No tail lights

The connector in the trunk looks perfect. Pulled it off and cleaned the connectors. Wiggled them around. Nothing. Tried to read the pins but cant find any 12v pins...... all of them have strange sub 12v readings. Does anyone know the wire for the parking/tail lights?
 
My taillights would randomly stop working blowing the fuse. The problem was a chafed power wire through the radiator core support to the Front bumper light.

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Have not found any blown fuses yet.

The 194 bulbs have a black and dark brown wire. Is the brown the positive wire?
 
If you want to start up under the dash, here is the pin-out of C209. This connector is on the left side of the fuse block, and is vertical:

C209

D - YEL LH brake/turn
E - DK GRN RH brake/turn
F - TAN/BRN tail & license plate lights
G - LT GRN backup lights
H - PNK fuel level gauge sender
J - LT BLU 3rd brake light
K - COPPER fuel pump
L - ORG +12 volts for pwr Locks, vanity mirror & trunk light (cig/clock fuse)
M - TAN LH jamb switch for key warning
N - WHT interior lights (courtesy)
P - BLK seat belt switch

RemoveBeforeFlight
 
Trunk connector pin-out (C320):

C320 (LH rear of trunk)

A - YEL LH Brake/Turn lights
B - DK GRN RH Brake/Turn lights
C - BRN Tail & marker lights
D - LT GRN Backup lights
E - PNK Fuel Level sender
F - LT BLU High Level Brake lights
G - TAN/WHT Fuel Pump feed
H -

I haven't verified these yet.

RemoveBeforeFlight
 
RmvBfrFlght: If I put 12v to the C brown wire........assume I should get the tail lights to power up. If the wires downstream are still good. What I mean is run a test wire with 12v directly to the C brown wire. Should this work? If it does I dont have to mess with the taillight wiring harness. Problem will be further upstream.
 
I had this problem years ago but the main thing I remember was the fuse box had move out a little not making contact on that fuse.I cannot remember if the fuse box housing is two piece but I pushed on it and heard a click and the lights worked from then on.I had done like you and been alover the wiring in the trunk checking grounds,connections etc.with no results.Try that and see if it helps.
 
87BuickT said:
RmvBfrFlght: If I put 12v to the C brown wire........assume I should get the tail lights to power up. If the wires downstream are still good. What I mean is run a test wire with 12v directly to the C brown wire. Should this work? If it does I dont have to mess with the taillight wiring harness. Problem will be further upstream.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can do that. Power up the brown wire at the trunk connector, if the tail lights work, that area of the harness is OK.

Can then reconnect the trunk connector and apply 12 volts to terminal F (BRN/WHT) of the fuse box connector. This will be the connector end that has the wires in it. Those wires run through the plastic wiring conduit that is under the door sill plate.

RemoveBeforeFlight
 
Pushed on the fuse box to make sure it is seated......looks to be in there all the way.
Just ran a 12v test wire to the Brown C connector in the trunk. ALL the lights came on but NO Turn signals....NO Hazards.....NO Brake lights. The front turn signals are still working. When I say all the lights....I am referring to the 2057 and 194 bulbs.

Assume this is normal since I dont have the rest of the wiring harness hooked up.

Been a while since I have seen a normal tail light set up. What should be on when I turn the lights on? Should all the 194 and 2057 be on?
 
Last edited:
I had this happen but it was my brake lights. Come to find out one of the brake/tail light bulbs had a filament blown and was arcing on the good filament. Basically they have two filaments, one for brake and one for tail light in each bulb, and one had blown and was shorting on the other filament causing failure of my all brake lights. Replaced bulb and all good. Strangest thing. Check your bulbs.
 
Looks like your almost to the problem, since applying 12 volts at the connector in the trunk brown wire gave you taillights. Check the same brown wire, but right after fuseblock under the dash for 12 volts with taillights turned on.

If it has 12 volts than the break in wire is between the dash and trunk.

I just chased this same issue on my car. Everything else worked but taillights. I found a splice in the brown wire that wasn't factory, fixing that fixed the lights.

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The headlight switch uses seperate contacts for the running lights,and the headlights.It might not be making contact for the running lights.
 
Turbotre said:
The headlight switch uses seperate contacts for the running lights,and the headlights.It might not be making contact for the running lights.
Click to expand...
His front marker lights are working, so more than likely it's between C209 and the trunk connector. Applying 12v at F in connector C209 will eliminate that section if he gets light, if not it's farther upstream. good luck !
 
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