Help with Taillights??

PDB · 03-05-2006, 07:25 AM

Could someone give me some advice please?
My '04 Vectra is having light probs. It started when I connected the toad and the toad lights didn't work, altho they had been working fine for 2 years.
I checked the cable for continuity and found a loose wire in the toad-end 4-wire plug. I fixed it but still no lights on the toad and the brake lights on the coach don't work. The single light bar in the middle of the coach works OK, but the triple-taillights don't. The triples work fine as turn signals, however.
I swapped the Brake Relay in the chassis fuse panel with another relay, since they all had the same part number. No change.
At one point the lefthand turn signals worked on the toad but the right hand did not. Now neither side works.
Any suggestions on where I can check?
Thanks.

PDB · 03-05-2006, 07:25 AM

Could someone give me some advice please?
My '04 Vectra is having light probs. It started when I connected the toad and the toad lights didn't work, altho they had been working fine for 2 years.
I checked the cable for continuity and found a loose wire in the toad-end 4-wire plug. I fixed it but still no lights on the toad and the brake lights on the coach don't work. The single light bar in the middle of the coach works OK, but the triple-taillights don't. The triples work fine as turn signals, however.
I swapped the Brake Relay in the chassis fuse panel with another relay, since they all had the same part number. No change.
At one point the lefthand turn signals worked on the toad but the right hand did not. Now neither side works.
Any suggestions on where I can check?
Thanks.

Fred B. · 03-05-2006, 01:13 PM

Possible weak ground?

PDB · 03-05-2006, 07:02 PM

Possibly so, but how/where would I check it? And where might I find any light-related fuses or breakers? I can't find anything in the F-liner power panel.
In short, I have tailights on coach and toad; turn signals (R & L) on coach but only L on toad; no stop lights on either coach or toad, and lastly no Hazrd lights anywhere.
I'm confused.
Paul

Dougmyers · 03-05-2006, 07:03 PM

I have to agree it sounds like you have grounding problems to me on the coach and maybe between the coach and toad as well.

I would concontrate on the coach problems first and them move on back to the toad after you fix the coach. I would take a tail light off the coach and try and see where it grounds and check that first, you may need to run some wires to the coach frame from the tail lights, I have had to do this before on a couple of motor homes.

Freddy · 03-06-2006, 01:15 AM

I had similar problems. I used a jumper cable to ground chassis of MH to chassis of toad, and my lights on toad and MH worked, so I knew I had a ground problem somewhere.

Also, check the connections to the diodes in the toad. On my Saturn they are under the carpet on the driver's side. They are spade connectors, and on occasion can become disconnected. I had that problem several times, and finally had to replace the connectors on the wire.

Good luck!

tomsm · 03-06-2006, 02:10 AM

Since your chassis should still under warranty, you might want to let Freightliner take care of the coach problem - which might also correct the toad lights. I lost all my coach running lights on one occasion and my coach turn signals on another. Took it to FL and they replaced electronic modules both times. No further problems.

Yours may indeed be a grounding problem, but why not let FL handle the coach part...