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Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Grand Cherokee Lights

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  • tina68tina68 Member Posts: 1
    My passenger brake light kept goin out,i would just hit on it and it would start back workin,did this for almost a year,now all the brake lights are not workin,fuses and bulbs are all good,i bought a brake light switch and we can't get it out to replace the new one,is there a easier way or do we just snatch it out? PLEASE HELP!
  • arpeck88arpeck88 Member Posts: 1
    I just found this problem last night on my 2002 JGC and my boyfriend found this to fix it. :shades:

    http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/jeep-grand-cherokee/T63DRCOTUFKMHQ207

    First, I want to say thank you for the info, you saved me money and aggravation. Second it took me a little while to figure out what contact I was looking for. So I would like to provide a little more detail to make it easier for others in the future.
    This is the corrective method for your brake lights not working when your headlights are on(2000 Jeep Cherokee Laredo).
    1) The cause of the problem is heat from the bulb.
    2) Remove the light assembly as if you were going to change a bulb.
    3) Turn the socket and remove it from the taillight assembly and set it aside(check to be sure your bulb is not burnt out).
    4) Look at the opening, you will see 3 flat chrome colored contacts on the assembly.
    5) Notice the one by it self at the top of the opening, that is the “ground”.
    6) If you look closely you will notice the plastic around the ground contact has shrunk a little bit, this caused the contact to pull away from the socket, causing the problem.
    7) With a small flat head screwdriver, VERY GENTLY pry up the contact so it stays slightly upward by itself.
    8) Re-insert the bulb assembly back into the housing and press your brake petal with your lights on.
    9) You should be in good to go!
    10) Tools: Phillips head screwdriver and a small flat head screwdriver.
    11) Time : 5 minutes per light
  • debramcgeedebramcgee Member Posts: 7
  • ghoneycuttghoneycutt Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2011
    I've noticed my headlights have very poor performance at night. The outer two bulbs of the lamps will work, the inner two bulbs will not activate on high or low beams. I've tried every combination of automatic or manual settings. Checked fuses, wiggled lights etcetc.

    I'm assuming both lights are supposed to work and the inner bulbs are not just for aesthetics. I consider this a major safety issue at night due to the fact I can't see but 50 feet ahead of me. Has anyone had this issue? Fixes?
  • stucheastuchea Member Posts: 1
    I just wanted to take the time to thank you for the tip. My wife's 2004 Grand Cherokee had this exact same problem starting with one tail light and then both not working. We have been avoiding driving at night and in the rain for too long. I followed the steps above and was able to fix both brake lights! I suggest anyone with similar issues try this before being talked into replacing wiring harnesses and what not! Thanks again!
  • andy69moparandy69mopar Member Posts: 1
    I had the same problem with only the passenger side brake light. So while swapping out bulbs and sockets and light assemblies from side to side, both brake lights stopped working while the headlights were on. However the third brake light was always on. You have the FIX!!! I lightly pryed up on the single chrome terminals on both the driver & passenger assemblies, and we have brake lights!! Thanks for your help. :)
  • vettelenvettelen Member Posts: 1
    why does my tail lights keep going out i have replaced bulbs and whole light but keep going out 2001 jeep grand cherokee le
  • des5des5 Member Posts: 88
    This problem is well understood. The plastic frame shrinks with heat from the bulb, and the metal contact pulls away from the bulb connection. Pull out the bulb, pry up on the flat semicircular metal plates that contact the bulb, and shim them up with a strip of aluminum foil folded 3-4 times over. Reinsert bulb.
  • fordy45255fordy45255 Member Posts: 1
    That is awesome just got my jeep back from shop for some other things and they told me to replace the assembly. But with this info I was able to save some money and piece of mind when driving at night. Brake lights are fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
  • dmortazdmortaz Member Posts: 26
    Thanks for these recommendations! Bottom line is the awful design and the poor engineering that has gone into the design of these sockets and the contact mechanism. Even the way the design of the metal shavings inside the Light's Housing are poorly designed !

    I constantly see Jeeps on the road with at least one of BOTH (break or lights) out! We keep getting warning tickets from the local cops and we show them the 1/2 dozen sockets in the back that we have tried with no success.

    Do you have a photo of how you added the aluminum foil!?

    Thanks again for sharing.
  • dmortazdmortaz Member Posts: 26
    We have this happen to us too where I fixed one side and the other side which was working would stop!! It's horrible design of socket themselves and the way they come into contact with the Light's plastic housing!

    Whoever designed this light should be SHOT!! It's moronic the way Jeep has designed it and kept the same design despite years of problems.
  • buffaloloverbuffalolover Member Posts: 1
    THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! Your info just saved me 145.00 that I couldn't afford living on Disability!!! I replaced the bulb in my 2004 Grand and that didn't work. I didn't want pulled over so I thought I should check into this today... I noticed my socket looked like it had shorted out so I called and finally found someone who would sell the socket and not the whole assembly (besides the dealer that didn't think that was my problem) I paid 14.00 and put it in.... Still no brake light... I have blinker and tail but no brake light... I just did a search on the internet and found your answer! Just ran out and tried it and bazzinga it worked!!! So thank you for sharing the fix! Now I am once again a happy girl!
  • marzcarmarzcar Member Posts: 1
    Thanks so much for this post! I've been dreading taking my Jeep in for what I thought would be an expensive electrical wiring repair. First my brake light went out, then a week later, the tail light went out too. I searched online hoping there would be someone with the similar problem and solution before I headed to the repair shop and came across your post.
    IT WORKED! THANK YOU!
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