rear signals and brake lights

[NCtrueconservative]

on my 73, I got my tail lights working. But when I flip the signal, the side thats supposed to be flashing just becomes brighter. Right signal flip, bright right tail light. Left signal flip, bright left taillight. Theres no flashing. So I figured it might be the flasher. Replaced the flasher under the dash, and pulled out the emergency flasher switch. Walked to the rear of the car and both sides were flashing. So, turned my hazards off, tried out my signal again and still only get a bright side, no flashing. Bad signal switch??  Also, my brake and reverse lights don't work. Wedged myself up under the dash to look at the brake pedal switch assembly. This probably won't make any sense, and I don't really know quite how the brake lights work when the pedal is pressed, but the pink? wires metal connection does not hit the end of the black metal slot piece even when the pedal is pressed to the floor. Saw there was a bolt to adjust the piece...is that what it needs is just adjusted to where the pink connector hits the black metal when the brake pedal is pushed? I cleaned the connections on the back bulbs so I would think I would be getting good ground. Haven't took my test light back there. sorry if that didn't make any sense...thanks in advance.

[Jamiez]

There is a second flasher that runs the turn signals.  It's typically mounted on the side of the ash tray on the glove box side. It might have worked loose and just be hanging there.

I found a picture I had from someone else's dash restoration.  It's upside down but you can figure it out I'm sure:

[NCtrueconservative]

ah sweet! will check it out for sure. thats why I love this board 

[Jamiez]

Behind the kick panel on the driver's side, there's a connector, I think it's 6 or 8 wire. that runs all the rear lights, the dome light, and the fuel tank sending unit.
You can hook your test light up to that (and a ground) and work the pedals/shifter without having to go to the back of the car to see if it's working.  It will also help you rule to the rear wiring harness as a problem....it's possible some green death took out one or more wires.

[74challenger03]

or a bad bulb,that was my problem

[NCtrueconservative]

Behind the kick panel on the driver's side, there's a connector, I think it's 6 or 8 wire. that runs all the rear lights, the dome light, and the fuel tank sending unit.
You can hook your test light up to that (and a ground) and work the pedals/shifter without having to go to the back of the car to see if it's working.  It will also help you rule to the rear wiring harness as a problem....it's possible some green death took out one or more wires.

Will try this for sure. I know the connector you are talking about. How does that brake pedal switch work just for my knowledge? Does it ground when the pedal is pushed in? Also, that blue wire that is the fuel tank sending unit wire, where exactly does it plug in on the gas tank? Drivers side I'm guessing by the length of the wire

[Jamiez]

I don't know how the pedal works sorry   I know the wire to the light gets 12V across it (or close to it) when the light should go on

The wire for the fuel tank goes out a grommet on the trunk floor and plugs into the top of the tank on the driver's side.  To actually reach the plug if you have dual exhaust you'll have to unbolt the splash shield on that side.  I did not have to remove it, just take the bolts off and jockey it out of the way so I could get a hold of the plug.

[NCtrueconservative]

alright yeah I will move my heat shield out of the way. Looked everywhere for that plug! Thanks for your help

[jimynick]

Check the front bulbs, too. I've seen what you're describing and it was the other bulb in the circuit that was bad or it's ground. Seems like it wasn't enough of a load to trip the flasher. 

[NCtrueconservative]

well tried once again to get my signals working. Got the ash tray assembly out of the way and found the flasher that controls the signals. Took the new one I had put in for my hazard flashers out and plugged it in to my signal connector and...still nothing. Idk what to do now. And as for the above post, I do not have bulbs in my front orange lights (if that matters). So for now  my ash tray is laying on the dash, I have my flasher out, and still no signals out back  As for my brake lights, I tried adjusting my switch at the brake pedal, but I would like some insight on how that switch is supposed to look normally  Like how far is that plastic piece supposed to be pushed in? Might need a new one of those too  in order to get my brake lights working. On a side note, my dang wiring is so sporadic, that my hazard flashers work a whole lot better when I flip the light switch off....just thought I'd throw that in there since it doesn't seem normal to me. I need real help from a person who is an electrical wizard I believe 

[Chryco Psycho]

yes it matters if all the lights are not in , they need to have a ground as well so they need to be mounted to the body . SO do you have power at the flasher ? Do you have power to the light sockets ?
 Do you have power to the brake light switch ? the power goes to the brake light switch , the pedal should move the switch 1/8 or more to open the circuit when the pedal is released . from there the power goes to the turn signal switch & so if you are signalling it will interupt the brake light on that side , so power goes from the turn signal switch out to the brake lights , possibly your turn signal switch is bad . check for power where i mentioned & let us know what you find out