brake light issue

[Shortstuff]

The light in the rear window stops working intermittently. Seems to be if I go over a bump/cattle grid. I've checked the housing and bulb and all is fine but where's the best place to check for a loose wire?

Cheers

Ryan

[Galaxie390]

Hi Ryan,

Watching this one carefully, as I've got a problem with my number plates going on when I open the tailgate and off when I close it.

Poss similar problem in the tailgate wiring.

Cheers,
Rich

[Shortstuff]

Could be mate. Hopefully this thread will help us both

[warninglight]

Broken wires in tailgates are most commonly found around the hinges, where the wires are bent repeatedly. Never had an estate but I assume there's a rubber conduit you can remove the the boot open, and a multiplug?

That's where I'd start looking.

[Shortstuff]

Ok cheers. I'll chase the wires from there to the housing

don't know why I didn't think of it

[mikealder]

The connector for the tailgate wiring is behind the speaker in the passenger side D Pillar, the break in the wiring will most probably be where the wires are flexed when the tailgate is opened/ closed.

Best bet is to cut out the damaged section of wiring one core at a time and solder new cable between the two ends of the wire, add heat shrink insulation to cover the solder joints. Repeat this step for all the wires in the harness going to the tailgate as they will probably all be in a state of breakdown by now - Mike

[Shortstuff]

Cheers, I'll be having a look later today so I'll keep ya posted

[Galaxie390]

Hi,

Well I found my problem!

It was indeed a broken wire in the bundle of wires passing from the car body to the tailgate in the left upper corner of the tailgate opening.

The earth wire (black) was a lot thinner that the others and gradually the strands broke one by one with the constant opening & closing of the tailgate.

It's a bit fiddly to get to, but here's a quick run down:

- Make tea
- Remove speaker cover with a thin bladed screwdriver (not necessary, but gives a useful hand hold).
- Remove the torx bolt above the side window that holds the side window surround to the body.
- Carefully prise this plastic panel down & outward. It runs forward to the front edge of the rear side window, but I found there was enough access was gently pulling it down and blocking it with a piece of wood.
- Look at the hinge and gas strut and you'll see the bundle wires for the tailgate inside a protective cover. The wires take on a sort of 'S' shape around the hinge, and if you move the tailgate you can how much the bundle flexes.
- Lever the bundle of wires from their retaining clip, which is pushed into a hole in the body.
- Remove the plastic cover that holds the the loom to the hinge as it passes through the body opening.
- Drink now cold tea and pull at wires individually to see which is broken. Mine was completely parted, but if your wire if broken but the insulation is intact you'll need either wiggle each wire with the power on or break out the multi-meter. Needless to say I used the scientific 'wiggle' option.
- Carefully remove very very oily-sticky insulation tape and cut back the loom surround.
- I repaired my wire by splicing in a new section and then using heat shrink to re-insulate.
- re-assemble and job done and make tea

Think I've made the job sound a lot worse than it actually is. I took me about an hour, with a good chunk of that being trying to undo the plastic panels without breaking too many clips and refixing the loom which was just fiddly. But on the bright side, it was nice to be able to do a job without having to lie on the floor!

As Mike suggested, I really should've spliced in new wires for the entire loom ,but I didn' have the time.


Cheers,
Rich

[ernie bluenose]

Hi Galaxie 390,
Have read your post with interest after posting earlier in the wrong place and being pointed to your article. My high level brake light is inoperative but as soon as i open the tailgate even just 2inches it works.
Had already sort of figured out that the problem lay by the hinges but with my limited knowledge and fear of causing even more damage had not tried to fix.
Can you confirm that the loom for this light is on the passenger side and do you think it is worth running a new earth direct from the light connector itself.
Obviously if the earth wire is not the problem it would be back to the drawing board.
Removing the tailgate trim i finished up with half the plastic clips broken,doing the same to the side window fills me with dread apart from unraveling a loom with god knows how many wires in it.
Cheers Ernie

[mikealder]

If your number plate lights are working then the black (earth return) wire is good as both number plate lights and the high level brake light in the tailgate are spliced together at Junction 23/601 within the tailgate before running back to the car through the left (passenger) side hinge point - Mike