Lights Work When Braking, But Not When Turned On

[aircooledamateur]

After a short drive the other day the entire right tail light assembly went out on my 73 Bus. I fixed a ground thinking this would solve everything, but it only got the turn signal working. I cleaned another ground and all the connections, and now when I hit the brakes, the middle bulb (red) will light up as it does on the left side. So, turn signals and brake lights are now perfect on both sides.

However, when I pull the button on the dash to turn my lights on, the middle bulb lights up on the left side, but nothing lights up on the right side. So I only have a left tail light. Before this happened, the middle red bulb on the right would also light up when I turned my lights on. The bottom two bulbs (white) do not turn on, and I don't know what they are for.

Anyways, it's fine if the red is what lights up as long as I have a tail light, the problem is that on the right side when I pull the button on the dash to turn my lights on, again, nothing comes on. I checked the fuses and the bulb obviously works because it goes on when I hit the brakes, and the "lights on button" obviously works because the left side middle light will go on.

So, does anyone have any suggestions for why the middle red bulb works when I hit the brakes, but not when I turn my lights on, as it does on the left side?

[Xevin]

These tail light issues can be tricky little puzzles to fix over the internet. What happens when you turn the hazard lights on? What happens when you put it in reverse?
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[aircooledamateur]

I just went out for another 3 mile drive, figuring having one tail light would be okay. On the way back, BOTH turn signals stopped working. Neither lights up at all. Checked the ground and it's still good. So to answer the question, now when I hit the hazards nothing happens at all, and when I'm in reverse, only that left tail light lights up. I now have no turn signals, no brake lights, and only one tail light (left). Help!

[Wildthings]

It is likely still a grounding issue. Maybe between the bulbs and their respective sockets or the sockets and the body ground. Scrape and brush everything thing to shiny metal and treat the metal with dielectric grease once you are done. Sometimes it helps to slightly distort the sockets so that the sockets pinch the bases of the bulbs a bit.

A tiny pen knife can be helpful for scraping out the insides of the sockets.

[Xevin]

I agree with Wildthings. If you you’ve cleaned all the grounds. You might just pull the assembly and have a look at connections. Some info in this link. I have a 72 and the spade/terminals are slightly different on a 78 light assembly but it’s the same idea. My problem was loose bulb sockets and crappy connections. Although I fixed the issue I replaced light assembly’s to Arteb Brazilian OEM from Bus Depot, look great years later. Hella ones are great too.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8052778
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[aircooledamateur]

Thanks for all your help guys! I cleaned all the grounds and connections and that got my turn signals working again. Still same problem with the brake light/tail light though. Again, fuses are good, bulb is good, connection to tail light is good, connection to lights on button is good. The only thing I haven't checked is on the other side of the fuse box, but I don't want to pull the box out, especially as the wiring is pretty new and I have no reason to believe anything went wrong there. Anybody have any suggestions for what I could try, or anything I could do to narrow down the problem?

[Xevin]

For a goof. Check the connection to the switch on the trans. Maybe it’s loose. Did you check the fuse in the fuse holder in engine compartment?
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