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taillight and parking lights dont work

Started by Brightyellow69rtse, August 20, 2017, 10:05:19 PM

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Brightyellow69rtse

i noticed it when i got outta the car today. the brake lights work and directionals work both front and rear. headlights work but no tails or parking lights. anyideas before i go looking for it tomorrow after work?

Nacho-RT74

Check fuses!

Otherwise, switch related. Do you have cluster lights?
Venezuelan RT 74 400 4bbl, 727, 8.75 3.23 open. Now stroked with 440 crank and 3.55 SG. Here is the History and how is actually: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7603.0/all.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25060.0.html

Brightyellow69rtse

Quote from: Nacho-RT74 on August 21, 2017, 06:21:33 AM
Check fuses!

Otherwise, switch related. Do you have cluster lights?

nacho i checked the fuses in the glove box and their all good. i dont think my guage cluster has ever worked that i can remember. i know the dimmer broke a while ago. the e brake light comes on if i hit the ebrake but thats prolly it. the brake lights work as well as the front amd rear directionals. but the parking lights up front and the tails do not.

i normally wouldnt care as i dont drive the car at night but i gotta pass inspection. usually they dont check it cuse they like the car but i really dont wanna go in without working lights.

Nacho-RT74

Well, the cluster dimmer lights are sourced from the parking lights circuit spliced as far I recall on 2gens from the same headlights switch plug ( rear parking output )

If wires are all good, I think the switch could came to death, what it could be somehow truth, because on 2nd gens the rear and fronts parkings circuit are sourced from diff prongs due the 68 setup turns them off as soon headlights are turned on. 69/70s just got a jumper wire between front and rears at plug to change this using same existant switch.

So, or the input wire is loosen or damaged somewhere between fuse box and switch or the switch itself is gone
Venezuelan RT 74 400 4bbl, 727, 8.75 3.23 open. Now stroked with 440 crank and 3.55 SG. Here is the History and how is actually: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7603.0/all.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25060.0.html

Brightyellow69rtse

Quote from: Nacho-RT74 on August 21, 2017, 07:25:18 PM
Well, the cluster dimmer lights are sourced from the parking lights circuit spliced as far I recall on 2gens from the same headlights switch plug ( rear parking output )

If wires are all good, I think the switch could came to death, what it could be somehow truth, because on 2nd gens the rear and fronts parkings circuit are sourced from diff prongs due the 68 setup turns them off as soon headlights are turned on. 69/70s just got a jumper wire between front and rears at plug to change this using same existant switch.

So, or the input wire is loosen or damaged somewhere between fuse box and switch or the switch itself is gone


is there a way i could make a jumper or something to kinda bypass the dimmer to see if thats it?

Nacho-RT74

Yes, but If the parking lights source is not feeding, then the jumper wire will do nothing on cluster lights.
Venezuelan RT 74 400 4bbl, 727, 8.75 3.23 open. Now stroked with 440 crank and 3.55 SG. Here is the History and how is actually: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7603.0/all.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25060.0.html

Brightyellow69rtse

i dont care about the cluster lights. i only drive the car during the day and all my guages dont work anyway haha. do you know what i would need to jump or can i wire in a seperate switch or something to get it to work?

Nacho-RT74

Well, we still dunno what's wrong yet, wiring or switch, but if the switch why not to do the things right?

Affordable option:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291998610595

( if you don't drive the car at nights won't need parking or any lights either LOL )
Venezuelan RT 74 400 4bbl, 727, 8.75 3.23 open. Now stroked with 440 crank and 3.55 SG. Here is the History and how is actually: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7603.0/all.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25060.0.html

Nacho-RT74

Ok, lets trace the wiring

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/69ChargerA.JPG
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/69ChargerB.JPG

Locate the switch on A diagram. You'll find a black traced wire which feeds just the headlights from amm wiring and a pink wire coming from fusebox which feeds the parking and cluster circuit.

Thats same pink wire is spliced there to a gray wire ( per diagram ) to feed the clock.

Dunno if you have clock but if not, wire must be hanging around on dash harness so could be easier to check for that. If you have clock and works, then it means the pink wire wiring is being feeded. What doesn't mean the switch is still getting the power because could be loosen at plug.

Check if you have power on that gray wire or straight onto pink wire at headlights plug

If you have power there, then switch is not working for the parking/cluster system

If you don't have power there, then even fuse shows like is good, maybe is still open inside hidden by caps ( it happens ).... or wiring on back of fusebox for it is damaged. Or fuse clips are dirty or corroed.

If switch is damaged, well I gave you a rebuilt service option. Better than hack the cluster or wiring, don't you think?

What you suggested will require two switches to get you lighting working instead just one. Doesn't seems to me a logic proceed.


Venezuelan RT 74 400 4bbl, 727, 8.75 3.23 open. Now stroked with 440 crank and 3.55 SG. Here is the History and how is actually: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7603.0/all.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25060.0.html

Nacho-RT74

Switch gets two output wires, both black ( with a jumper on 69/70 not on 68 thought per what I mentioned previouslly )


Originally what makes switch is ( per diagram ):
One black to feed rear parking light system

The other black feeds front parking system AND cluster dimmer wheel.

I guess 68s gets the dimmer wheel amd side markers sourced from rear output, not front, but 69/70 being jumped, doesn't really matter.

I don't like what you suggested and there is an affordable option without need to get a new switch ( available now ) as I posted, but if you STILL want to hack it, just need to remove the pink wire from headlights switch, or splice a wire from there ( or use the clock wire ) to source a new switch

The new extra switch will source the black wires existant on headlight plug. Since they are jumped somewhere, sourcing one of them should be enough.

You can also splice this added switch output anywhere into the parking lights system... bulkhead, kick panel rear harness. Should feed all the system the same.
Venezuelan RT 74 400 4bbl, 727, 8.75 3.23 open. Now stroked with 440 crank and 3.55 SG. Here is the History and how is actually: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,7603.0/all.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25060.0.html