Rear brake light ground issue after Barricade Corner Guard install

Andy Maurer

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
136
Location
St. Louis
I recently installed a set of Barricade Corner Guards on my 98 TJ and have had issues getting a ground connection on the rear brake lights. I have read that the rear brake light is grounded by the housing making a connection with the frame. I tried larger diameter sheet metal screws as well as lag bolts with washers but neither have resolved the issue. Can I run a ground wire from the brake light housing to the frame to see if that resolves the issue? If so would I just tap a ground screw into the brake light housing and run a wire from there to a screw in the frame? Looking for any suggestions so I can get back on the road with functioning brake lights & turn signals. Right now when I use my turn signals it looks like I turned the hazzard lights on.

cornerguard.jpg
 
I recently installed a set of Barricade Corner Guards on my 98 TJ and have had issues getting a ground connection on the rear brake lights. I have read that the rear brake light is grounded by the housing making a connection with the frame. I tried larger diameter sheet metal screws as well as lag bolts with washers but neither have resolved the issue. Can I run a ground wire from the brake light housing to the frame to see if that resolves the issue? If so would I just tap a ground screw into the brake light housing and run a wire from there to a screw in the frame? Looking for any suggestions so I can get back on the road with functioning brake lights & turn signals. Right now when I use my turn signals it looks like I turned the hazzard lights on.

View attachment 68293
The lights in the turn signal housing are grounded through or to the body and depend on a good connection between the mounting screws and the tub to supply the ground. It is common to run a longer screw through one of the holes, put a ring terminal on a ground wire, put that on the screw, and then put a nut on the screw. The other end goes to ground.

You should however, have a ground connection unless I'm missing something since the original screws are being used in the original holes which let everything work correctly before?
 
I lost the original screws, actually I probably still have them somewhere but could not find them so I went to HD and got sheet metal screws of the same diameter. When they did not work I got 1 size larger, then I tried the lag bolts. I will give the ring terminal work around described and hope that resolves this issue!
 
I lost the original screws, actually I probably still have them somewhere but could not find them so I went to HD and got sheet metal screws of the same diameter. When they did not work I got 1 size larger, then I tried the lag bolts. I will give the ring terminal work around described and hope that resolves this issue!
Did you remove the bulbs for any reason?
 
Yes, to make sure I did not break them when working on the Jeep. They still light up when I use the turn signals, but everything lights up like I used the hazards.
 
Yes, to make sure I did not break them when working on the Jeep. They still light up when I use the turn signals, but everything lights up like I used the hazards.
Make sure you got them back in the right sockets. The back up light is an 1156 which has the pegs that lock it into the socket directly opposite each other and it is a single filament bulb. The brake/turn is an 1157 dual filament and has the pegs offset so you can't put it in the reverse light socket. With some enthusiasm they can be switched and will work a bit wonky like you have described. I wouldn't know this had a friend not switched his around removing some light guards.

It just dawned on me you said they light up. You don't have a ground problem. ;)
 
When using left or right turn signal both sides (front and rear) flash like I turned on the hazzards. If I disconnect the rear brake light the turn signals (front and rear) work as expected (minus the one which was disconnected). If I turn on the headlights I get no lights on the dash unless I press the brakes. I thought all of this pointed to a bad ground on the rear tail light. Maybe I was wrong?
 
When using left or right turn signal both sides (front and rear) flash like I turned on the hazzards. If I disconnect the rear brake light the turn signals (front and rear) work as expected (minus the one which was disconnected). If I turn on the headlights I get no lights on the dash unless I press the brakes. I thought all of this pointed to a bad ground on the rear tail light. Maybe I was wrong?
Check the bulbs.
 
I agree it's a bad ground. My TJ has a similar issue.. all lights work fine until I turn my headlights on. Then the right rear turn signal flashes fast and brake light does not work.on same side. All new bulbs.
After market recessed taillights that seem to be made of a chrome plated plastic. Previous owner installed them.
 
Tail light guards are notorious for causing that problem, not to mention you can buy replacement tail light housings very inexpensively, often for less than the cost of the guard. Personally I'd remove the guard, they don't really help protect the tail light anyway from trail situations that could damage it.
 
Make sure you got them back in the right sockets. ;)

Winner winner! I had the bulbs in the incorrect sockets on both sides... Sometimes it is the easy stuff that I look over that gets me. Great suggestion mrblaine, I could have spent weeks trying to get the ground connection resolved and it was as easy as swapping the bulbs!

Tail light guards are notorious for causing that problem, not to mention you can buy replacement tail light housings very inexpensively, often for less than the cost of the guard. Personally I'd remove the guard, they don't really help protect the tail light anyway from trail situations that could damage it.

They came with the jeep when I bought it, I went ahead and took them off to rule this out and actually like they way it looks better without them. Someday I'll replace with flat round tail lights, but for now I am happy to have it working turn signals again!.
 
Winner winner! I had the bulbs in the incorrect sockets on both sides... Sometimes it is the easy stuff that I look over that gets me. Great suggestion mrblaine, I could have spent weeks trying to get the ground connection resolved and it was as easy as swapping the bulbs!
Good job. Like I said, once it dawned on me that they were lighting up, you didn't have the typical ground issue caused by those guards which is no light at all. To be accurate though, you did have a ground issue, just not the normal one and that is due to the bulbs having single and double contacts on the base and being reversed.



They came with the jeep when I bought it, I went ahead and took them off to rule this out and actually like they way it looks better without them. Someday I'll replace with flat round tail lights, but for now I am happy to have it working turn signals again!.
The factory tail light grounds to the body via a plate in the back of the light housing that the screws make contact with and then the ground path is completed to the body with the screw threads.