Well.. THANKS TO ALL FOR THE IMPUT.

My exhaust was exiting really high in the rear of the BRAT and the wires were caught in the blast. When I took off the heat shield, the wires crumpled in my hand exposing 5 bare wires. Lot's of reasons why the shorts /weird light issues were happening.

BTW the thing that I learned from this is that when there are multiple systems having problems, ie turn signals, reverse and stop lights, there might be damage to the harness somewhere.

OFF TO SMOG tomorrow.

Well the problems never ever seem to end.

 

I took some of my lights off to paint the BRAT and now I have some messed up electrical issues.

 

1) Rear Driver’s side lights will not work. I traced diagrams and I think it’s the ground. Voltage is good to all of the powered wires. Will have to test the ground to see if that’s the one.

 

2) This one’s the weird one.

When the parking lights come on, the reverse light also comes on. This is for the Pass side, b/c of problem 1. When I use the turn signal to the left, the parking light and the reverse light pulse lightly. The right turn signal is dead. Also the front turn signals are not working. The hazard switch flashes the rear pass parking light and reverse light.

 

I think I have traced the problem to the hazard switch. But I am not sure. I will scan in my wiring diagram tracings when I get home from work so you can take a look.

 

Starting to HATE my BRAT again….

 

BW

 

Ps. Hey I just thought of another meaning for B.R.A.T. B.ound to R.epair A.ll T.hings

sounds like you probably have a bad common ground wire or ground point, (maybe painted over something?) and maybe have a plug or two wrong?

 

The rear lighting circuit on a car is typically grounded all in one common location; I can only speak from general knowledge, not subaru specific. Wish I could help more, but thats what the dimming and probably the non functioning lights are all about. The mixed up lights coming on when they shouldn't, is probably a plug plugged in backwards or something absurd like that.

One easy thing you can do to verify a bad ground is to make a long ground wire test jumper lead. Tie one end of the wire to a known good ground point and then move the other end to suspected bad ground points. If things then start working you know you are on the right track of a bad ground.

 

I suspect you are correct about the flasher unit causing the trouble with the front lights. The reverse light acting as it does seems strange unless it isn't wired correctly.

I just finished tracing the hazard circuit and I found out that the wires from the parking light, reverse and hazard all come together in the lighting relay. HMM...... That may be the problem. where is the lighting relay located? Will have to look at it some more.

 

Also can anyone tell me where the reverse light switch is. I think it's hooked up to the EA81 tranny near the driver's side mount.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=78563

On my hatch there were numerous grounds on the back end.

 

My bet is a ground not grounding.

Check the ground for the DS as mentioned, starting with the connectors for that rear light assembly and the assembly itself.

 

The 12 volt W/common ground lighting system can/will cause some very strange lighting functions when ground is lost. Seeing as you removed the lights, I would look at those connections 1st. Even a slight amount of corrosion in the bulb(s) socket will cause issues.

 

Your Hazzard switch is most likely good. Front turn/hazzards won't "flash" do to rears not working. Odd lighting in the rear assembly is due to the wayward ground issue. System is finding it's own ground thru whatever circuit it can.

ok no ground on driver's side confirmed.

 

One thing i notices while looking underneath is that my exhaust is blowing right up against the metal heat shield protecting the wires. Very possible the due to the heat build up, the wire plastic is melting and they are shorting out.

 

Will have to let the car a bit before I remove the shielding and take a look.

 

BW

And so the saga continues.