centuryhouse

I've read a bit on here about others having the problem I am: when you hit the brakes and your running lights are on, the running lights go out and the brake lights don't come on.

I took the assembly apart to check the bulbs and make sure the sockets were seated well, and now one backup light doesn't work and the running lights don't come on AT ALL. And the brake lights still don't work when the running light switch is on. And the passenger turn signal light blinks rapidly now on front (not at all on back) because one of the sockets actually broke off when I tried unscrewing it to check the bulb. Doh!

My questions are:

1) why does the bottom socket (backup light) have three contacts and a two filament bulb?? Should it be two contacts and a single filament??

2) are there any good aftermarket (preferably local at Autozone etc so I can get this done without waiting) tail light assemblies and sockets?

2000 Grand Cherokee 2WD v8

dave1123

Chrysler, in their infinite wisdom, tried to keep things simple by using the same bulbs and sockets for everything and just wiring them differently. You'd have to ask them why, because I haven't a clue, except possibly production costs. I do know that you can take a backup light bulb to replace a brake light on the road if you need to.

The plastic I know about. They didn't use high temp tolerant plastic in the tailights and if you spend a lot of time in traffic at a standstill with the brakes on, the heat will soften the plastic and loosen the contacts. Another cost cutting measure. After all, if they made Jeeps indestructible, you wouldn't buy another. Remember the Yugo? They broke so soon that NOBODY bought another one.

About aftermarket tailights, I would recommend rockauto.com.

centuryhouse

Thanks for the info, it helped!

I managed to resolve the problems by prying up the metal contacts in the tail light housing, so they would make better contact. All fixed!

dave1123

Some guys put folded aluminum foil under the contacts so it doesn't happen again.