advice needed on fuse/light issues

mrfrank

Registered
in the last few weeks, a number of lighting issues have come up with my 98...first, the daylight running lights crapped out; no big deal i thought, as i've never really cared for them. next, the neon taillight started to work when it felt like. meaning that at times it would not light up, other times it would. again, not much thought to it because i kind of liked the way it looked when out. today, after a simple run to the store, the car wouldn't shift out of park, and had no brake lights, (noticed later no park lights either) after a search of the forums, i replaced the brake light switch figuring the shift lockout would be associated with the lights out; no luck. checked the fuses, 31 (park lamps) & 32 (brake on/off switch) were blown. when i replaced 32 it blew out when i put it in. 31 blew out again when i turned on the park lamps. so...
any ideas where i should begin to look for the short, or whatever it is that is compromising the light system. i have headlights & directionals...no brake lights nor running lights; and being a black Mark not too safe at night. any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks.
 
RE: advice needed on fuse/light issues

It is very simple, you had the answer when you started this thread. It's the neon ballast or water in the neon lamp housing. Do an advanced search for a replacement ballast. I just had to do it to my '98. Go here for more information:

http://www.markviii.org/~glitch/Inverter replacement.pdf


You will need to take your ballast out and drill out the base plate. Then you'll need to be able to splice the existing wires to the replacement ballast from glitch. Make sure there is no water in the lamp. You will have to remove the trunk rug underneith the lid and disconnect the connector in there. Replace your fuses and your brake lights will work as before, you just will not have the neon lamp. But, you will have outside brake lights and no more blown fuses. And you will not have anymore problems with the gear shift lock. That lock requires a voltage from the key and the brake lights. If the brake light fuse is blown, the solenoid will not release the gear shift. Once you replace the fuse, you will restore the function as before. If you want the neon to work, and not spend a fortune, go to the website above. I don't know if your car will pass inspection if the neon light does not work.
 
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