Me again. I was getting ready for inspection (I still have 30 days, but I need to get a few things in order) and I found a few issues. Here they are:

1) Cruise control doesn't work. Not a big deal because I don't use it anyway. It can wait.
2) Fuel gauge doesn't work with the front tank. Also not a big deal. I just fill up both tanks, run the front tank for about 100 miles and switch to the rear tank until it's almost empty. It can wait.
3) Here's where the real problems start. My reverse lights aren't coming on. I wouldn't care except that I need them to work to pass inspection.
4) License plate bulbs don't work. Again, I wouldn't care, but... inspection.
5) When I activate my hazards, the front lights blink, but the rears do not. This is odd because the blinkers work at all four corners. Do rear hazards use the reverse lights? Once again... inspection issue.

So, I can live with problems 1 and 2 for now (though I am a bit OCD about my cars and will eventually fix the problems), but I have to get problems 3,4 and 5 taken care of before inspection. My first plan of action, obviously, will be to change the reverse bulbs and license plate bulbs, but I have a sinking feeling that the bulbs aren't the issue. In the mean time, any suggestions?

Thanks,
Lee

 

Unbelievable. I went out and checked the lights again today, and the hazard lights and reverse lights are working fine. Weird, they definitely did not work last night. The license plate bulbs still aren't working though. Hope it's just the bulbs...

 

Do the shake test. Find the connectors and start shaking, moving, maybe some of the connectors are corroded.

 

Do the revers and hazard light work with the headlights on or only when they are off. You could have a grounding issue where the ground for the tail lights are not making good contact.

 

X2 to Mitch, ground issue all the way. Good thinking Mitch about the headlights being on. I think you have run across this before.

 

Ok, I realized today that the flashers in the rear work when I "jiggle" the button for the hazards while they are on. The reverse lights, however, are working perfectly as if nothing was ever wrong. I'll have to wait until they give me trouble again to try and track down the shaky connection.

 

Yes I have ran across this before, though not with a Ford vehicle. I have had these issues on Chevy and Dodges before usually with older trucks that have been used hard, neither one of my Fords have had this problems even though I have had bad grounds on my 83.

 

Phew. The license plate lights were a PITA, but I finally found the problem. One of the twenty or thirty previous owners wired a four pin boat trailer connection and royally F'd up the wiring. At some point, they tried to tie into the license plate bulb wiring and it obviously didn't work. I've managed to get it all worked out. As a bonus, I got the four pin connector working as well, so I'm good to go whenever I want to borrow my Dad's boat. Thanks for the suggestions!