Hello all, new to the forum but not new to my car. Got a 2009 Lancer es sport, heres the issue below.
When I turn my lights on, (as in nighttime driving) the left rear brake lights/running don't light up, and the right does. When I brake though, they both light up fine. I seem to have a weird middle brake also, the LED one in my trunk. When brakes are touched, and everything lights up, the LED seems to be underpowered unless you tap it, in which it then "shorts" out and comes back brighter. I know that the right hand rear brake lights are ran up the right side of the car, and it seems that the middle LED is either T-fitted into the left rear tail lights wires, running up the left.


Before I start undoing things and making a mess, can anyone tell me if the middle LED is actually copper to copper T-fitted into the main left line? Or is it ran just with the main line.


Here is what ive tried/ ruled out.
1. New bulbs
2. Fuses all OK
3. Swapped the good harness from the right to the left, and still my right side lit up.
4. Used a light pen to test all connections in the brackets from the lightbulb socket all the way up until my steering wheel. The socket lights up, inside the socket lights up, and all connecting brackets light up.


My buddy, a mechanic, helped and said he thinks that im getting 3 positive and 1 negative sent to that light, where my good side is 2 and 2.


I HAVE NOT CHECKED VOLTAGES YET


Ending note,
I turned the lights on this morning, and they all worked. I get to work and notice that the light once again is out. I turn the car off, and lights off, turn the lights on and they work. Could me hitting a bump cause a short from a loose connection in the middle LED? im going to try unplugging the middle, and driving home with the lights on.
Any other advice/tips? I want to get this fixed ASAP so I don't have to pay a $120 ticket because the cops by me are horrible.
Thanks!

 

someone?

update- the left side nighttime running lights socket for where the bulb goes seems to rattle when you shake it with the bulb taken out, right side (the good side) also does but not as much. Could that be it?

 

You need to check powers and grounds at the light which is causing you the problem. Wiggle/pull the wires while testing. Use a multimeter to test the light itself. Make sure you are inserting the probes right, as it is a diode (only one way electrical flow) Test for continuity and hit/rattle the light. See if anything changes. If you have power and ground at the light (brake and tail are separate circuits) Put a 30 watt bulb or so and power it up. Does it stay lit? If not, you have some corrosion or loose connection which cannot handle loads. Although LED's do not load much, it may be a intermittent loose connection. Good luck.

 

thanks for responding. Power and ground both light up with a dummy pen, and seem good. The problem happens once in a while, I was able to have the light stay on for a bit while working on it. I ended up lightly pulling the wires and gently hitting the connectors from the light itself up to my driver side interior fusebox, and the light never came off. But when I started the car after, the light has been off since last night into this morning.
Sorry if its confusing, but the only LED I have is my middle light in the trunk, the tail lights and bulbs themselves are the stock setup. To add, the problem bulb seems to be the tails, although the whole assembly goes out, my brake lights do work. I will turn my switch on for nighttime lights, the right assembly lights up and the left does not, but the brake light will work.
Hope this helps

 

bump ts, bump bump ts, bump, ts, bump bump ts

 

Here is a schematic. You just have to wiggle wiring or duplicate it to find the issue. Could be slight corrosion in connectors or loose pins.

 

after looking at the schematic. Since you didn't say that the license plate light is going out, then you can eliminate connector D14 or splice S065. Check the light connector and inside the light itself.

 

do you know the part number for the connector? in case I have to order a new one.
If I were to order a new end piece (where the light bulb goes into), how is a new one attached to existing wires?

 

No idea what the part number is or even if you can get it. Sometimes manufacturers will only sell the whole harness. Plus, if the problem is a loose connection, then you need new pins. And, to do that you will need special crimpers. Sounds like you may need someone to have a look at it for you.

 

Well, I took it to my local shop, who the owner is a family friend. My family has always taken their cars to him and hes great. He didn't see what the problem was, and said if anything it is the connector itself, or the whole left tail light harness. Now, to add,


I did notice it happens more when it rains than when it isn't raining. Does that help at all?

 

Yes, it may be a poor connection when it rains. Best thing to do is put a multimeter on the light socket, measure voltage. Spray down any connnections that are normally exposed to water and wiggle connections and wires. See when the voltage fluctuates.