Hello everybody! Real newbie here. I'm a 17 year-old working on a 40-year old's dream haha! But a while ago i bought a 1974 Mercury Comet (Possible GT) from a sad barn off the side of the freeway and rebuilt the drive train almost completely and have since put about 7,000 miles on the stock 302 engine with a new Weiand and Holley setup in the past 4 months. (Happy to be a motor guy! ) Anyways, recently i drove the car up to Pomona and back (about 120 miles of freeway driving total) and i think i may have rattled the car to hell. The turn signals have ceased to work at all and the rear passenger side brake light refuses to work when i press on the brakes. Also, the drivers side front parking light no longer works, and neither do the reverse lights. Sadly when it comes to the electrical aspect of cars, im somewhat of a goner ... Here are the different scenarios. -During the daytime i press on the brake pedal and only one light comes on the rear (Drivers side) -At night, when i turn on the running lights both rear lights come on, but only the drivers side light gets brighter when i press the brake pedal. -The turn signals refuse to work at all. Neither in the dashboard or outside the car. I removed the switch and cleaned the contacts without any luck. -The emergency hazards *DO* work. (Except for the passenger side rear light) -When placing the car in reverse, there are no reverse lights whatsoever. And on a side note, when turning on the dashboard lights only the outer lights work on the gauge. The 2 lights closest to the center of the dash panel never seem to turn on. Only on special occasions to they turn on and i havent been able to figure out why they refuse to work. Does anybody have any ideas as to how to fix these lighting issues? All of the fuses have power to both ends and none of them are blown. I've also tried replacing the flasher can thing to no avail. I have the wiring diagrams but i am so lost with all these lines that im not sure what to do!
I'm actually down here in a little town called Temecula/Murrieta. Haha. I drive this car every day so if you're in the area you'll definitely be able to single me out lol. Only Mercury Comet ive seen like it within 30 miles lol. But i drove it to Pomona and back and that is when i noticed all these strange electrical issues started showing up.
Cool, I know some people there. Also have friends in Menifee and Sun City. There are some knowledgeable people here, but it's late, so you'll probably get some responses tomorrow. Good Luck!
Thank you! I really appreciate the welcome! Glad to be here and I'm sure i can come to a conclusion with this with a little help from the people on this forum. These wiring charts are slightly ridiculous haha, so im hoping somebody can help me out.
clean your ground wies where they attach and start changing bulbs 1157 is the number for the ones with 2 contacts( the silver prongs on the bottom of the bulb brake-turn signals) 1156 for the single contacts
Sounds like a combination of problems. As already said go through and clean each of the grounds and check all the bulbs. As far as the cluster lamps, remove the cluster and replace the bad bulbs. While you are at it might as well replace them with the w5w bulbs to increase brightness.
It seems like most of the grounds are at the turn signal switch, connected to the ignition switch. Is that the one I should go try to clean first? And i guess i'll go about buying new bulbs as well. They can't be too expensive. Which bulbs go in the reverse lamps as well as the parking lights?
Reverse lamps are 1156 Parking/Turn lamps are 1157, if your front lenses are clear you will need to get 1157NA amber bulbs.
Okay well i bought all new bulbs and it seems like i fixed the front parking light issue. But i still have turn signals that to not work, along with a passenger side brake light that refuses to turn on when i press the brakes.
i have the same problem witn my brakes and turn signals i went out and bought a new turn signal switch but that didnt work and the bulbs work you might want to check the brake switch
okay, i will check the brake switch then next. Where do i find a new turn signal switch and brake switch though.? All the ones ive seen cost well over $150. is there somewhere i can get one a little cheaper then that? Also, i still need to check the grounds... Although, i do not know where all the grounds go to for the lights and turn signals. Does anybody know where the grounds are? Because the turn signals do not work, inside or out of the car. I don't even here the faint little "Tick" anymore.
like you im 17 and no nothing about wiring but the turn switch i got was 130 only to find out that wasnt it but the brake switch i do not no my brother just told me to check it out all he told me was its a pain to get to.
