need assistance with a taillight

ceegeejeepin · **Joined:** Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:49 am **Posts:** 6

My left rear taillight quit working a few days ago. it works when i apply the brake but does light when the lights are turned on. The fuse was good and I replaced the bulb even though it looked okay also. I really need some help on this and I apologize if it is posted elswhere. I really did try to look for the answer before posting this on several different jeep forums.
Here is what I am dealing with in case it's an issue.
2005 jeep liberty renegade pretty much completely stock and it came with the towing package so nothing has been changed electrically in that regard.
I don't know if I just have a short in one of the wires leading to the light but I wouldn't even know where to begin to find it as it looks like i would have to completely remove the rear bumper to trace it.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as I really don't want to take it to jeep for something that is hopefully easily fixed.
Thank you

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 8:33 pm

Im alittle confused by what problem youre having.

You said, "My left rear taillight quit working a few days ago. it works when i apply the brake but does light when the lights are turned on."

So it works when you apply the brake but also comes on when when you have 'the lights' on?

If thats just worded strange and the left tail light isnt working, start by checking the ground at that light with a multi-meter.

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 9:03 pm

did you replace the right bulb? aren't there 2 back there. One for the brakes, one for the running lights.

ceegeejeepin · **Joined:** Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:49 am **Posts:** 6

sorry about that. what i meant was that it functions when i hit the brake but in regular "running" mode it doesn't light. The bulb only works when i hit the brakes. I pulled the wires out a bit and it looks like one of them corroded pretty badly so that may be the problem. dumb question but when checking for ground on that which plug would be the ground. there are 5 of them and I don't have a wiring diagram.

fdems · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 9:22 pm

That happened to me the harness got coroded, I could'nt readily find another harness so i just matched the wires ( that were corroded)and cut them from the harnesses ( I then cleaned, electric greased and sealed the harness ) and connected them together . I used crimping type connectors and sealed in electrical tape, They work fine now and I never had a problem it's been a year and a half and they are still holding up great. Water can easily find it way into the harness so I put weatherstripping on the back of the light so I get a nice seal from the outside elements,hope it helps.

ceegeejeepin · **Joined:** Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:49 am **Posts:** 6

Thanks. That does help actually. it's always nice to know that it has happened to someone else also.

One question though. Was the dealer not able to get you a new harness?

fdems · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:39 am

I went to one dealer and got frustrated it was in the bronx the guy had no clue, I'm sure if I went to my local guy he could get it. It will take time time to reinstall so give it a shot if you'd like, but this works well and is simple It's the same thing a harness does but a little harder to take apart. Then again how many tomes do you switch out whole tailights..

supermanwv · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:12 am

The same thing happened to me about a week ago, and the dealer said it was a problem with the multi switch in the console and replaced the whole thing. So far that problem hasn't come back. Then a few days after that, my front and rear left side running lights would only come on when the brake pedal was pressed. This seemed very odd to me, as they wouldn't turn on at all when the switch was turned on. Come to find out, a blown fuse caused this problem. The dealership couldn't explain why it caused this problem....but it did, is all they could say.

So your problem could be either of those two.

I'd have them check the console multi switch first....they didn't even question mine...they just said that is what it was before investigating, and replace it the next morning.

Clark (SupermanWV)

ceegeejeepin · **Joined:** Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:49 am **Posts:** 6

I may have to look into the multi switch also.

I went to my local dealership today (where I bought the vehicle also) and I was a bit put off by their attitude.

anyway they said I would have to order the entire harness (which he said runs to both sides of the vehicle) apparently you can't just purchase the 4-6 foot section that is actually having the problem.

Oh well I will begin working on it saturday morning.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:50 am

I would place more money in the MultiFunction switch being bad than you actually having a short in the wiring.

The only way you could short the electical harness would be if you drilled into it with a screw, submerged your KJ and didn't dry it out or had a mouse chew through the harness. Of course a short would also trip the fuse block too...

A bad or corroded connection would cause the light to not activate though. Try cleaning the contacts for the brake light or head to the dealer for a new multifunction switch.

ceegeejeepin · **Joined:** Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:49 am **Posts:** 6

another dumb question but is the multi function switch something that could be easily replaced by myself or does it require the whole dashboard being removed?

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

.......

ceegeejeepin · **Joined:** Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:49 am **Posts:** 6

awesome thank you so much.

One last question. Where is the best place to get the FSM? I asked the dealership and I cannot remember exactly what they said but the gist of it was that I couldn't get it from them.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

https://techauthority.gltghosting.com/w ... ogId=10051
or
800-890-4038
for hard-copy FSM (the actual book) You can get CDs of FSMs too but I don't know where.

Just realized that's also a good place to find TSBs.

need assistance with a taillight

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