my tail lights are not working in my 2002 subaru legacy wagon. my owner’s manual was stolen. is this usually a fuse and how can i check? the head lights and brake lights are fine.
It is unlikely to be a fuse, but I suppose the taillights could be on a separate fuse as the parking lights. Check the bulbs themselves to be sure they are not blown, and check the sockets for corrosion. A multimeter can go a long way in helping you diagnose this yourself. A cheap one can be had at a hardware store or walmart for $5-10. With that, you can check the bulbs for continuity (if there is none, they are blown. Same with fuses) and the sockets for voltage. If any of this is too much for you, a good independent mechanic should be able to figure this out in relatively short order.
The fuse would be the first thing to check, then the bulbs, then the sockets and wiring.
Are all of the other lights, such as the side marker lights, working?
For about $20 you can buy a Haynes repair book at most auto supply stores. This should give you a bunch of info and is more complete than the owner’s manual. Well worth the money.
It is unlikely to be a fuse, but I suppose the taillights could be on a separate fuse as the parking lights.
Every vehicle I’ve ever owned had separate fuses for the Taillights and brakelights. This sure sounds like a fuse to me.
If the front clearance lights are working then there is a wire connection problem to the rear lights and the fuses and relay for the lights are ok. You can also see if the light switch on top of the steering column turns the lights on. If the trouble is within the rear wiring then that shouldn’t work either. If the wiring is the trouble then I would suspect the trouble is with a connector not making good connection. The connection trouble may be in the right rear area near the light.
Many good suggestions on how to check.
My only contribution is to get owners manual via the web sign up for the following site:
https://my.subaru.com/login/login.jsp
I believe you only have to enter the vin which is in the lower drivers side corner of windshield.