the multimeter on the continuity setting (or resistance if it does not have continuity) and check between the positive connection for the bulbs and the ground.

 

If the positive has continuity/no resistance with the ground, there is a short somewhere.

 

***You might take a look at the wiring to the radar detector to see if there it is causing the problem***

Edited April 12, 2010 by muffman
Just thought of this

[greenleg88]

hmm..

 

the radar has been set up like this for over a year like this.. and is run in parralel so it shouldnt cause a short. at worst, id say, it just drew too much current and blew the fuse.

 

but i dont get why it ws the lighting switch fuse that blew. and not the tail light fuse that blew.

 

ill try that with the multimeter soon..

[muffman]

If you still have brake lights and turn signals, it could be a bad headlight switch.

[Fairtax4me]

I agree with the headlight switch. For some reason the parking light circuit is not receiving power or is being shorted. Check for power to the circuit at the switch.