Does anyone elses truck eat light bulbs like there is no tommorow? I swear I put atleast 10 bulbs in the rear lights of my truck since i've owned it. My fathers 03 does the exact same thing, is it a bad harness or is the whole unit going out?

I just replaced my left rear blinker bulb like 2 months ago. The front works by the way, but this moarning I replaced the bulbs in the taillight and nothing. The only thing I can think of is a bad harness. Here is why I think that. When I pulled out the bulbs and looked at them not one of them way burnt or broken, they were pretty darn hot though.

Im using Sylvania bulbs btw.

 

Lot of guys have had to replace the circuit board that the lamps go in. Get corroded and such.

 

Wow. That many times I would have replaced the whole assembly with some aftermarket LED units.

I have yet to replace the bulbs in my tail lights.

MikeyB

 

Yea it is a real hassle, that was over a 2 year period though. Still, bulbs should last longer that that.

I've been thinking about a set of smoked taillights but I need to get down to the real issues it's self. I don't want to replace them w/ aftermarket lights and they still burn out.

Vzdude, the circuit board you are talking about, is that the long gray piece of plastic that holds the bulbs themselfs? It has 4 screws holding it down I beleive.

 

Thats it!

dangmessagetooshort

 

Check the ground strap between the bed and the frame r the bed and the cab. They do weird stuff with a bad or missing ground.

 

Stop buying the bulbs with the plastic bottoms... Look for the bulbs that have glass bottoms... I found a problem with my truck and a buddy's... the factory bulbs have a plastic base and they get so hot that the connectors melt into the plastic. After the connectors melt into the plastic then the connection becomes loose and starts to arc making the socket that much hotter... Enough arc'ing and your going to cook the metal contacts in your circuit board and have to replace your board also...

I replaced my bulbs with glass based bulbs and I stopped my "light bulb problems"...

 

Like VZ said the circut boards are cruddy, they are a recalled item from Chrysler.

 

How about some dielectric grease to keep the corrosion out? Anyone see a problem with that?

 

No recalls that I could find.


28 - RECALLS
RC-E17-06 Safety Recall E17 - Out-of-Park Alarm System
RC-C42-04 Customer Satisfaction Notification No. C42 Powertrain Control Module Connectors
RC-C44-04 Customer Satisfaction Notification No. C44 Transmission Cooler Line
RC-C21-03 Safety Recall No. C21 -- Aluminum Wheels
RC-C17-03 California Emissions Recall No. C17 Reprogram PCM - Transmission OBD Calibration
RC-C02-03 Safety Recall No. C02 Reprogram Diesel Engine Control Module
RC-B33-03 Customer Satisfaction Notification No. B33 Torque Converter Drain Back Valve
RC-B28-02 Customer Satisfaction Notification No. B28 Tighten Diesel Engine Cooling Fan

29 - GLOBAL RECALLS/R.O.W.
RC-IE17-06 Safety Recall E17 - Out-of-Park Alarm System
RC-IB28-02 "Customer Satisfaction Notification No. B28
RC-IB33-02 Customer Satisfaction Notification B33 - Torque Converter Drain Back Valve
RC-IC02-03 Safety Recall No. C02 Reprogram Diesel Engine Control Module
RC-IC21-03 Safety Recall No. C21 -- Aluminum Wheels
RC-IC42-04 "Customer Satisfaction Notification No. C42
RC-IC44-04 "Customer Satisfaction Notification No. C44

30 - CANADIAN RECALLS
RC-CE17-06 SAFETY RECALL E17 OUT-OF-PARK ALARM SYSTEM

 

no recall but the part# has been superceded.

Bob

 

There ya go! lol I can't remember the last part number I ran that hadn't been superceded at least once!

 

So I should start by replacing that whole gray unit first?

With my luck i'll probley get a petty fix it ticket tommorow for not using the blinker. lol

 

Mine had this trouble until I bent the connectors in to contact the bulb tighter. No lamp out light or burned bulbs since. Mine used to melt the plastic when it had a bad connection.