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Rear lights all messed up - what to do!?
#1
I'd like to start this by saying I can usually manage to work on most parts of a car with a little guidance or just common sense, trial and error and all that, but when it comes to electronics, i'm at a dead end.

It shouldn't be doing this:

Brakes only on - outer brake light and rear lamp is illuminated

[Image: abrake.jpg]

Brakes and lights - only outer brake light is illuminated

[Image: abrakelights.jpg]

Lights only - rear lamp functions fine

[Image: alights.jpg]

And yes, I have changed the inner brake lamp bulb for a new one and still no luck

The circuit board shows signs of age but still looks alright to me...

[Image: acircuitsa.jpg]
[Image: acircuitsb.jpg]

Is this something anyone has come across before? Any help would be massively appreciated!
1981 DeLorean Stage II
[Image: sig2.jpg]
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#2
hmm....well it sounds like either dodgy bulbs or a dodgy connection - but if
you've changed the bulbs, then it's got to be the latter.

I know the original tail light boards can be notoriously unreliable, you could try
making sure all the connections are properly soldered, failing that it might be
worth looking into new upgraded tail light boards.

You could have a chat with Martin on here (stunned monkey), I know he's
dealt with these on plenty of cars doing the UK fog light mods on them.
Claire Wright  - Club Treasurer
Jul 1981 DeLorean - Flopsy #2292 
Aug 1989 Cavalier 1.6L - Guinney
Apr 2021 Mokka-e Launch Edition - Evie
#170
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#3
Never met an original board I couldn't make work. You need to put a blob of solder from the track to each rivited leg of the bolb holder. It's really important to do both legs on the middle holders as they carry the ground to the track in the middle.
Martin Gutkowski
DeLorean Cars
http://www.delorean.co.uk
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#4
Thanks for your help Michael, I really appreciate it.
I'll go to my friend's workshop on Monday and give that a try and let you know how it worked out
1981 DeLorean Stage II
[Image: sig2.jpg]
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#5
It sort of sounds to me like somebody's had the various wires out of the multi-point connectors and put them back in wrong - or the old classic, a poor earth - if there's any resistance in the earth wire, the positive (where you want it to be) finds other routes to earth - and if that involves a route through another bulb, it'll glow as well. The earth is a black wire, can't quite remember where the earthing point is but I expect it follows the loom round the O/S of the engine bay and round the back to the multi-point connectors under the coil cover.

It can also get very dirty inside the rear fascia over the years, so perhaps the connectors are just all sh*tted up?
Richard Hanlon
Derbyshire
DOC 393

1981 DMC-12 VIN 06126
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#6
Thanks for the input!
We tried to solder the connections but even after proper preparation the solder didn't want to join,but eventually we got all the connections re-soldered and everything worked! Yay! For a whole day!
Then one the brake bulbs stopped working again... and i've left it for now since there are enough working that I haven't been pulled over by Florida's finest for it so I am guessing they do not mind so much because it is clear I am braking still...
1981 DeLorean Stage II
[Image: sig2.jpg]
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#7
You need at least a 25 watt iron to solder to brass
Martin Gutkowski
DeLorean Cars
http://www.delorean.co.uk
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#8
agreed, we had to get the heavy duty solering stuff out this weekend to sort out my
tail light board that was abit iffy.

Mind you, I'd love to know what happened to the green 'DeLorean One' tail-light board
that was on my car..... at some point its gone walkies and been replaced by an original
one - will explain why my '4 brake light set up' no longer works :evil:

I've got photos of my car in 2003, and the green board is visible, but its now gone. Its only
been to 2 DMC workshops since, so I'm guessing it got removed at one of those and was
maybe mixed up with someone elses somehow Sad
Claire Wright  - Club Treasurer
Jul 1981 DeLorean - Flopsy #2292 
Aug 1989 Cavalier 1.6L - Guinney
Apr 2021 Mokka-e Launch Edition - Evie
#170
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#9
I remember that D1 board being a pile of poo so its quite likely it was binned by me or Dave in favour of an original. The bulb holders were impossible to work with (I remember getting one to work by wedging some kitchen foil in it) and the wiring was all arse-about-face with the outside of the bulb holders being 12v and the centres being grounds. I must get around to drawing a diagram of the foglight wiring....
Martin Gutkowski
DeLorean Cars
http://www.delorean.co.uk
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#10
hehe oh look if you write the word arse it displays the word bottom.... think of another word for bottom which makes more sense in the phrase arse-about-face :lol:
Martin Gutkowski
DeLorean Cars
http://www.delorean.co.uk
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#11
stunned_monkey Wrote:I remember that D1 board being a pile of poo so its quite likely it was binned by me or Dave in favour of an original. The bulb holders were impossible to work with (I remember getting one to work by wedging some kitchen foil in it) and the wiring was all bottom-about-face with the outside of the bulb holders being 12v and the centres being grounds. I must get around to drawing a diagram of the foglight wiring....


thats quite possible, it was 8 years ago, and funnily enough now you mention it, I remember the
bacofoil coming in handy :lol:

I just cant understand why I used to have 4 brakelights/fog light mod, and now I've only got 2 brakelights
and my light boards show no wiring to have the 4 brakelight upgrade.
Claire Wright  - Club Treasurer
Jul 1981 DeLorean - Flopsy #2292 
Aug 1989 Cavalier 1.6L - Guinney
Apr 2021 Mokka-e Launch Edition - Evie
#170
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