WEIRD Electrical Issue: Either dome light OR parking lights

[JTW]

Hello guys,

I have this weird electrical problem that hopefully someone can help me with. I have a 1960 Buick LeSabre that only came with a dome light and has always worked fine. Also my parking lights worked fine a few years. Not too long ago I noticed that they did NOT turn on (parking lights) But the blinkers do work. It was an issue that I would get to later on since I rarely use the parking lights, as long as the blinkers use.

So then I installed an original mercury trunk light and map light on the padded dash above the AM stereo. ALL those lights along with the dome light worked perfectly and I was so happy. Months later it rained and I thought water got to the wires and burnt the 20A fuse on the fuse box, dome and trunk light do NOT turn on, but map light does.. Coincidentally I noticed that the parking lights worked now with the fuse broken!!! I said "WHAT?!?!?"... well I changed the 20A fuse and all 3 interior lights work (dome, map, trunk) but parking lights do NOT work...well the 20A fuse breaks again withing minutes and the parking lights work again, but the dome and trunk do NOT..

I have gone through about 4 20A fuses and 1 30A fuse. What could be the problem?

[bob k. mando]

sounds like a short in the wiring harness.

if one of the wires gets hot it makes the insulation soft. once the insulation gets soft it's very easy to develop an intermittent or partial short between various wires and/or the the sheet metal.

you could chase this with an ohm meter but it will probably be a much easier fix to simply try to source a new or NOS wiring harness.

[JTW]

Hi Bob :

Thanks for the reply. I would much rather find or trace the culprit wire and replace it, I don't rely on finding any parts for my car anywhere except sometimes eBay, but I have never seen a wiring harness.

How would I use the ohmmeter to trace the wire? Where would I look for the wire? From the parking lights? From the dome? I think I concluded that its gotta be an orange wire. The wire behind the fuse box that keeps breaking is orange. The wire from the trunk light is orange, from the dome light is orange and white, from the lights in the front there's an orange wire ...guess I gotta find where its damaged?

Thanks in advance!!!

[JTW]

Hi Bob :

Thanks for the reply. I would much rather find or trace the culprit wire and replace it, I don't rely on finding any parts for my car anywhere except sometimes eBay, but I have never seen a wiring harness.

How would I use the ohmmeter to trace the wire? Where would I look for the wire? From the parking lights? From the dome? I think I concluded that its gotta be an orange wire. The wire behind the fuse box that keeps breaking is orange. The wire from the trunk light is orange, from the dome light is orange and white, from the lights in the front there's an orange wire ...guess I gotta find where its damaged?

Thanks in advance!!!

[WildKitty]

Check inside your parking lights for water.
check for continuity between the + & - battery cables; (removed from battery)
if you have continuity, you have a direct + short to ground.
does the battery discharge when the car is just sitting?
check for burnt or frayed wires going to the starter

64 Wildcat
64 LeSabre

[bhambulldog]

At the risk of pointing out the obvious: I 'll point out that, the front parking lights go out when the headlights come on.

[WildKitty]

narrow your search by setting the ohm meter on continuity, attach leads to battery cables (removed
from battery) and remove the parking light bulbs to see it there is any change

[JTW]

Thanks guys for your continued help.

Wildkitty, the wires to the starter seem fine. There is no water in parking lights. Battery used to get drained by sitting but that problem went away on its own, battery is fine now. I want to check for continuity but I do not have a volt meter or ohm meter. I will purchase one soon.

James, yes at first pull the parking lights turn on. At second pull they turn of and headlights turn on.

Thanks again guys, look forward to hearing from you again.

[bhambulldog]

Thanks guys for your continued help.


James, yes at first pull the parking lights turn on. At second pull they turn of and headlights turn on.

My car is the same. I believe all before 1967 are ........

[JTW]

James so have u ever experienced the type of problem I'm having?