lights

[jseremba]

Hello everybody

So my 1989 6 spd is running but it does not have tail lights. When I press on the brake the brake lights go on, the center console lights go on, sometimes the door chime comes on and the cornering lights go on.
So I figure that there is a broken ground somewhere and when I depress the brake pedal the switch on the brake pedal completes the ground and all the lights work. So I think I have to either repair the broken ground or ground everything. Oh and my passenger side directional flickers quickly.
But my question is this.
When I repair the ground wire. All of the lights will operate. So how does the brake lights get brighter. I mean once the circuit is complete the bulb has twelve volts, correct. The battery is only sending twelve volts. So how do the tail lights get brighter.
Oh and is there a place I can get the actual wiring diagrams for the car. I have the FSM. But, someone mentioned in another post that there is book of wiring diagrams.

Thank you all
Joe

 

[Otter]

Oh and is there a place I can get the actual wiring diagrams for the car. I have the FSM. But, someone mentioned in another post that there is book of wiring diagrams.

??
I had the 89 FSM(sold 2 yrs ago), all the wiring diagrams were foldouts in the back of the book if I remember correctly.

 

[DaveP85C4]

The rear lights have lost their ground. The BRAKE lights ground back through the TAIL lights through the other bulbs to ground.

You are looking for "G401". This is the ground point for the rear harness. It may be corroded, and cleaning it will restore the operation.
In a convertible, it is behind the carpet, behind the passenger seat, into the metal shear panel.
In a coupe it is behind the halo trim panel on the passenger side.

I find it curious that the car runs, as G401 is also the ground for the fuel pump. So perhaps it isn't the ground attach point itself, but the wiring for the lights.

Another test: With the engine not running, but key=ON, put it in Reverse. Do the back up lights come on? If = YES, look at the 4 red rear tail lights closely. Any that are NOT on, have a bad ground or bad bulb. That might help you narrow it down, rather than a blanket "bad ground" deal, because the car does run. If the fuel pump were grounding through the tail light circuit, it would stall when you stepped on the brake.

 

[jseremba]

The rear lights have lost their ground. The BRAKE lights ground back through the TAIL lights through the other bulbs to ground.

You are looking for "G401". This is the ground point for the rear harness. It may be corroded, and cleaning it will restore the operation.
In a convertible, it is behind the carpet, behind the passenger seat, into the metal shear panel.
In a coupe it is behind the halo trim panel on the passenger side.

I find it curious that the car runs, as G401 is also the ground for the fuel pump. So perhaps it isn't the ground attach point itself, but the wiring for the lights.

Another test: With the engine not running, but key=ON, put it in Reverse. Do the back up lights come on? If = YES, look at the 4 red rear tail lights closely. Any that are NOT on, have a bad ground or bad bulb. That might help you narrow it down, rather than a blanket "bad ground" deal, because the car does run. If the fuel pump were grounding through the tail light circuit, it would stall when you stepped on the brake.

Okay so this morning armed with the advice you people have so graciously provided. I jack up the Corvette. Remove the tail lights and start looking for power and ground. After about an hour and no luck I decide. To look for a fuse. Holy crap the lights have a 10 amp fuse. I thought that all the lights would be on one fuse.
I tell you this to apologize for me not thinking of the fuse first. And to thank you all for your help.
The tail lights and directional lights are operational.

Thank you all.

I am now going to try and fix my cigarette lighter. But first I will find the fuse.

So sorry for the bother. Thank you all again.