1993 850 how to remove Taillight connectors? Stuck! Topic is solved

[JimBee]

I have the same car. If you're still on that project I have a tip. Make sure you use the same wattage bulbs in both sides and the same number of bulbs. For some reason there's a tab on my right side (brake) tail light housing that prevents insertion of a bulb. The hole is there and the socket plate calls for a 21 watt bulb and will accept one, but you can't fit a bulb through the plastic hole for that socket, so that brake light socket needs to be empty leaving you with only one brake light bulb.

The problem I had was, on the left side, bulbs could be used in both sockets so there were 2 bulbs used on that side. Plus some of the tail light and brake light bulbs were different wattages (26 w. and 21 w.). Apparently, you can use either BUT if the number of bulbs in both sides is NOT the same, and if the wattages are different, the fuse on that circuit will blow out, which is what was happening to me. I was crazy trying to find a short circuit and finally an indy clued me on the bulb matching thing.

BTW, on your left side, tucked below the tail light, there's a control module that all those back end wires plug into. If you're having a problem with rear lights, make sure the contacts on that are clean. That module is apparently what blows the fuse up front if the lights that plug into it are not properly balanced. Apparently that module is pretty stable, so it would be a last possibility. Later models continued to use it so you could find one at a PNP.

NAPA had the correct 21 watt bulbs. Other stores only had the 26 watt.