Hey guys, a bit of a wiring nightmare my '74 maverick is, my tail-lights are not working what so ever, apply the brake peddle and nothing happens, nor when I turn on my headlights, they don't work then either, nor do any of my running lights, just my headlights. Also, turn signals don't work, well, the lights on the dash flash on and off but they are not working on the car. I'm at a loss here, I have replaced all the bulbs and checked the connections for them but no dice. Have any suggestions on where to start? I have a testing light and some other eletrical stuff but I'm not real good with any of it. Thanks again guys.
Check all grounds and possibly replace the headlight switch. I have seen and heard of weird things like you are describing happening because bad grounds or a bad headlight switch - you'd be amazed how much stuff runs through/uses the headlight switch to operate in these cars. These were just some ideas, maybe others can jump in with more advice. -Corbin
Thanks I'll give that a whirl, forgot to add that the dash lights (like for night driving, all the idiot lights work and the turn signal indicators work) also don't work.
Could also possily your turn signal switch. I have had a very similar problem before and that was the culprit.
Also check your ignition switch. This happened to my truck. It took me a couple of days to figure that one out.
yah I'll have to figure it out, I was hoping to rewire the whole car this summer cause the kid who own it before me spliced abunch of wires to rig a stereo, and there are alot of mystery wires hanging under the dash that I have no idea what they do. I rigged something together for now so hopefully I don't get pulled over, lol. Thanks again everyone
Do you have power at the rear lights? Good grounds won't do you any good if the power is being interupted or shorted.
seems like the whole rear of the car doesn't have power and the running light circuit isn't working either, the only time it works is when the hazzards are on then the front turn signal lights work and the passenger side tail light works, I dunno, I hope to just rewire the car this summer, 30 some odd year old wiring is driving me nuts
Put a volt meter positive lead on the wire to the tail lights with the lights turned on and ground the the negative lead from the volt meter. If there is no voltage there then try it with the bulb out. if you still don't get any power on the meter then you need to look for a broken wire in the harness. (you could just splice in a test wire to see if that will make it work)
also check thesocket conection at the tile light wife's 74 has a habit of getting a bad spot and we have to move around for the ground to work.brakes,blinkers,and tail lights don't work when this happens.its worth a shot
LEGATO76 The first i would check is for bad fuses in the fuse box . Use your test light make sure you have good fuses in the box by touching the fuse on both ends of the fuse if the test light works on both ends of the fuse the fuse is good.( as i recall if your dash light don't work your tail will not work they are on the same circut ) If this is all good then you will need to get at the head light switch with your test light make sure you have power into the switch then out of the switch . If not replace the switch . Also GROUNDS are the most important part of the systems... make sure there are clean and thight . I hope the former owner didn't chop the wiring to bad . hope this little bit helps JAY
Thanks guys, I'll give it shot this weekend, and I'll use my dads voltage meter as well, hopefully I can get something working by the end of the weekend, not safe with not brake lights
