Rep Power: 0

Hi, my gf has a 2005 Civic LX, and the right tail light isn't working. The turn signal and brake lights all work, but the one right top rear light refuses to light up.

I changed the bulb, but nothing happened. It lit for a few seconds then died again. The bulb doesn't look like it's burnt out, and there didn't seem to be any moisture in the socket. I'm at a loss.

A car expert friend of hers will be in town next weekend but we want to fix this quickly, before next weekend. She works at night and is going to get ticketed any day now, and she...we...can't afford tickets and court and all that BS right now. I thought it was a fuse, but only the one tail light is out and everything else is fine. We're hoping it isn't a wiring or electrical issue, because again, that's something we can't really pay for at the moment.

Can a tail light genius help please? It's been nearly a week now and she's getting very nervous about it, she has to drive to work and is losing sleep at night over the possibility of this small problem growing into a huge one that I'm powerless to help her fix. Besides asking on the Internet, that is. That much I CAN do.

Thanks,

Dan

 
Rep Power: 0

I am not a "tail light expert" but do you have a volt meter, you can check and make sure it's getting voltage. It sounds like it's the brake/running lights that your having trouble with. From your post it sounds like the brake light is working and the running light is not is that correct? That is a duel element bulb (meaning both brake lights and running lights share the same slot & just use a duel element bulb) first make sure you replaced it with the right bulb. If you put the wrong one in (a single element) then that could be why only the brake lights work but not the running lights. If it lit up for a second then it sounds like it's getting voltage so maybe the socket is worn and just not making a good connection but if the brake light is working and not the running thats probably not your problem. With the head lights on or brake peddle engaged try wiggling it a bit and see if it goes on and off. If it goes on then your getting voltage and my guess would be a loose connection between the socket and the bulb. Try taking a small screw driver and prying the tabs inside the socket out a bit to get a firmer connection on the bulb, be careful not to break the tabs they should only need a tiny bit of tweaking. Anyway this is what I would try first check with volt meter if its getting voltage then most likely try prying the tabs out. From your post it sounds to me that you may have a bad bulb (brake element is working and the running lights element is burned out) or possibly you just put the wrong bulb in, a single element bulb. Anyway Hope this helps.