persept

So i'm at the gas station with my '86 944 with some friends and one of them notices my right running lights are out, so i go to check the bulb, it's fine. I check the fuse, and it's blown, so i replace it, and the fuse blows again. My friend tells me that the right rear running light was dim and then the fuse blew, so I remove just that light and try to use a new fuse. So it didn't blow that time but I tried a new light and it blew again! But this time now my left running lights were out too! So this is where I'm at now:
If my lights are off my, brake lights work and turn signals work.

If my parking lights are set to on, my left parking lights work, and so do the brake lights and the turn signals.

If my headlights are on, my brake lights, and all my running lights don't work, only my turn signals.

This leaves me in a pretty bad situation... I wouldn't be able to drive at night since only the headlights would be on... Guys, you're the experts, where do I go from here.

edit: I also checked all the fuses and they were all fine, except obviously the right side marker light fuses

V2Rocket

switch

persept

Do you really think it's just the switch? Or maybe I have two problems and one of them is the switch? Is this a common problem with the switch and does this mean i just need to replace it?

V2Rocket

switches burn out alot, at least on early cars. mine did and everything was f*d up, new switch fixed it.

persept

So now I'm thinking that maybe I have a problem with one of the bulb wiring in my car and that's why the fuse kept blowing. And maybe putting the load on the system so many times caused the switch to break also? Does this make sense to anybody else?

JohnKoaWood

Have you swapped the switch yet?

931guru

Maybe not the switch, might be the wiring harness for the lights is burnt.

persept

Just bought a switch on ebay, I'm pretty sure it's that, and there's also a short to the right rear taillight, but it only happens when the bulb is in the socket, not sure why, but i'll have to investigate that

assh944

Switch

Jamesr6967

The two contacts in your socket could be touching when you put the bulb in, causing a dead short. I had this happen on my Western Star ('semi truck).

Edit: Oops, didn't notice year of original post ! (Good eye, Butters!)

Butters944

Why resurrecting a 3 year old thread..?