Thought some of you may find this interesting...
I started checking over my electrical system/lights tonight and
discovered my driver's side tail/brake lights were not working
correctly.
The symptoms were as follows (on the socket in question):
1. With the headlights off, applying the brakes made the "brake" light
appear dim as if the "tail" light was on.
2. With the headlights on, the "tail" light appeared normal.
3. With the headlights on, applying the brake caused the light to go
completely off.
The solution:
The socket was not grounded correctly. It relies on receiving its
ground connection by the very "prongs" which secure it in place. These
prongs connect to a metal ring which also connects to a spring-loaded
metal tab which rides against the side of the bulb. A simple
continuity check between the prongs and the tab revealed an "open"
circuit meaning the socket had failed internally. I just soldered a
wire (one capable of carrying the current) to the tab and a prong. The
result was a repaired socket and no need to order a new one.
Maybe some will find this info handy...
--Rick
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