Tonyorlo

I am having problems with my 85 944 tail lights.

When I connect the battery, the tail lights come on and stay on. When I turn the parking lights on the tail lights go off and parking lights come on. When I turn the headlights on, the tail lights come on while the headlight motor runs and go off when it stops.

I checked the brake pedal switch for continuity and that the circuit opens when the pedal is released. I replaced the fuses related to the stop lights. I also pulled the tail light panels and cleaned everything to verify continuity to the harness plug.

I am really at a loss? Do the brake lights go through the headlight switch? I have replaced that switch also.

PaulD_944S2

Just a guess, but you probably have a bad ground for the taillight assembly.

Breakaway944

PaulD is probably right about the grounds. On my car there are a couple on the trunk (91 cab), not sure about yours. Other thing is your headlight wires could be shorting out where they bend


this might cause some funny issues as the lights go up and down! Also check the wiring/plug going into your headlight motor.

Tonyorlo

Thank you for the replies!

I am kind of baffled still, before I discovered this problem, I removed and cleaned all the the grounds related to the lights. I am going over everything so I can get it inspected. I put an LS in it (SORRY) and have went through everything in the process. The car has sat since 98, and I believe many years were spent out in the weather.

is it possible the tempostat being removed could cause something funny to happen with the brake lights?

I decided to run a new wire from the brake light switch back to the lights. Using the bk/y wire to power it. Everything works fine now, maybe not the best solution? But there have been many electrical gremlins with this car because of its condition.

jeyjey

I'm going to guess you've got a short somewhere.

Tiger03447

When things go wonky electrically, it is USUALLY the grounds. There are about 4 major grounding points in a 944. On each side of the headlights(frame rails) and the engine block to coachwork (Really heavy cable), one spot under the dash on the drivers side (2 I think) and back by the driver's side tail lights. If you have cleaned these points and put a dielectric grease on them, you should be good there. when you changed out the tail light bulbs, did you clean out the sockets really well? any green crap in there is a no-no. There also may be a headlight relay that is bad as well. Somehow the headlight motor is getting current when it shouldn't be getting any. Headlight switch? or possibly the ignition switch? That one is a repeat offender in the blogs, here.