2014 Vista Left Brake/Turn Light Out

[Dave55MO]

All RIGHT Brake/Turn/Reverse lights are out. Left side functional. I have checked the following: 1) Fuses Good, 2) Ground from bulb sockets to chassis GOOD, 3) I switched the left and right signal relays and left still good, right still not functioning.


My nearest Winnebago service center is over 100 miles away.


Any help is appreciated.


Thank you.

[Morich]

Some things to start the discussion?
Which 2014 Vista, as there 8 versions to check the drawings for info!


Then there are some basics that we need to know. One thought is that all these circuits are seperate circuits that have different parts to that circuit.

The backup lights only involve the wiring to the rear.
The tailights involve both front and back, so do the front lights come on when they should? How about the side marker lights if your RV size has them? Do they work when the headlights and tailights should?

Turn signals have lights at front and back. Do the front and back or which ones are working and not working?

How about the trailer connection? Do the tail and brake lights get power there?

The basic wiring diagrams start here to sort which RV, then you mostly likely will need to check the "Exterior Lamps Wiring Installation" when you get to the correct group for your RV.
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ram/Wiring.htm

But first, you can cut your chase a lot by finding where and what is working or not.
At first thought, it sounds like a cable with ALL three circuits has come loose or been cut, but to confirm that or get an idea of WHERE, you need to find some answers first.

When you get down to the correct drawing, it has wire ID's shown for each wire on the fixtures and you can use those ID to look up the function and where they go on this chart:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ical_guide.pdf

[Dave55MO]

Originally Posted by Morich

Some things to start the discussion?
Which 2014 Vista, as there 8 versions to check the drawings for info!
Attachment 185605

Then there are some basics that we need to know. One thought is that all these circuits are seperate circuits that have different parts to that circuit.

The backup lights only involve the wiring to the rear.
The tailights involve both front and back, so do the front lights come on when they should? How about the side marker lights if your RV size has them? Do they work when the headlights and tailights should?

Turn signals have lights at front and back. Do the front and back or which ones are working and not working?

How about the trailer connection? Do the tail and brake lights get power there?

The basic wiring diagrams start here to sort which RV, then you mostly likely will need to check the "Exterior Lamps Wiring Installation" when you get to the correct group for your RV.
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ram/Wiring.htm

But first, you can cut your chase a lot by finding where and what is working or not.
At first thought, it sounds like a cable with ALL three circuits has come loose or been cut, but to confirm that or get an idea of WHERE, you need to find some answers first.

When you get down to the correct drawing, it has wire ID's shown for each wire on the fixtures and you can use those ID to look up the function and where they go on this chart:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ical_guide.pdf

Richard - Thank you for the reply and for helping me clarify some information. This is a 26H Vista. The light assembly I am talking about is the REAR. I just discovered that the running light on the right rear DO FUNCTION. The right front turn signal DOES FUNCTION. I don't know about the trailer plug as I don't use it but can check for power there if you think necessary.


PS - All sidelight and the "Brake Bar" light in the middle of the back wall ALL WORK



I hope this help clarify things.


Dave

[Morich]

OK! We can begin to sort and spot some things that might be happening.
When the signal /control to do something like turn on the lights, brake lights or reverse all come from one spot in the front and we find the front group works, we jump to the controls as not being the fault.
So if we move to thinking the center brake light and left brake light work but not the right, we then look at some point where the two wiring bundles split and go different directions.
Or kind of like you can get to from West Plains to Willow but you can't get to Alton??
YUP! Been there a long time back!
Current River is a favorite place that I miss!

But it tells you which drection to look for trouble.

So if we look at this drawing of the outside lamps it gives us some clues:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ire_180918.pdf
I did this snip from sheet 2 of that drawing.
Click this snip or go direct for a larger picture?

What I see as the way the cables run. They use pre-built harnesses of wires and plug them together as they build, so there is a cable front to rear plugged to the one which is built into the rear wall.
But since most of your rear items are working, there appears to be one place where the right rear group plugs into the rest?

The tail light ,etc fixture is bought as a unit with a cable which they then plug to the builtin harness! Some guessing but I think you may be able to take the whole fixture off the back and with some pulling/ tugging on the wiring, pull out enough to find a loose plug between the fixture and the main cable.



Some extreme guessing and hoping they did not make it so tight that it doesn't pull out but can you see my thinking?

Then if needed, the detail drawing gives you the colors of the wires as well as the ID to use with the "decoder" list. I "think" this will be the wires in the built in harness, rather than the wires coming out of the fixture but that is more guessing, so approach with care and do what it looks like, not my guess! One point I'm not sure I agree with them on left and right is the wire ID SC or SD for left or right, as that depends on if you are looking from front or rear, so go with which you might find on the one you are looking at. There are mistakes in the drawing that we might have to figure!

Several things still in doubt as the wall may be full of foam, but that is where I would start to look.
Wish you the best of luck on the search!

[Dave55MO]

Richard, thanks again so much for your thoughts. Sounds like you have lots of experience with these issues. I am going to take this information and work with "a guy" I know. Perhaps together we can make some progress without screwing things up. :-)


An yes, the Current River is one of my favorite places to be also.


Dave

[Morich]

Another small point that I remember from way back?
I did some rebuilding old RV when starting and one point I learned may come into play if it gets down to really worst case! IF you can't find the plug, etc. and really have to pull out all the stops for a fix, I found it was often more bearable to remove some of the inside panels to get to things hidden in the wall, rather than try to work with the outside and repair.

But that is when all else has failed and you are getting down to crisis mode. I don't think that will be needed, so DON"T PANIC!

I was following somebody who had drilled through the walls and found wiring! Not a good plan!

[Dave55MO]

Richard, I am happy to report PROBLEM SOLVED, although I am a little embarrassed to say how and why, but if it helps someone else, that's good. Remember I did a visual inspection of the bulbs early on and saw they were good. Well, today I removed the non-working bulbs and found a slight amount of corrosion on the 3157 bulbs. A little scrubbing with wire brush and 320 grit sand paper and VIOLA! I am going to replace all the bulbs and make sure I get a good silicon seal to help keep out moisture.



Thanks again for your input, I will print out the information you send and save it for the future.


I hope you get to come back and visit the beautiful Current River.


Dave

[Morich]

Something that might be good is what industry uses on electrical connections.
An odd thing called "No-Ox-ID-A" a special grease. when we cleaned batteries and shined the connections, we then heated the no-ox on something like a lightbulb to make it spread better and then wiped or brushed it on, put the connections together and coated the whole thing!
The stuff is great for not letting the air that has the moisture get into any of the metal.
A bit pricey looking at about $7 a tiny tin but if it is put on kind of like paint a little bit lasts a LONG time for home use.

https://www.amazon.com/NO-OX-ID-Spec...985242409&th=1

I use most of it on things that bug me like the little bulbs in yard lights! The bulbs last a lot longer if they don't start to lose contact and arc!

glad you found the problem and it was lots easier than tearing out a wall. I'm okay with admitting a mistake if it saves me hours of work!!

The only ones making mistakes are the ones who are DOING something!

[Dave55MO]

I am definitely going to get some of that stuff.