Dead Tail Lights SocketsDamien Civiello - Section Editor |
Click here to learn more about the Everyday Extended K-Car Family Mailing List. It ain't just Reliants!
The starting point |
When a list member has problems with his tail lights working poorly if at all he does some digging and discovers the problem.
Stan Writes |
I found a problem with the tail lights. Chrysler has a good "cheap" mechanical design....but a very poor electrical design which uses a thin phospher bronze spring to make the ground contact to the outer socket shell. In time air, moisture and heat build a layer of corrosion and the contact is lost. The bulb glows dully, there may be slow or no flashing of the tail-light, and limited ilumination of the break-light. I found this problem by taking a volt meter readings and found a 4.5 volt drop from the shell to ground. my repair was to remove the shell from the socket, file a clean spot onto the shell and then solder the ground wire to it. time was about 1/2 hour (I work slow). I don't recomend buying new sockets because the ones I found at the parts store, and dealer are constructed the same way, and you'll have the same problems.
