# Tail light Problem



## jwthompson1 (Feb 8, 2005)

I have a problem with the tail lights on a 97 Sentra. I replaced the socket assembly on the right hand side, now I have no tail lights whatsoever. The brake lights work but no tailights. I checked fuses but only found the fuse for the brake lights anyone know where the fuse for the tail lights is located?


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## BadBoy91 (Jan 21, 2005)

Do you have a service manual?
i think the tail lamps are on the sme fuse as the brakes though.
im not positive though. you need a servce manual though, a factory service manual at that.


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## jwthompson1 (Feb 8, 2005)

BadBoy91 said:


> Do you have a service manual?
> i think the tail lamps are on the sme fuse as the brakes though.
> im not positive though. you need a servce manual though, a factory service manual at that.


I have an owner's manual if that is what you are referring to. I can't find any other fuses either. Another problem seems to have arose that is possibly related. The dash lights do not work either. I checked the fuse for it also. This is about to drive me crazy. Anybody have any ideas?


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## wickedsr20 (Aug 8, 2002)

If the Sentra is wired like the 200 is, then you have a fuse under the hood that controls the tails and the front corner lights. I'd have to look under the hood to see what it's labeled as, but it's there in my car.


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## huskya83 (Apr 20, 2004)

car was just inspected and failed due to the tail light probleming i'm having. Seems to be blinking to fast.

anyways the lights for the brakes was not working, changed the bulbs and still the problem was there. turning singal works.

So i went and bought a new assembly but it was very different from what i had. The 2 sockets are there but it seems to be missing a switch/relay (looks like a little black box). I'm guessing i bought the mexican version or maybe its the american verison.

The brake light works but the tail lights blink too fast


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## huskya83 (Apr 20, 2004)

is there no one that knows the answer to this??

i know there's a mexican verison and american verison

its the harness for the tail light, baiscally the socket .. that whole piece is different from what I have.

What i am looking for this the little black box piece that is missing.. I suppose this is the piece that controls the speed the tail light flashes. I have only been able to find the harness that doesn't come w/ it.


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## I'm Slow (Dec 30, 2004)

did u look under the hood at the fuse box near the battery there is a size 10 fuse that has probably popped


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## huskya83 (Apr 20, 2004)

checked the fuse and its good. I changed it but i'll try it again today for good measure. My problem is that I found there are 2 different sockets for the sentra. The one i bought did not come w/ a part but still worked. just that the signal goes faster.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

huskya83 said:


> checked the fuse and its good. I changed it but i'll try it again today for good measure. My problem is that I found there are 2 different sockets for the sentra. The one i bought did not come w/ a part but still worked. just that the signal goes faster.


Are you saying your turn signal is blinking faster than normal?
This is normaly a sign that the other bulb has blown.
Check the FRONT turn signal bulb is working.
If this is Ok check you have the correct filament lighting up on the back housing. The flasher blinks fast when the load is too low, so if the parking lamp is working instead of the turn filament this could be the cause.

GoodLuck.....


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## huskya83 (Apr 20, 2004)

yes, the turn signals are blinking fast, all other lighting are fine.

i suppose my dad got the wrong bulb as the new sockets i bought are different from what i originally had.

i'll describe the sockets:
originally i had--
the main wiring, then some little black box , dividing into 2 sockets

what i bought--
the main wiring, diving into 2 sockets

when i was buying there was an option for the us version or the mexican verison ..

maybe the bulbs are different for the new sockets i bought..

i'll supply some pics after work.


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## UnkalledFor (Sep 21, 2004)

huskya83 said:


> yes, the turn signals are blinking fast, all other lighting are fine.
> 
> i suppose my dad got the wrong bulb as the new sockets i bought are different from what i originally had.
> 
> ...


check for a bad ground... alot of times this simple thing is the culprit..


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## 99ryder718 (Sep 9, 2002)

*okay fix it like this*



UnkalledFor said:


> check for a bad ground... alot of times this simple thing is the culprit..


this is a very simple fix. you put the wrong bulb in the socket. you must have put a 1156 bulb which is single filament and you need a 1157 which is double filament. , it does the same thing when the bulb blows out. so make sure you have a bulb that has two dots on the bottom and not just one.

1156---are for rear turn signal lights. 1157 will make them blink fast ( one dot)
1157---is for front turn signals and brake/parking lights. (two dots)

hope this helps

99ryder718


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

huskya83 said:


> yes, the turn signals are blinking fast, all other lighting are fine.
> 
> i suppose my dad got the wrong bulb as the new sockets i bought are different from what i originally had.
> 
> ...


Ok lets back up a bit.

Yes please post a picture. I have a 97 GXE federal car and will look at mine.

Why did you replace the sockets, do you still have the old one ?

Was it working OK before you changed the sockets. 

I assume you have the correct bulbs. good post above.

Did you check the front lights ?

Good Luck.....


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## huskya83 (Apr 20, 2004)

http://members.cox.net/alexander2/alexander2/socket

found it easier to just make a site..

anyways, the bulbs are doubled for the blinker and the brake light is singled..

99ryder718 are you saying that the blinker should be a single bulb (1156) not double bulb (1157)? cuz when you look at both sockets the blinker as 2 dots while the brake as 1 dot.

The reason i bought a new one was that the stop brake light was not working. the bulbs were changed and it later turned out that the brake socket was not working. I did some mismatching and found that solution. So, when i went to buy another socket, (off the internet) i found the socket on the right,.. noticed that it was not like the socket on the left but it still worked.


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## 99ryder718 (Sep 9, 2002)

*hold up*

hold up..................you said a little black box. Are these factory lights of atfermarket lights. i had the euro tails and the little black you talkign about failed on me so i re-wired it then i just put back my stock tails with red tinted turn signal. stock tail lights don't have a little balck box, they plug right in the lights sockets. okay one more time

1157 are for brake lights and front turn signals

1156 are for rear turn signals

thats it


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## huskya83 (Apr 20, 2004)

the sockets on the left were stock,,,... i bought the one on the right

the bulbs are stock, other than i have altezza but that shouldn't matter.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

huskya83 said:


> the sockets on the left were stock,,,... i bought the one on the right
> 
> the bulbs are stock, other than i have altezza but that shouldn't matter.


Well I looked at the 96 FSM and cant see your little black box. If I go look on my car where is it exactly ( so I don't have to pull it apart ?) 

If this box is indeed stock it could be a broken filament/bulb sensor and if its not there it may result in a warning. 

In that case putting it back and just joining on the new socket with crimp on butt connectors may be the solution.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

99ryder718 said:


> hold up..................you said a little black box. Are these factory lights of atfermarket lights. i had the euro tails and the little black you talkign about failed on me so i re-wired it then i just put back my stock tails with red tinted turn signal. stock tail lights don't have a little balck box, they plug right in the lights sockets. okay one more time
> 
> 1157 are for brake lights and front turn signals
> 
> ...


Yes the FSM says the stop/tail is a double filament and turn signal is a single for the rear light.


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## huskya83 (Apr 20, 2004)

if you look at the inside of your tail lights look at the wiring. just pop of the trunk.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

huskya83 said:


> if you look at the inside of your tail lights look at the wiring. just pop of the trunk.


ok 
I looked at my 97 GXE, the white harness socket is mounted on the lamp assembly, and the wire to the turn signal runs through the lamp housing. 
I cant see a black box on either side. 
But there are only 4 wires on the harness both sides. 
Check the number of wires to the harness, if its more than 4 then you definitely have a different circuit. 
What year and model do you have ?
Mine looks more like the left picture, not the Right.


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