REF: 2005 SRT6 Roadster

My drivers side brake light does not illuminate properly. Problem has been verified and several bulb changes tried, bulb is fine as I can swap with right side and everything works fine on the right. (Details: With headlights & parking lights off, left break light illuminates dimly when brake is depressed, with headlight on, tail lamp goes dark when you step on the brake. Note Right side functions properly.)

Once I verified the bulb was not the problem I took to the dealer (Marietta Georgia Chrysler) and asked them to repair it today. After troubleshooting they say the tail light assembly must be replaced and provided a estimate for $596 to replace it (parts + labor + tax). It is in the shop tonight waiting on the part delivery tomorrow. (I questioned this and asked if they were sure it was not the illumination control module or relay and service guy said power is getting to the tail light connector so it must be the lamp assembly.... On the phone that sounded possible...)

But when I got home I thought through this and smell a rat. From looking at the assembly when I replaced the bulb I seem to recall that there are NO WIRES OR CIRCUIT BOARDS OR ELECTRONICS in the tail light assembly!!! Wire harness plugs directly to the bulb and you just put bulb into plastic tail light assembly. The tail light assembly simply holds the bulb. So how could it be a bad tail light assembly? I can see a bad bulb socket but I shouldn't have to buy a whole tail light assembly to replace the socket.

Thoughts? Help please, as I need to call the dealer back 1st thing in the AM to discuss this with the service dude.

 

You may want to make that call....

 

Simple answer ... no. The problem is somewhere else. I'll think about it. Do not have the tail light assembly replaced, if they do then they will find something else and you will pay for that as well.

 

Ground problem, simple as that. The lamp is trying to draw a ground from a backfeed because there isnt a proper ground where there should be. Classic symptoms.

 

Ah and the perfect graphic to reference when I call. I just printed it, along with the service manual diagnostic procedure. THANKS for finding and posting that part graphic, I was looking for it but didn't see it in the 2005 parts catalog. It is just what I need.

 

Thanks, yea that is my thought, it just doesn't seem possible it could be the tail lamp assembly. I'll let you all know how my conversation goes in the AM.

 

Dealer totally agreed when confronted that I only needed a new socket but claims you can't buy it. Luckily the discounted the repair cost to only $471 since I really only need a plastic part that costs about 39cents to make! WooHoo! Must be my lucky day.

 

OUCH!....I had a socket go bad. the metal piece had broken and wasn't making good contact..I took it apart, made a new metal piece and put it back together... I was able to get a new one for the other car when it went bad, but I am sure these parts are drying up...

 

This sounds right to me.

They should be able to bypass the existing ground and verify this. I smell a rat too. And this is the place I recently had repair my transmission.

Good luck with this. It's the only place within 200 miles with CF certified techs. Or so I am told.

And Chrysler didn't know that little nugget. I had to find out here on the forum from a fellow member!

 

When you need another socket let me know, I'm sure I can find plenty on my car you can have for $471 each.

These sockets can be found I'm sure, they were not made for the Crossfire alone. A common off the shelf item no doubt.

You were told not to spend that money. If you did P. T. Barnum was correct again.

 

Wow! You could have pulled a socket from a scrap ebay lamp and did the swap yourself. I hate to see people getting hosed, but what's a $400 savings between friends.

 

Go to NAPA, and get a lamp holder, they are available in lots of styles to match your needs. Skip the factory socket and replace it.

TO PROVE THE SOCKET ISSUE, SWAP THE HOUSING wiring LEFT TO RIGHT TO BE SURE, IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT IN YOUR MIND....

Enjoy, Woody

 

Yea, I'm really mad at the dealer. I've been a customer for 6 years straight but I'll NEVER step foot on their property again. It was a total run up the bill move by the service advisor. When I told him I didn't want the tail lamp they said there would be a 25% restocking fee on the part and I'd have to pay for the diagnostic time. He worked me hard with offering the discount from $596 to $471. When I asked for my replaced parts back he produced the old tail lamp with a broken corner. Now I can't even resell what WAS a perfectly good tail lamp assembly..... My guess is the technician broke the lamp when he removed it and felt he had to sell me the new one to hide the damage. UGHHHHH...... It sucks that I have to do the work my self or I get ripped off. I'm totally willing to pay a good mechanic for honest work but can't stand when they take advantage to run up there bill.

 

Look at it this way -- It wasn't a cheap lesson, but it could have been worse. Next time I'd come on here before pointing the car at a dealership.

 

Yep, I should have know better. I was just in a hurry and didn't think too much about it. Next time I'll do more diagnostics myself. I even have the service manual but I just got lazy... I'll survive and my reviews on that dealership won't be pretty.

 

I've had both of mine out right after I bought the car during my OCD cleanup phase.
They are held in with 3 10mm nuts, and come out easily.
The tech HAD to have DROPPED it to cause any breakage.

 

I am having a similar problem on my SRT coupe. The parking lights work fine but when I hit the brakes the drivers side tail light doesn't come on. I am having a little trouble removing the tail light harness from the tail light to diagnose. Do I pull straight out? I couldn't find it in the service manual. I don't want to crack anything. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

The sockets twist counter-clockwise about 1/8 of a turn then pull straight out. The harness itself in mine just un-cliped from the tail light but I don't recall the details on how I did it.

 

Thanks for the help. The connector comes out by lifting it slightly and sliding it out.

 

Forum,
My 2005 Roadster is experiencing this exact problem only on the passenger tail lamp.
1. Is it true that the tail lamp harness isn't sold separately and the entire tail lamp assy must be purchased ?
2. "Wow! You could have pulled a socket from a scrap ebay lamp and did the swap yourself". Currently (1) available on Ebay, used for $235.00. New $316.09.
3. Assuming I can somehow get access to the 3rd upper 10mm nut to remove the entire assy, what would be required to repair the stop lamp ground loop ? As the ground is common between the tail lamp and stop lamp and the tail lamp works as advertised and the schematic isn't much help once it reaches the socket I was hoping maybe someone who has repaired the socket (Doc ??) could step me through the repair process vic biting HARD on Ebay.
Many thanks,
Tim