08 Grand Caravan - tail light issues

Asked by dthorson Jul 29, 2011 at 01:55 PM about the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have on 08 Grand Caravan that the right tail light stopped working on - no
signal, no brake lights.  The bulb and fuse are good.  What is weird (to me
anyway) is that the left tail light works, even when I pull the fuse for it.  (I had
both tail light fuses out, and the left tail light was still blinking.)  

I haven't got to testing the wiring yet, I was wondering if somehow I lost ground
to the right tail light assembly but the fuse thing makes me suspicious.

The signal light blinks in front rapidly on the right side when engaged.

Does this sound like a wiring issue, a relay issue?  Has anyone seen something
like this before?

9 Answers

955

My 97 has done the same thing, again have not had time to check everything, but it does sound like a ground problem.

1 people found this helpful.
80

This just happened to me as well. The right (passenger side) rear turn signal / brake light quit working. There is no voltage for that at the socket. It is not a ground problem and I have probed the wire all the way to the kick panel by the emergency brake cable and it has continuity to the socket. I have yet to determine what it is because there isn't an aftermarket manual available for it yet. It's got to be a switch, a relay or a connector that has gone bad. If I don't determine the issue quickly I'm thinking of running a wire from the front signal to the back just to get it working. I'm really starting to regret buying this vehicle. Nothing but issues. I had to have both front wheel bearings replaced at 50kmi! Non-machinable discs in the rear brakes as well and they aren't cheap. The engine uses oil! I put 2 to 3 quarts in between changes.

8 people found this helpful.

Well, my issue ended up to be, embarrassingly enough, a bad bulb. Visually, the filaments were intact. I did check this just before dropping it off at the dealership... I assume you have the 3.8 L engine - mine uses oil as well - right around the "normal" amount according to Chrysler, according to my dealership. In our Canadian metric system, that equates to a litre of oil per 1800 KM (I think that works out to a quart every 1200 miles or so...) I'm currently on an oil usage monitoring plan - I have heard mixed stories about engine replacements with the 3.8 L engine and oil usage.

30

It's the Wiring. Please look it up as the owners of the Model must have rigged it which word on the Net/ Streets. I am looking it up now. Sorroeous-

3 people found this helpful.
85

Same problem here but it turns out the connection between the bulb holder and the tail light assembly has burnt back peventing the electrical connection. I am going to try and repsir but I think it will mean a new rear tail light for me

1 people found this helpful.
60

I have brake lights but I don't have tail lights for my 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan. Could it possibly be a fuse that is causing my problem?

6 people found this helpful.
3,885

If yor turn signal is blinking fast your sinal switcher under dash is shot.autozone tell them turn signal is going fast.

5 people found this helpful.
40

If your turn signal is "blinking fast" you can try a couple of things... First, a new bulb. If it still blinks fast try swapping tail lights to confirm you dont have a ground or wiring issue. Although the left/right tail lights are not fit interchangeable, you can plug them in to either side (let them dangel) for a function check. If youre working by yourself, wedge a length of wood or piece of conduit between the seat and brake pedal... If that checks good, then swap your known good bulb and socket to a suspected bad location. I believe that all 4 bulbs are the same (#3057) and all 4 sockets are the same (#880).

4 people found this helpful.

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