# Tail light won’t work

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** chrysler\
**Created:** [March 23, 2019, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034 "2019-03-23T12:28:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![soniamorasanchez\_149818](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@soniamorasanchez\_149818](https://community.cartalk.com/u/soniamorasanchez_149818)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034/1 "2019-03-23T12:28:37Z")

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My 2006 Chrysler Town & Country decided the right tail light (turn signal) would stop working. We changed the bulb right away and it still wouldn’t turn on. We switched the bottom socket into the top socket and Nothing. We ordered a new socket just to be sure but I’m relatively sure it won’t work either. Should I just buy a new tail light? Could it be wiring or it’s just not making contact?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034/2 "2019-03-23T14:30:12Z")

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> [@soniamorasanchez\_149818](#):
>
> Could it be wiring

Yes, clearly it is the wiring. Stop just replacing things and moving parts around. CHECK the voltage at the bulb socket when the tail lights are turned on.

Check for ground continuity - 0 ohms resistance.

Check for 12 volts? No? Then broken wire.

Then post back and we’ll try and help.

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**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034/3 "2019-03-23T16:53:17Z")

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If you are going to try and solve the trouble yourself then you need to purchase at least a test light probe so you can check to see if power is getting to the light socket, as @Mustangman suggested. Proper testing eliminates guess work and paying for needless replacement parts.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034/4 "2019-03-24T00:19:36Z")

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A bulb will light if it has both 12 volts and ground and the filament is good. That’s where to start. A DVM in volt mode will check for the first two, and a DVM in resistance mode is used to check for the third.

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034/5 "2019-03-24T01:30:09Z")

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Have you checked the light’s fuse? A cheap circuit tester light is the bare minimum you need for troubleshooting this kind of problem. An LED test light from Walmart is very affordable.

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**Author:** ![monkarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@monkarl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/monkarl)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 7:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tail-light-won-t-work/137034/7 "2019-03-29T07:07:21Z")

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Just use a voltmeter to check if they are getting the correct voltage.