[dave73]

When i apply the brakes all of the lights on the jeep go on except the headlights, and my directionals dont work at all. Does anyone have any sugestions on where to start to try to fix the problem? Thanks!

[flashawk]

Start with the turn signal switch, most the lights on the Jeep go through the turn signal switch in the steering column. I say that because they don't work and you're going to have to fix those too.

You should be able to pick one up for about $30.00 plus all the specialty tools to tear down the column.

[Project76]

I would use this if you don't have it already...

[Fjguercio]

Well.... sounds like you have a short some where.

Have you made any changes to the jeep recenlty??? What kind of electrical options do you have on the jeep.

I start with things that could have been changed, do you have a trailer hitch and electrical hook up for trailer. I GUESS someone put in trailer electrical and the trailer hook up is connected to the brake wire & running lights. The SECOND GUESS is the trailer plug is so rusted the brake light connectors has shorted out to the running lights.

The directionals not working could be another problem. Maybe the flasher modual is not working or the colum switch is broken. But since both the right/left do not work might be the flasher modual buy the fuse box.

Regards,
Fred

[John Strenk]

All of the lights come on meaning dash lights as well or just the front parking.Turn signal lights?
Turn signal indicators also come on when you step on the brake?

It's kind of important as this could point to a short, bad/stuck switch, or bad ground...

[Mike Romain]

Originally Posted by dave73

When i apply the brakes all of the lights on the jeep go on except the headlights, and my directionals dont work at all. Does anyone have any sugestions on where to start to try to fix the problem? Thanks!

A bad bulb in the brake lights can cause this with ground theft. It can short to the running lights so they all turn on. The glass can come loose from the socket. I would check them first.

A bad ground in the back fixtures also can cause this, The fixture bolts are the ground and when they get rusty or moved by something like wire cages, the ground can be lost so the brake lights steal it through the running lights and their separate harness ground.

[81Sparky]

I wish I could help you Dave!! But my wiring looks like this at the moment. LoL...-Sparky-

[John Strenk]

Originally Posted by 81Sparky

I wish I could help you Dave!! But my wiring looks like this at the moment. LoL...-Sparky-

WHAT HAPPENED?

[Fjguercio]

SPARKY,

I bet you have a few shorts also.

SORRY about your loss.

Fred

[81Sparky]

Your right Fred but mostly between the ears LOL No loss I bought it this way!!

[dave73]

Thanks for all the great replies. I am going to try to tackle this tomarrow with a buddy of mine if i can get some free time. I bought the jeep in October (at a very nice price i might add) Drove it 2 hrs. to my house and parked it for the winter. Their is no trailer harness, and the directional indicators on the speedo also come on as well ad all other lights except the headlights. I think first i will get a new flasher module, and then check all the bulbs. Thanks again! Dave

[dave73]

I just got done trying to figure out my light problems, an here is where i am at, please keep in mind i am an EXTREME amatuer at this.

1. should the wire colors from the turn signal switch, and the wiring colors on the plug that you plug itno each other br the same colors on each side.....mine arent (i would assume they should) this leads me to believe that i have the wrong directional switch for the jeep. at this time no turn signals or flashers work

2. all light sockets are grounded with proper working bulbs. I tested the fuse box with the test light. with the fuse in the box i get no lite when i hit the brake, without the fuse in the box i get a strong light when i hit the brake. is this correct? am i doing it wrong?

Any help ideas i can get from you guys is greatly appreciated. Dave

[Mike Romain]

Originally Posted by dave73

I just got done trying to figure out my light problems, an here is where i am at, please keep in mind i am an EXTREME amatuer at this.

1. should the wire colors from the turn signal switch, and the wiring colors on the plug that you plug itno each other br the same colors on each side.....mine arent (i would assume they should) this leads me to believe that i have the wrong directional switch for the jeep. at this time no turn signals or flashers work

2. all light sockets are grounded with proper working bulbs. I tested the fuse box with the test light. with the fuse in the box i get no lite when i hit the brake, without the fuse in the box i get a strong light when i hit the brake. is this correct? am i doing it wrong?

Any help ideas i can get from you guys is greatly appreciated. Dave

Wire colours in Jeeps change at the plugs very often. The brake light power has to go through it, so that much was right.

Your power to the fuse box is correct from the sounds of it, but you knew this because the lights actually light up right.

Have you pulled the signal flasher out to see if one of it's legs has rotted off? That is more common than one would think and happened to both our Jeeps. Both flashers were rotted out in my 86 CJ7, my emergency flasher is still dead because the socket for the flasher dissolved.

You should have two flashers under there, one for signals and one for emergency lights which once again points to no ground when both don't work and the brakes sort of do.

If your bulbs are good, then your rear fixtures may not have a ground. Has anyone put cages on them or anything like that? That is a common failure cause. Just to verify this one I normally run a booster cable from the battery negative and clamp it onto the rear fixture to see what happens. If the signal starts working on that side or the front one side doesn't light up with the brakes, bingo.

[dave73]

I just unhooked the turn signal swithch to see what lights work when it is unplugged. obviously the directionals dont work, but all running lights work correctly, in which they didnt when it was plugged in. and there are no brake lights. As an extreme novice in this field if elecrical vehicle problems, do you think the culprit id the turn signal swithch? I planned on changing it out anyway, just waiting to borrow a steering wheel puller from a friend...or should i bother if it is something else? Thanks for all the great help, the warm weather is here so i can start digging in. Dave

[Mike Romain]

Originally Posted by dave73

I just unhooked the turn signal swithch to see what lights work when it is unplugged. obviously the directionals dont work, but all running lights work correctly, in which they didnt when it was plugged in. and there are no brake lights. As an extreme novice in this field if elecrical vehicle problems, do you think the culprit id the turn signal swithch? I planned on changing it out anyway, just waiting to borrow a steering wheel puller from a friend...or should i bother if it is something else? Thanks for all the great help, the warm weather is here so i can start digging in. Dave

Your brake light circuit runs 'through' the signal light switch. It appears to be behaving properly.

Have you tried the booster cable ground for the rear fixtures?

Your original posts is still screaming no back fixture ground. That or a dead short 'behind' the glass on one of the brake light bulbs is the only way I have seen 'all' the lights come on with the brakes.

Those 1157 bulbs fail in the strangest ways, the glass can come loose which will cause your symptoms or even the brake light filament can fry and drop down onto the running light filament causing your symptoms.

The last thing I would do would be to pull the steering apart, that is not some place the brake lights can short to the running lights because the running light power doesn't go anyplace near there. Hey it could be a melted blob so all the signals are shorting to the brakes, but...

Have you tried cycling the emergency flashers? All the power goes through there too.