Rear lights on my 05 wagon are not working

So the other night a friend of mine was following to dinner and said that my rear tail lights are not working. When I got back in the car I checked them and they were not lighting up. What I know at the moment is that the brake lights light up when the pedal is pushed, but they lower watt light does not come on when you turn on the lights at the stalk. Turn signals work. The rear marker lights in the wagon tail lights do not work and either do the license plate lights.

 

I checked the tail light fuse under the dash and it is good, swapped in another just because, with no change. I swapped the horn relay and the rear light relay under the hood and the horn still works, but the lights don't. I swapped in all new bulbs in the tail lights even though they did not look burnt out, no change.

 

Am I missing something? Is there another fuse? I can still drive it in the daytime but do not want to take it out after dark until this is figured out. Hoping someone can shed some light on this problem.

 

Update: So still no parking (clearance) lights.

 

I had 4 wires that were broken, two on each side of the hatch. On the drivers side it was both the bigger and smaller black with red dots. On the passenger side it was a black with silver dots and a blue/red with silver dots. Still have no lights when the headlight switch is on parking lights or headlight stops. I do have lights when I flip the switch on top of the steering wheel.

 

Thoughts?

Wow, looks like I might have stumped the forum.

I guess you have missed all the talk about broken wires in the rubber grommet up by the hinge for the hatch.

 

Find a good body shop, have them fix the broken wires, it's much cheaper then the dealer will charge to replace the harness.

 

My buddies body shop charged me $120 to fix 5 broken wires up there.

 

The dealer want about 4X that.

Thanks, I had missed it. I will check them out tonight.

Looks like wiring is the correct answer. Cut the cover off the passenger side and 2 wires were cut already and a couple others had their insulation split.

Ok ...looks like I missed all that talk too - my lights are fine at the moment but it might be a good idea to check to prevent a problem. Which forum had this discussion so I can search a bit more easily? Thanks.

Update: So still no parking (clearance) lights.

 

I had 4 wires that were broken, two on each side of the hatch. On the drivers side it was both the bigger and smaller black with red dots. On the passenger side it was a black with silver dots and a blue/red with silver dots. Still have no lights when the headlight switch is on parking lights or headlight stops. I do have lights when I flip the switch on top of the steering wheel.

 

Thoughts?

Check out my thread this was my issue when none of my rear lights worked...when i pulled out the part it smelled like burnt plastic no idea why or how it could happen. Be warned it is the most awkward install position for ur body

 

the part is around 30-40$

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/need-help-all-rear-breaking-lights-dont-work-188489.html

Seems like I have the opposite problem from you. My brake lights work but not my marker lights.

MY guess is a pinched wire behind the lights. IF all else fails replace them. Now when you say marker lights I think of the lights on the side of our tail lights to show someone next to use that we are there not the rear tail/brake lights. If it's the same ones as your brake lights out but when you flip the light switch to one on then that means they are burnt. Dual Filament means 2 lights in 1 bulb.

When you turn on the parking/clearance lights you have the front side markers, rear side markers, low watt brake light and the license plate lights come on. None of these come on when I turn on the stalk to the parking lights setting or the headlights setting. The parking/clearance lights do work when you hit the button on top of the steering column. The high watt brake light works when the pedal is depressed. Turn signals work. Still cannot find a solution.....

I am having this EXACT same issue. This is so frustrating. I have tried everything. I took the rear hatch cover off making sure all wires and splices were well bonded.

Bump. Anyone have any ideas?

I am getting a new headlight switch to try that. If that does not work I am probably going to take it to a shop.

 

Do yours come on when you flip the switch on top of the steering column?

Nope it doesnt. Im also trying the same thing, hoping its simply a switch.

Got a new switch.....didnt work. ****.

Sorry. I am hoping since mine work with the steering column button that it is my headlight switch. I will know Tuesday.

Any News?

Switch did not show up till late and other things going on tonight. Hopefully tomorrow....

When you turn on the parking/clearance lights you have the front side markers, rear side markers, low watt brake light and the license plate lights come on. None of these come on when I turn on the stalk to the parking lights setting or the headlights setting. The parking/clearance lights do work when you hit the button on top of the steering column. The high watt brake light works when the pedal is depressed. Turn signals work. Still cannot find a solution.....

 

From description you are providing my guess is that the wiring to the lights (positive/ground) is good. Get the vacation pics and check the wiring from the stalk switch and compare it to the wiring from parking light switch on the steering column. If you have had any problems with light wires before chances are you damaged BIU or other electronics piece. Wiring diagram is the sure way to find out.

WOOHOOOOOOOOOO! Found the culprit. My LED turn signal replacement bulbs were blowing fuses and making nothing work.

Get the vacation pics and check the wiring from the stalk switch and compare it to the wiring from parking light switch on the steering column. If you have had any problems with light wires before chances are you damaged BIU or other electronics piece. Wiring diagram is the sure way to find out.

 

What?

 

WOOHOOOOOOOOOO! Found the culprit. My LED turn signal replacement bulbs were blowing fuses and making nothing work.

 

Congrats on finding your issue. I swapped the light stalk out tonight with no change. I am thinking my car is headed to someone better with wiring than me.

What?

 

That's LGT.COM speak for service manual...

That's LGT.COM speak for service manual...

 

Okay that helps

Okay so my problem was the parking light switch on the steering column. Appears there is a bypass for the headlight switch and that had failed. Switch replaced and now all lights are functioning correctly.