No park/marker lights

[76cj7chick]

A while back I installed (my first time) a full new wiring harness and fuse box in my CJ7 .
I was able to make all lights work (backup, turn, brake, headlights, hazard) except I still can't figure out why the park/marker lights don't work.

I've tested the headlight switch with the ohmmeter and it connects to the power source when I pull out the headlight knob. I've checked all the wiring and took off the ground wires cleaned the paint off real good then put them back on, and nothing...
I know that the bulbs for turn are the same for park but heard the circuit is different...

I've also checked the fuses.. All are good...

If anyone has a suggestion on how to troubleshoot this issue, I would be very thankful...

(please help!)

 

[gert]

The first thing I would do is go to the light socket and check for voltage and continuity to ground, if everything else is working then so should they

 

[mstar]

A couple things to consider. The park /marker lights on the front only work on the first click of light switch .If you pull switch to headlight position the park lights go off. So the wire(common to left and right ) park light is terminated on the park terminal on switch.Clear as mud? I hope that helps.I guess if you wanted them to be on when headlights are on you could connect to taillight circuit
mike

 

[CJ]

Are you sure later model CJs marker lights work that way? On my 72 '5' and 82 '8' (and any other late model CJ I have owned) the markers are on using both settings.

 

[tinhorn]

I know that the bulbs for turn are the same for park but heard the circuit is different...

I haven't torn into my Jeep's wiring yet, but have messed with other old rigs. The bulbs are the same, but they're dual-purpose--they contain two filaments. One circuit is for parking lights, another circuit is for the brighter turn signal. If you replaced the bulbs, make sure the new ones have two filaments (and two little blobs of solder on the base), not one.

Not sure how this would connect (har!) to the marker light dilemma, but I agree that the side marker lights should illuminate when either the parking lights or headlights are on.

 

[mtnwhlr]

When you have just your park lights on is it just the fronts that don't work or does nothing come on? And by nothing I mean no dash lights also.

 

[mstar]

A ohm meter is your friend. Wire the lights to illuminate any way you want.If you rewired the jeep you have some basic skills so just a matter of thinking it out. mike

 

[DJ1980CJ5]

A couple things to consider. The park /marker lights on the front only work on the first click of light switch .If you pull switch to headlight position the park lights go off. So the wire(common to left and right ) park light is terminated on the park terminal on switch.Clear as mud? I hope that helps.I guess if you wanted them to be on when headlights are on you could connect to taillight circuit
mike

The front park lights and side markers on my 1980 stay on when the headlights go on.

As stated, make sure you have the right bulbs in the front park lights. They are dual element 1157's. Same for the tail lamps.

 

[penster1]

I was having almost same issues. Park lights, dash lights and taillights are on same circuit. In my case I washed inside of jeep and several days later none of the above lights worked. Turned out high beam switch on floor was full of dirt and mud. Disconnected switch and cleaned it out and everything works fine now.

 

[76cj7chick]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I haven't had any luck at all yet with getting the park lights to work. At one point I had the park lights on the taillights wired to taillights... I believe.. And then they worked but the brake lights then didn't.. I did upgrade the entire wiring harness.
Could it be my trailer harness wiring? (I know none of you can see the wiring I did... But just looking at all possibilities...)

A little about my marker (side bulbs and sockets). The sockets have two wires.. Is that right? One ground, one power... One wire is black the other is white.

It is very strange. But again, I am a novice when it comes to wiring..


I'm planning on using a ohmmeter today on it and will get back to you all.
I did use the ohmmeter before on the headlight switch and on one pull out the headlight power and park light terminal connect.


Again, Thanks to everyone for your suggestions!

 

[76cj7chick]

Hi Penster1,

Thanks for your suggestion. When I installed the wiring harness I cleaned the the dimmer switch terminals.. Also, the dimmer switch works. (Just to clarify- The dimmer switch on the floor is for the high beams and low beams on the Headlights, right? )

 

[76cj7chick]

Hi DJ1980CJ5,

Hummm.. That may be the reason why then... Instead of buying the red side marker covers, I bought a pair of clear (see in pic) that are for yj jeeps.. Why? I like the clear better... I also used the wedge bulb socket which takes bulb 194 It has two wires on the socket. One black one white. I grounded the black one to the fender (after scraping away the paint of course) and then wired the white wire to the front marker/turn lights.... But perhaps I have the wrong bulb? That would be sooo awesome! I will look into the bulb that you suggest. Thanks for your help.

 

[76cj7chick]

Hi mstar,
This is probably a dumb question for veteran wiring people, but, any suggestions on where to start with the ohmmeter? And what to look for? Just for o resistance right?

 

[76cj7chick]

The front park lights and side markers on my 1980 stay on when the headlights go on.

As stated, make sure you have the right bulbs in the front park lights. They are dual element 1157's. Same for the tail lamps.

Okay. So my bulbs are 194 wedge. I don't think they are dual elements.
Perhaps I have the wrong sockets and bulbs? Like I said in another response, I used yj socket, yellow bulbs and CLEAR housing for the front side markers. (I like better than red or yellow housings).

Also, My rear tail lights are round LEDs. (with brake, turn and backup lights) -All of these work but still not the park/marker lights.


I appreciate all of your help.

I may have to look for sockets and DUAL bulbs that will work in the clear housings ...

 

[76cj7chick]

I haven't torn into my Jeep's wiring yet, but have messed with other old rigs. The bulbs are the same, but they're dual-purpose--they contain two filaments. One circuit is for parking lights, another circuit is for the brighter turn signal. If you replaced the bulbs, make sure the new ones have two filaments (and two little blobs of solder on the base), not one.

Not sure how this would connect (har!) to the marker light dilemma, but I agree that the side marker lights should illuminate when either the parking lights or headlights are on.

It looks like I may have gotten the wrong sockets, bulbs (#194 wedge). I didn't know they were supposed to be dual filaments... I really like the clear housing for my side marker lights.. (They were originally for yj or tj wranglers) I did have to cut two holes to match up to the new centered hole in the housing too.. .But, I just like the look of the clear on my pink jeep better than yellow or red... So, now back to the drawing board.. Hopefully I can find a socket and bulb that will work in my CJ7 ..

Do you think I can keep my wedge style socket? It only has two wires, one ground and the other power... (One other thought.. Sometimes the BLACK wire is power and sometimes the WHITE wire (Taiwan brand) is ground... If I switch these maybe it will then work? I guess, try using an ohmmeter, huh? To find positive and negative.. Sorry for my long post. Just thinking out loud..

Thanks for your suggestions .

 

[76cj7chick]

When you have just your park lights on is it just the fronts that don't work or does nothing come on? And by nothing I mean no dash lights also.

Currently my dash is torn apart... I'm replacing my old sw (dead) gauges with new ones... But it's taking me longer to get some decent gauges than I was hoping.. Want to replace the old ones with autometer traditional 2 1/16" gauges. Currrently have one, fits and looks great.. Now just 3 more to go. Also, replaced my water and fuel gauges in my speedometer -they were burned out by previous owner..


Its been a while but if I remember correctly, nothing comes on... At times my dash lights illuminate when I pull the HD knob out. I was thinking it may be my HD switch, but I just replaced it.. And I checked with what connects using the ohmmeter..

 

[mtnwhlr]

So I asked this before and will again when you pull your light switch out one click to the park light setting does anything come on?

 

[mstar]

Currently my dash is torn apart... I'm replacing my old sw (dead) gauges with new ones... But it's taking me longer to get some decent gauges than I was hoping.. Want to replace the old ones with autometer traditional 2 1/16" gauges. Currrently have one, fits and looks great.. Now just 3 more to go.

Seems to be a little confussion on terminology perhaps.Side markers #194 single filament.Front #1157 dual filament park /turn. seems like you have things right so hard to tell why no power to park lights.BTW couple pictures off my autometer gauges.Iterminated all my wiring and grounds on strips so the dash can be removed and for testing. Mike

 

[76cj7chick]

So I asked this before and will again when you pull your light switch out one click to the park light setting does anything come on?

I re checked my diagrams and notations and here is what's happening with my headlight switch: (I only checked the ohms.. I will have to check volts when I get my new gauges-I have dangling wires)
B1 -Nothing connects with knob all the way in
B1- Nothing connects with one pull out
B1 pull out knob all the way - only Headlights/dimmer connects.

B2 -Knob all the way in -nothing connects
B2-Pull out once- Park, Instrument Panel lights and R (rear?/running?) connects
B2- Pull know all the way out - Rear?running? terminal connects (o ohms).


A while back, when I did a test drive (after a year and 4 months with it sitting) I pulled out the knob once and nothing came on... I pulled the knob out all the way, and the front head lights illuminated. I hit the turn signals and they all worked as they should. I do remember, when I put a negative 10 gauge wire directly from the - battery terminal to the dash then, my dash lights illuminated. Also, I was able to figure out the courtesy lights.. But still no park/running lights...
At one point.. I wired the rear somehow. and at that time only the marker/running lights worked and then NO turn lights...

Sorry for taking so much of everyones time... I guess I have to take the rear lights back off and take the front lights off to see what i did..

I don't understand though.. I took apart my entire steering column (because the previous owner installed a in the dash ignition switch) and I rebuilt it.. AND all the wires and mechanics of the steering column work as they should!

It's probably something simple.. Those darn running lights...

If you have any other advice or ideas on what I can do to make the lights work please share them...

 

[76cj7chick]

Seems to be a little confussion on terminology perhaps.Side markers #194 single filament.Front #1157 dual filament park /turn. seems like you have things right so hard to tell why no power to park lights.BTW couple pictures off my autometer gauges.Iterminated all my wiring and grounds on strips so the dash can be removed and for testing. Mike

Beautiful gauges! And very impressive work with the wiring...

Lets see...

Do I have this right?
Side marker splices into front marker and then to park lights that run to the headlight switch?
I looked at my fuse panel (from ez wiring) and I only found a fuse marked turn, backup and tail... What about running lights? Are they supposed to be connected to one of these fuses?