1980 244DL Electrical

[Jtreehorn]

Problem #1: The "light out" indicator on my dash is consistently on, all the time, regardless of whether or not I have working bulbs in all my sockets or not.

Problem #2: My back-up lights do not work (may be causing problem #1).

Any suggestions?

[Guest]

Here is what I posted to someone else with a similar problem. I hope this helps:

My 1986 740 GLE suffers from the recurring "No Bulb" light. Here are some tips to try:

1. The brake light bulbs have dual filiments, one for tail light and one for brake light. These bulbs can sometimes degenerate, causing voltage leaks between circuits. If your bulbs have been in for some time, I would suggest replacing both for good measure.

2. The bulb holders have metal tabs that make contact with the printed circuit metal on the taillight assembly. Over time, these contacts become deformed and corroded. If the problem persists after replacing the bulbs, then do the following; Polish the tabs with steel wool to remove any corrosion; bend the tabs slightly away from the bulb holder to allow greater contact force; lube the tab surfaces with silicone (dielectric) grease.

3. Be sure the check your electrical connections in the trunk, including the ground wire for integrity. Lubing them with silicone grease won't hurt, either.

This was a continuous problem with my 740 when I bought the car. I think it was one of the many little problems that convinced the previous owner to sell the car to me for cheap. Once I did the above, the problem went away. From time to time, however, the bulb warning light will come on again. I have narrowed this to one bulb holder than looses connection with vibration over time. I just wiggle that holder around in the socket and problem goes away for awhile.

I hope this helps you out. Let us know what you find.

[Jtreehorn]

Thanks. I've actually bought new bulb holders for my taillights, and have gone ahead and just replaced all of them in the hopes that I would correct the problem. This worked for awhile, but now the 'bulb out' light is back on.

You know how those bulb holders twist and lock into position? Well I noticed that there is some corrosion that makes it hard to twist all the way into place. I'll try brushing that with some steel wool to improve the conection and then slather the whole works with silicone grease to improve connectivity.