1968 Taillights help

[cmacias24]

Hopefully you guys can help me with an issue I’m having with my taillights. I don’t have any parking lights; however, my brake lights, turn signals and emergency flashers work. Everything worked prior to sending my car out for paint but I’m having the hardest time figuring out what could be the problem. So far I’ve replaced the taillight harness that is part of the twilight housing, checked the ground, replaced the fuse ( same fuse as the headlights) and changed out the light switch. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Cesar


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[Ruppstang]

I would unplug the tail light harness and test the plug for power when you have selected park lights. At least you could see where the problem is.

 

[franklinair]

Power for the tail & parking lights comes from the Headlight switch. (Circuit #11 for the parking lights, circuit #14 for the tail lights & tag light)
There are two connectors behind the dash, on the left side. One feeds the front lights. The other connector feeds the tail lights.
Also- bear in mind the parking light power circuit goes through the same connector as the headlight Hi/Lo beam switch. It might be worth checking that connector for clean pins & sockets.
I would use a voltmeter or test light to checkout where the lights are losing power.
Hope this helps.

Neil

 

[cmacias24]

Thanks for the direction. I finally got a bit of free time today and decided to start with checking the connection that’s located on the kick panel and it looks like the harness that comes out of the dash area does have power. That said, it looks like the point of failure is somewhere in the harness that runs to the rear. I suspect that something got pinched when I put my interior back together. I’ll post an update once I track it down.

Thanks again,
Cesar


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[Ruppstang]

Do you have power at the rear plug to the tail light harness?

 

[cmacias24]

I didn’t get a chance to do that yet. I wanted to hold off on removing the number and rear panel until I can get an extra set of hands to help me out.


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[Ruppstang]

You should be able to reach that connection from the trunk.

 

[franklinair]

I just made an interesting discovery. The side Marker Lights don't come on unless the Ignition Switch is in the Run (or Acc) position. I'm going to check my other '68 to see if its the same. Anyone else find this quirk?

Neil

 

[stangfan]

My front side marker lights come on with the parking lights or headlights with no key in the ignition.

 

[franklinair]

Steve;
My GT/CS Marker lites come on with just the Headlite switch as well. My convertible is a Metuchen build as contrast to the San Jose build. Wiring should be the same for either plant. Go figure.

Neil

 

[cmacias24]

So here’s the latest on this taillight issue. I just replaced the harness that runs from the kick panel to the rear. While removing the old one, I discovered that it was pinched by the plate from the door hinge, which must have occurred when the car was being assembled at the body shop. That said, I got everything connected and still no taillights. Back when I got the car back from the shop the reverse lights kept blowing the fuse disconnected them and purchased the correct light bulbs but never installed them. So today I figured I’d get those installed as well. To my surprise when I turn on the head lights, the reverse lights turn on, instead of the taillights. I tripled checked the connectors by the kick panel and they are correct. Any suggestions?

Cesar


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[cmacias24]

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[Ruppstang]

Check your connections at the shifter.

 

[cmacias24]

Marty,
Are you referring to the reverse light switch connection or the shifter linkage? In other words, check to see if the park position has cleared the reverse location. For what it’s worth, I because of interior paint overspray, I’m unable to tell the color of the wire from the dash that feeds the rear harness, but the wire that get power is the red and black one instead of the solid black wire. I looked at some online wiring diagrams and the black wire on that connector is suppose to feed the taillights. Could it be that the harness has the wires flipped? Or could my headlight switch possibly be the culprit if my shifter connections check out fine?

-Cesar


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[Ruppstang]

The back up light wires are black with red stripe. I would up plug the rear harness under the dash and check that black/red wire with a test light to see if it lights there with the headlights.

 

[cmacias24]

Here’s the latest. The is the best picture of the car’s lead that feeds the rear. As you can see, two wires feed on connector and a single wire feeds the other. The two wire connector feeds the black and red wire from the rear harness, and the single wire feeds the black wire. For what’s it’s worth, the color of the single wire is a red and black, which kinda matches the reverse wire from the rear harness. That said, am I wrong to presume that the rear harness connectors are flipped at the connector? If yes, can I buy one of those tools that slide in and release the pins to correct it?

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[cmacias24]

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[cmacias24]

Last update. I flipped the pins and all is working well, as far as I can tell. Thanks for al you help!


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[Tequila]

Last update. I flipped the pins and all is working well, as far as I can tell. Thanks for al you help!


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Cesar,
Thanks for posting this. After troubleshooting for a few hours we noticed our lights were doing the same thing - Taillight and reverse lights backwards.

Thank you for posting the pictures and your findings. The wires are reversed on our harness at the plugs as well. Since everything is installed it is a pain to get to.

 

[Tequila]

Cesar,
Do you know if the wires are wrong on the taillight harness or the main harness? wondering because we could two powered wires that aren't supposed to be powered. Is the fix just a matter of flipping the wires on the taillight harness?

Thanks!