Automotive Forums  Where Car Enthusiasts Go to Discuss Cars Online

My tail lights (the ones in the rear that are supposed to be on at the same time as the headlights) both suddenly went out.  Brakes and turn signals are okay.  The owner's manual is no help:  Though it mentions at one point that the "rear tail lights" (as contrasted with the "front tail lights," I guess) are not on when the daytime running lights are used, neither the manual nor the alphabetical index has a topic for "rear lights," "tail lights," or "rear tail lights" or how to diagnose and fix a problem with them. Because both tail lights are out, I suspect a blown fuse; however, the fuse card is a mass of symbols, no words (except for the superfluous "Fuse Card"), and nothing suggests tail lights.  I have pulled out each fuse represented by any sumbol vaguely resembling a light, but they all look fine.  It's still under warranty, but I don't really want to go through the whole dealer service department experience for something as simple as a blown fuse.  Any suggestions?  

Go to your local auto supply store and buy a testlight for testing voltage and buy it.
Go to the car, turn on the lights (as if they were working) and go to the rear of the vehicle and gain access to the back of the taillights.

Clips the alligator clip to a good clean body ground or exposed screw.

Touch the very sharp tip of the test light to each lamp the isn't lit, and see if your test lights up.

If you have followed this far, then you probably don't need to go to the dealer or shop. IF IT IS TOO MUCH, STOP IMMEDIATELY AND TAKE IT IN AND LET A PRO CHECK IT OUT.

You do not want to do something you are not trained or skilled enough to do, as this could cause more damage, and VOID YOUR WARRANTY!

If you are still with me, and your test shows no light, touch the tester to a light that is lit and check to be sure that your tester is working. If you get a light on your tester with a known good light, then check all the bulbs that should be on. If you get a light, but the bulbs are not lit, you have a bad ground (the side of the bulb that doesn't have power goes to a ground closeby where you are testing).

If you don't know how to now ground the bulb in place, I won't tell you, because this could cause a short, and I am not there to be sure.

Again, if you have been able to follow along so far, then I suggest you get an actual shop manual for your car and continue to run down the problem.

That is all for now, good luck. PS, you can use the test light to check all the fuses in place without removing them. Again, be very carefull you do not short out that long uninsulated pointer against anything it shouldn't touch