Rear lights not workinf

[decker1]

Hey all thanks for helping.
I have a Thomas build cutaway with a 2002 ford e450 7.3 L. Recently I have an issue where the brake lights, rear interior some lights, rear emergency buzzer, and ALL overhead controls (bus lights, stop sign, AC compressor, etc) do not work. They were working very dimly before I turned switches off and on, and now they don't work at all. I'm thinking fuse or a common ground gor jacked up. Any thoughts people?

Heeelp

[Brad_SwiftFur]

I think I'd be checking some electrical grounds.

[decker1]

Which grounds are you thinking? Much appreciated

[decker1]

Come to think of it, a lot of the lights were/still are on that shouldn't be on. Such as the domelight, and fuse box light. Maybe a common ground is flipping anything that touches ground

[Carytowncat]

With dim control and some lights just heing on with the switch off,
that sounds like a light control modue, if that bus even has one of those.

Good luck!

[onenationundergoat]

When we first got our bus it was like that because they ripped off the stop arm at the bus garage and left the wiring a mess. There was also some kind of odd flasher box that was wired in funky and made the horn go off if the door was opened. We dismantled that box and just generally cleaned up the wires and made sure they were going to the right place. Now everything works fine. I do remember one wire that went to the stop arm that we had to bundle up out of the way. Maybe yours is touching metal somewhere.

[decker1]

Originally Posted by onenationundergoat

When we first got our bus it was like that because they ripped off the stop arm at the bus garage and left the wiring a mess. There was also some kind of odd flasher box that was wired in funky and made the horn go off if the door was opened. We dismantled that box and just generally cleaned up the wires and made sure they were going to the right place. Now everything works fine. I do remember one wire that went to the stop arm that we had to bundle up out of the way. Maybe yours is touching metal somewhere.

Come to think of it, I too accidentaly ripped off the stop sign . It's still there if just dangles. I forgot how I did that. I will check this out. Thanks!!!

[decker1]

Originally Posted by onenationundergoat

When we first got our bus it was like that because they ripped off the stop arm at the bus garage and left the wiring a mess. There was also some kind of odd flasher box that was wired in funky and made the horn go off if the door was opened. We dismantled that box and just generally cleaned up the wires and made sure they were going to the right place. Now everything works fine. I do remember one wire that went to the stop arm that we had to bundle up out of the way. Maybe yours is touching metal somewhere.

Well I pulled the stop sign off. Still no dice . What is that livht box you are taking about? I am
Not sure what this is. Is it part of the stop sign?

[onenationundergoat]

They had installed some sort of black plastic box with labels regarding flashers and buzzers. Aftermarket obviously.

Have you ever taken off your tail light lenses? once we smushed the wiring to the tail light under the edge of the red lense and it wouldn't work anymore. but i don't think that would affect your whole system.

[decker1]

Originally Posted by onenationundergoat

They had installed some sort of black plastic box with labels regarding flashers and buzzers. Aftermarket obviously.

Have you ever taken off your tail light lenses? once we smushed the wiring to the tail light under the edge of the red lense and it wouldn't work anymore. but i don't think that would affect your whole system.

Oh gotcha . No I have not. I am starting to think that the stop sign blue a top level fuse. The sign is removed but what fuse could control so many electronics ?(driver fan, bus lights, rear dome light, etc). Also the front door activated dome light will still not turn off.

[cadillackid]

in my bus all of the "fuses" are actually circuit breakers and are in the driver console switch panel... the fuse box in the dash area is just for the chassis.. if you dont have any front parking lights or tail lights those would be handled by a fuse in the chassis fuse panel near the dash... there's usually One fuse that handles the dash cluster lights, tail lights, and parking lights... brake lights reverse lights and headlights will typically be on different circuits..

someplace will be a hand-off from the ford chassis to the coach builder chassis.. on a cut-away its often underneath.. if that connector has gotten wet or corroded it will cause issues like you describe... some cutaways placed it in one of the 2 kickpanel areas

-Christopher

[decker1]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

in my bus all of the "fuses" are actually circuit breakers and are in the driver console switch panel... the fuse box in the dash area is just for the chassis.. if you dont have any front parking lights or tail lights those would be handled by a fuse in the chassis fuse panel near the dash... there's usually One fuse that handles the dash cluster lights, tail lights, and parking lights... brake lights reverse lights and headlights will typically be on different circuits..

someplace will be a hand-off from the ford chassis to the coach builder chassis.. on a cut-away its often underneath.. if that connector has gotten wet or corroded it will cause issues like you describe... some cutaways placed it in one of the 2 kickpanel areas

-Christopher

So your saying there is a wire(or two) underneath the cutaway that runs from the battery to another control module? I will look for such a thing. The second battery IS on the cutaway portion between the passenger front/rear tires. What does this connector look like? Is it just a generic plug that handles all controls to the bus chassis?
Much appreciated!