TheSamba.com :: View topic - Left Tail Light assembly not working (pic)

Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:02 pm

I have a 79 westfalia .... my right brake, tail, and turn signals work fine. I have 3 disconnected wires on my left side, i've looked at a wiring diagram and have no clue how to read it... I know it's probably a really simple fix... I just need to know where these wires hook up to....Also... the black wire towards the right side of the picture is also loose.... Thanks and 1Love!

Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:48 pm

GO to vintagebus.com and download the wiring diagram onto a flash drive. Take it to staples or office depot and they will print and laminate it 12x18 or larger. then go home and get some paint thinner on a rag and clean all the overspray off of the wires so you can see what color wire you are looking at. take a photo of the cleaned off wires and post IT :shock: so we can help

Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:15 am

welcome :)
current flow diagrams can be hard to read.
take a look @ the 72 diagram under "technical" on this site.
tail light wiring should be the same for all late buses.
wire colors may be slightly different.

do you own a test light?

Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:08 am

I don't see a ground wire anywhere in that picture :wink:

Where do the wires connected in with those blue things go? looks like someone added something for a trailer perhaps? I'd start by removing those (pry the blue things open and pry up the metal tab over the buses wire).

Wed Dec 07, 2011 9:34 am

busdaddy wrote: I don't see a ground wire anywhere in that picture :wink:

Where do the wires connected in with those blue things go? looks like someone added something for a trailer perhaps? I'd start by removing those (pry the blue things open and pry up the metal tab over the buses wire).
nice spot, BD.

i'm almost starting to think that the trailer wiring was a dealer ad-on for these late westys.

Wed Dec 07, 2011 9:58 am

The white wire and what appears to be a red wire that are tapped in with the blue splices can be removed. I cant tell how the black wire is tapped into the bulb socket, if it even is but I think its trailer wiring also. I just overhauled that metal plate on my lights and removed the same wire.
John

Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:03 pm

Since I just replaced both the taillights with new ones, I would guess that the black wire goes to the side marker light. The same wire came off mine and caused that taillight turn signal to work improperly.

Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:15 pm

I'm not so sure, the black wire is the backup lights from the switch (but it seems to be on the wrong terminal). Since there's no bulb in the backup socket who knows if they work?
There is a blackish looking wire dropping out the cutout in the bottom that is connected to the tail light circuit but side marker wires are grey (power) and brown (ground).