Lights won't work

[AlabamaShrimp]

Anyone know why, with what look like undamaged wires, my back lights won't work?

 

 

This is all that could be seen once I'd removed the Fiesta from the back of it and it looks like this behind

 

 

Plugged in the new one I got from ebay and still nothing. All the fuses look OKso anyway any idea what it could be?

[Timewaster]

Have you checked for power or just plugged the light in?

 

Blown bulbs from the impact?

[Richard]

Stupid question- does the new one actually have bulbs in it?

[overrun]

Check for power and if OK, replace bulbs.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Don't know how to check for power without plugging one of the lights in and yeah they both have bulbs, none of them look blown.

 

Edit: I do have a multimeter to check the power if thats what I need to use but I don't really know what I'm doing with it.

[bub2006]

Set it to volts 20 on dial. Turn lights on, reverse lights, hazards etc. Put black wire to earth and red lead to each pin on multiple in turn. Should be showing power.

[AlabamaShrimp]

OK. Is the earth just touching it to the car body?

[bub2006]

Exposed metal would work, bolt head, door hinge etc

[AlabamaShrimp]

Well assuming I used it right (black lead on to the wheel and then the tail gate hinge) I'm not getting any power.

 

Maybe there's some hidden switch or fuse that might have tripped. Rung an auto electrician, left a message for him to ring back....

 

Thanks for the help so far

[PhilA]

I spy a ScotchLok. Does it have a trailer hitch and electrics? Check that didn't get jarred and/or shorted out. Might have blown a fuse.

 

Lights on the left still work fine? Number plate lights?

 

Phil

[xtriple]

'd put money on a fuse has become upset when the bulbs got wacked and has blown. Check simple things first has always been my motto

[Timewaster]

Front sidelights working?

[bub2006]

If you have ignition on and lights elsewhere lit up then it's a fault somewhere between. As mentioned above if you have front sidelights out it will be a fuse, if you have a full compliment of lights bar the back end on that corner then I'd be checking you have definitely got a good earth point else no circuit then go through the scotch locks.

[AlabamaShrimp]

To answer above it does have a tow hook, I've pulled a few relevant fuses and they all look OK but I'll do the rest to be sure. I did check that non were loose.

 

Have the hazards working on the front it can't remember if the side lights work, will try that in a bit.

 

I guess the earth wire will be just inside screwed to the body. As some trim is missing I'll have a see if it's fallen off.

[bub2006]

If you are using a bolt or hinge to check power it should not matter if the earth is connected near the light.

[billyboy406v6]

3 & 44

[Dippy]

Many years ago i learnt the lesson of checking a fuse with a multimeter as with a visual check it looked ok and after lots of head scratching i got somebody to have a look for me when he quickly found the blown fuse which looked good visualy.

I looked a prat but larned my lesson.

[AlabamaShrimp]

How do you check a fuse with a multimeter? I mean what setting do you have it on?

[Timewaster]

ohms or a bell sign.

Most meters have a setting that bleeps if you put the leads together.

 

Also, take the fuses out to check them.

Putting a meter across the fuse box can give false readings.

[noseypoke]

Have you got a test lamp?? (if not an old/spare bulb holder) if you've got no soldering iron do the following.....take a length of wire...strip the insulation off both ends(about an inch will do) fold over the bare wire at one end so it sits tight in between the bulb(a good one) and bulb holder(down the side of the bulb) TURN IGNITION ON.

Hold the bulb+holder with the bulb contact(BASE) to one side of the fuse(in position in fuse box) and touch the other end of the wire to the opposite side of the fuse.....THE BULB SHOULD LIGHT......if it don't your fuse is fucked

Check the bulb your using by doing the same on your battery ...bulb base to live...hanging lead to neg/earth.

                                                        

I'm surmizing your car is still driving and you don't have a cut off switch that kills everything on the event of a shunt.

[AlabamaShrimp]

I don't have a test light and the car starts and drives fine so I know there's no cut off.

 

Didn't get chance to have a go at it again tonight so will try it all tomorrow.

[Junkman]

That septic chod has fusible links, which were made in Detroit by the devil.

If you don't even know what an electrical circuit is, don't even try. Wait for the 1-800-autoelectrician.

[UltraWomble]

It has a 12N socket - Autoshite repair would be:

 

Zip tie a £9.99 trailer board to the rear bumper

[AlabamaShrimp]

Well above sounded like a good option but I though I'd give it another go today.

 

Moved some wires that are just behind the light in the back of the car then plugged in the old set of lights and bugger me it sort of worked!

 

No brakes, indicator or reverse but it did have lights and fog working. Messed with the bulbs and the break light filament was broken (but wasn't yesterday) and I changed the indicator build and it all worked. Must just have been a bad connection in either that wire or two loose bulbs. Anyway new lens on and all working good.

 

 

Thanks everyone for all your help

[Noel Tidybeard]

u iz a lectrishan