running lights do not come on *taillights*

[allforrevenge]

all my bulbs in my 74 work, my backups emergency and turn signals do as well and 6 lights in the rear work, as well  as my dims and brights BUT MY tail lights do not come on with my head lights? why do my headlights come on  but not my tails

[Nacho-RT74]

you mean they work on parking switch position and then turn off when beams on ? or do never work with the siwtch on cluster on any position ?

[allforrevenge]

ok that was not very clear, my rear taillights never come on when the headlights do, all the bulbs work fine, the turn signals, and back up lights come on, but never  do they come on and stay on when the headlights are on like when im driving at night i have no tailings!!! brake lights do come on.

[Charger-Bodie]

ok that was not very clear, my rear taillights never come on when the headlights do, all the bulbs work fine, the turn signals, and back up lights come on, but never  do they come on and stay on when the headlights are on like when im driving at night i have no tailings!!! brake lights do come on.

i think the question Natco is trying to ask is , have you checked to see if youre tailights work when the headlight switch is in the parklight position . it is common for the headlight switch when faulty will work the headlights but not the tail lights.also have you checked all the fuses?

[Nacho-RT74]

if you NEVER get ( on any position ) the running lights, also known as PARKING lights you can have two problems... faulty switch or blown fuse. Maybe even some fail at switch plug

If you have parking lights on but they come off whem beams on then definitelly is switch. I never have seen this kind of fail but that is one of the interpretations I can get from your fisrt reply

[allforrevenge]

ok the tail lights just never come on with the headlights when i pull the knob out to turn on my lights for night driving my rear lights never come on, only my brake lights when i tap the brakes and my turn signals.  headlights work, taillights never come on in park position or driving or with brights on.

[Nacho-RT74]

So you don't have either front parking lights. Check for fuses. If alll are good, check for plug at switch. It could get a burnt spot because loose and heavy consumption, however normally the heavier consumption is the terminal that feeds the beams. if everything does look good, then should it be the switch.

Light switch drives 4 inputs:
one ground throught chassis to feed the dome light
One positive from one fuse to the cluster light
One positive from fuse box to parking lights
One positive direclty from charging wiring ( no fuse on it ) to beams

[allforrevenge]

all the fusses are fine but i replaced most anyway because i had some when i bought the car in the glove box haha, but the bottom lights under the bumper do not come on either, i have not checked the bulbs, but im not to worried about those just yet i really need to get these taillights to come on with my driving/parking lights....do u  know were i can find the switch so i can find the the plug and check it in my 74 S/E?   o  and thanks for all the help so far nacho, i got my turn signals working by following some of your advice in another thread haha i replaced the flashers! but yea i have to get these damn taillights to com on!!!

[allforrevenge]

i dont know if this will help you to help me figure out the problem  but here is what lights do not come oin
cluster light as in no lights work on my gauges only the indicator light for brights (i have the brown ralley gauge cluster)
by square lights on the bottom guess these are parking lights
and taillights when head lights are on

[Nacho-RT74]

I think parts dealer have still stock of those... at least down here in Venezuela I can find them EVEN ON GAS STATION STORES.

ebay is a good source too, but you will have to pay shipping.

several resto dealers as paddock, year one too

[Nacho-RT74]

ok, these are the functions on HL switch:

first position: should turn on rear lights, sidemarkers, license plate light, front parking lights. Also cluster lights ( with shifter and accesories ) but controled by turning the knob what is the dimmer.

Second position: everthing keeps the same on but now with front beams

You are able to turn on the dome light on any lights switch position, including off, turning to top of dimmer function since is driven by ground.

fuse that drives the cluster is the number 5
fuse that drives the parking lights etc... is the same as cigar lighter and glove box. Number 4
no fuse to beams

[Nacho-RT74]

ooops i found neither Year One or Paddock have it anymore... but sure Napa will do

[Nacho-RT74]

Couple of options:

http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=MPE&PartNumber=HL6571SB&Description=Headlight+Switch
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=ECH&PartNumber=HL6571&Description=Headlight+Switch



search first at your local stores... sure will have it

standart and rally cluster use the same

[allforrevenge]

thanks so much man! i don't know what i did but i lost my brake lights haha! ok so the switch is located behind the knob?

[Nacho-RT74]

I loose oftenly those too... my pedal brake switch is coming bad. Napa also carries them. becarefull, a brake pedal switch coming bad can cause a short. I got that a day in the past but wasn't enought to blow the switch so started to melt the fuse box at fuse clip area.

Headlight knob is a rod that inserts on switch. Swithc does have a small button on backing plate/bracket that you need to press to be able to pull out and release the knob/rod assembly from switch. Then you'll find the nut that keeps the switch attached to cluster

[allforrevenge]

what is the best way to take the cluster off?

[Nacho-RT74]

If you think you need to take the cluster off to remove the headlight switch that's not necessary. You can do it from down the dash...tight room but posible. Only need to get with hand the switch to the knob release button. Nut is in front of cluster.

Harness headlight pigtail is enough long to be able to see the switch below the dash once loosen from cluster and remove from plug.

[allforrevenge]

found switch its 19.99  us$ to replace, they had to order, however the only thing i messed with were the fusses and now my brake lights do not come on!!!! what is the fuse for the break lights? they did work, i messed with the fusses now they dont!

[Nacho-RT74]

do you have hazzards and dome light ? they shares same fuse than brakes... #3

[allforrevenge]

yea hazzard and dome lights work, i now have the taillights and headlights working together and cluster, brake lights stoped working!

[Nacho-RT74]

check pedal switch, wires and white wire coming into turning signal switch ( is the same coming from pedal switch )

[70charger_boy]

I just had this happen to my charger.  I'm not sure about the 3rd gens, but The problem that I found on my car was that the bonding strap wasn't bolted on.  Mine, was located under the hood, dangling next to the oil filter.  It is a silver strap with a round head.  I bolted it to the firewall and I get tailights now.

[Nacho-RT74]

70 is basically the 3rd gen experiment...then they went better on 71 LOL

seriouslly, 70 lights functions are basically half the same than 3rd gens

[70charger_boy]

70 is basically the 3rd gen experiment...then they went better on 71 LOL

seriouslly, 70 lights functions are basically half the same than 3rd gens

So, do you guys have that bonding strap I'm talking about?  I can take pics, Tuesday

[Nacho-RT74]

between engine and firewall.

at least on 73/74