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Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ 1993-1998: Why Aren't My Tail Lights Working?

If your tail lights just conked out, you may want to take a few minutes and check around your car. The issue is often an interrelated one.

By Brett Foote - September 15, 2015

This article applies to the Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ (1993-1998).

The lighting system in your Jeep is quite simple to troubleshoot. For most every issue, it can be traced back to either bulbs, wiring, or fuses. Bulbs can get hot spots, or become contaminated and fail. Wiring can also become contaminated, often by moisture, and corrode, causing issues. Fuses can blow—they shouldn't if everything is running right, but they can. With that said, if any component of your Jeep's lighting system goes down, that's all it takes to get a nasty fix-it-ticket from the local police. If your tail lights are not working, it's time to work on it and change that.

Materials Needed

  • Replacement bulbs
  • Ratchet and assorted socket sizes

Step 1 – Determine which light(s) is/are out

Check your info center. A "Rear Lamp Failure" message only indicates that a rear market light, rear side market light, or rear brake light is out. It will not indicate that a reverse light or turn signal light is out. To determine if you have a turn signal bulb that is burned out, turn on your turn signal for each direction and observe the blinking indicator. If it is working properly, the light will blink slowly. If it is burned out, the light will blink rapidly. Have a buddy stand behind the car while you test each light to verify that they aren't working.

Figure 1. A rear lamp failure indication in the info center.

Step 2 – Check your bulbs

To access the tail light bulbs, lift the tail gate. Remove the three bolts that hold the tail light assembly in place. Push the assembly outward to release it from the threaded pin, which holds it in place, and pull it out. The brake light and rear marker light bulb is closest to the outside of the assembly, followed by the reverse bulb, and finally the turn signal bulb. The side marker light sits by itself above the brake/rear market light. Turn the bulb you need to replace and pull it out. Make sure you use the proper bulb for your model Jeep. Use of the wrong bulb will result in a rear light failure message!

Figure 2. Replace any bulbs that are not working.

Step 3 – Check the high brake light

There are a total of three bulbs in your high brake light. If any one of the three is out, your will receive a rear lamp failure message. To change a bulb in the high brake light, simply lift the hatch. You will see where the bulbs plug into the light housing, so you can simply turn them and pull them out.

Figure 3. Replacing a high brake light bulb.

Featured Video: Jeep Grand Cherokee Rear Light Failure

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