91 honda accord rear tail lights out

My headlights, brake lights and turn signals work but none of the back
running lights work. I had no idea until I was pulled over at night
by a cop. He only noticed me from several blocks away because I had
stopped at a stop sign.
Checked all the fuses inside and under hood- they’re good. There’s a
relay in the box under the hood called the lighting relay. If that’s
bad would it cause only the running lights to not work? That’s the
only one for lighting according to the lid diagram. Also checked bulb
sockets for bad pig tail.
Times almost up on my fix it ticket.

 

I suspect your combination switch (headlight switch) behind the steering
wheel.

Firstly, do the taillights work when you turn the headlight switch to
PARKING LIGHTS only? If so, the switch is faulty.

If they don't work in either position, backprobe the feed wire (the non-
black one) at the bulbs with the headlight switch turned to ON. If there is
no voltage, then you need to work your way upstream.

I don't have a wiring diagram for your Accord, so I can't tell you which
fuse controls that circuit. But it should say on the fuse box lid. If the
fuse is genuinely OK, you need to start multimetering the wires at the
combination switch connector.

You probably have four wires (not counting the fat white one) at the switch
connector. With the headlight switch turned to ON, all four colored wires
shuld have voltage. One will have voltage only when you pull back on the
switch to actvate the high beam flash-to-pass.

If one wire has no voltage at any time, then the switch is bad at that
contact. Try jumpering the dead wire to the white wire. Do the taillights
come on now? Then it's definitely the switch.

There are other circuits activated by the combination switch. check all the
other lights in and on the car carefully. Any dash lights out? Glove box
light? Front side marker lights?

 

Tegger,
Thanks for the fast reply! I didn’t even think about the switch.
They don’t come on in the either position. My son and I have checked
every fuse in both boxs they all look good - but for a few bucks I
might as well change them all out.
And yes, now the dash lights are out also. We’ll be getting out the
multimeter and checking wiring.
Thanks again for the info I’ll post with results.

Ter

 

I had a similar problem with my '88 Civic, the headlights worked but none of
the running lights worked. It turned out to be the head light switch in the
steering column. Instead of replacing it, I took it apart and polished the
contacts with some 400 grit wet/dry sand paper and lubed it with some
silicone grease. It's been working fine ever since and it's been about 6
years.

Eric

 

All sandpaper leaves microscopic bits of silica embedded in the
contacts, so it is verboten to use sandpaper, as the grains are
insulators, and abrasive.

We use a "point file" of metal, once very easy to find, for filing the
points in the distributor, which is like a metal fingernail file, small,
and fine grooves, for "polishing' the surfaces. It leaves no residue.

 

Found in buggy-whip sections of stores everywhere ;-)

I've had good results with Scotchbrite, that stuff that looks like the
scrubby side of kitchen sponges. Many hardware stores carry it in the paint
or sandpaper sections. For relay and switch contacts, a burnishing tool
(found at electronics supply stores) is best as it does not remove the
precious metal plating... but that is a whole different story.

Mike

 

hehe, I have my collection of point files in tool boxes, scattered over
two vehicles, and the shed, and the garage... My burnishing tool for
relays (issued to me in the Air Force) is a bit fragile.

 

<Steps in, Hijacking thread>

OK, so what version are you running, and are you using Pan for a reader?

I have SuSE 10.0 and 10.2 (10.2 with 3D Accel. and Beryl/Compiz). On a USB
HDD I have Ubuntu 7.04. Gave up on 6.10 and loaded (UGH) XP instead on
another fixed HDD.

 

that's right. scotchbrite is even worse.

 

What do you use when you have a "straight-in" approach only and need to
remove oxide?

 

swiss file. or even just scrape with a screwdriver.

to be honest, i've used abrasives in "quick fix" situations, especially
where i intend to replace down the road, but the info on abrasives is
correct - it's not good practice.

 

If you view all headers you would find...

User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.7 (X11/20060920)

 

What's a swiss file?

 

one of those little rat-tailed things.

http://bandsawblade.com/SimondsFiles/swisspattern.htm