2006 Dynast Dim tail lights - help?

[Georgia Mike]

My turn signals and brake lights work except they are dim. I don’t have anything connected to the tow harness so I’m not sure what could be causing this. When you are behind it in the daytime you have to look hard to see it. I don’t think someone traveling behind me would see it. Seeing that they work the fuses must be good maybe a ground issue?

[waterskier_1]

The first thing I would do is measure the voltage at each bulb.  That will tell you if something else is loading it down, or the bulbs are bad or wrong bulb, or dirt has built up on the inside of the lens.

  -Rick N.

[MyronTruex]

If you can pull just one of the bulbs out, take a measurement inside the socket. You need to run your own ground wire for your meter or better yet, use a 12 volt test light, A cheap one with a bulb in it. 

With a voltmeter you should NOT see any voltage on the ground side of the socket. Of course you need to have the lights in question activated at this time. If you cannot get measurements inside the socket, you need to get to the wires. 

You should see close to battery voltage on the hot side of the bulbs of coursse. 

[DavidL]

Bad connection, bad ground, dirty lens.

[1nolaguy]

I went through this process of trying to deal with dim tail lights over a course of about 18 months. First with testing of the voltage I ended up creating a new ground and then replacing the bulb sockets. I replaced the bulbs first with LED and then back to incandescent. Part of the issue I found was the thick plastic lenses of our 2005 Safari Cheetah along with the fading of the silver reflector inside the lens the lights just seemed dim, especially in daylight. My solution was two fold. I replaced the running lights with new LED versions that were much brighter than the originals. I also added a  LED light strip just above the rear engine doors to provide extra running, brake and turn signal lighting. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F1PWDP2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The improved visibility, especially when towing is a game changer. I am not in a position to post photos of the finished product but will next week when I am at the RV.

[Jdw12345]

My bulbs and the inside of my fixtures were dirty, I cleaned the fixtures and installed new bulbs and it seems brighter than before on my. FWIW 

[cbr046]

13 hours ago, DavidL said:

Bad connection, bad ground, dirty lens.

Or corrosion inside the bulb socket . . . . but if it's all tail lights (including running lights, brake lights, backup lights, turn signals) I'd check voltage between the socket ground and a known good ground (maybe bare frame or a lead back to the battery bank).  If that's the case it might be better to run a new ground wire to one of the lights and see if they all improve.

You could also consider LED bulbs.  They don't draw as much current so any losses from corrosion etc would be less.  Of course that's only a band-aid to the real problem.

- bob

[Georgia Mike]

I went over today and checked the tail lights and everything seemed ok as far as clean connections, good voltage and clean lens. It looks like the taillights have been replaced but look like the originals but the red part seems very dark. The other thing I noticed is that the upper turn signal light is upside down and I don’t know why but it seems to make the turn signal less visible standing from behind. Anyways I have been looking for some brighter LED 3157 bulbs. Amazon has a ton but seems to have a reoccurring theme of Hyper flashing with the turn signal. Depending on your rig some work and some don’t so well. Has anyone replaced there taillight bulbs with LED with success and know what kind you used? Also my third brake light isn’t working as well and I know that’s another rabbit hole to go down. 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Georgia Mike

[1nolaguy]

52 minutes ago, Georgia Mike said:

I went over today and checked the tail lights and everything seemed ok as far as clean connections, good voltage and clean lens. It looks like the taillights have been replaced but look like the originals but the red part seems very dark. The other thing I noticed is that the upper turn signal light is upside down and I don’t know why but it seems to make the turn signal less visible standing from behind. Anyways I have been looking for some brighter LED 3157 bulbs. Amazon has a ton but seems to have a reoccurring theme of Hyper flashing with the turn signal. Depending on your rig some work and some don’t so well. Has anyone replaced there taillight bulbs with LED with success and know what kind you used? Also my third brake light isn’t working as well and I know that’s another rabbit hole to go down. 

Yours look very similar to mine. I tried several led versions from Amazon but none worked well for me. Or were still to dim through the thick red lenses. Note: if you try led buy red not white color as supposedly they show up better. As noted above I went back to incandescent and supplemented with led running lights and the led tail light strip. I spliced the strip in with the wiring at the 4 pin connector. Also this is a great improvement if you are pulling a toad.

[cbr046]

1 hour ago, Georgia Mike said:

1 - The other thing I noticed is that the upper turn signal light is upside down and I don’t know why but it seems to make the turn signal less visible standing from behind.

2 - I have been looking for some brighter LED 3157 bulbs.

3 - Amazon has a ton but seems to have a reoccurring theme of Hyper flashing with the turn signal.  . . . . . Has anyone replaced there taillight bulbs with LED with success and know what kind you used?

4 - Also my third brake light isn’t working as well and I know that’s another rabbit hole to go down. 

 

#1 - I'd be guessing the turn signal lens is "fresneled" or cut to point the light slightly down (or up).  Just a guess.

#2 - Good luck with that (hard to find).  Always go by the lumens . . . and even then half those lumens from the LED "bulb" might be pointing up, down or even sideways depending how it's made.  You might end up getting an assembly that fits into the reflector.

#3 - Hyper flashing is because LEDs draw significantly less current of a conventional bulb (per lumen).  Look for flashers designed to work with LEDs. 

#4 - If it's incandenscent and you can't see through the filament check the socket for voltage first - the bulb may simply be blown.  Of course, once you start down the rabbit hole . . .

Good luck,

- bob

[hitechpete]

I fitted COB type led bulbs into my rear indicators on my 2000 Diplomat similar to these:

[tomevansfl]

I ordered these to replace a burned out incandescent brake light bulb in my Diplomat (I replaced both at the same time). Melphan-Auto 1157 Led Brake Light Bulb Red, 12V-24V 1157 7528 2357 2057 BAY15D LED Replacement Light Bulb for Brake Tail Running Parking Backup Light for Car RV Trailer Boat, 54SMD 3014 Chipset,4PCS https://a.co/d/cvJfcia

The info/description said when using as a turn signal light, you may need to load resistors to avoid Canbus error code or hyper flash. 
 

I was alone when I replaced the bulbs with the LEDs so I turned the headlights on and both sides lit up much brighter than the incandescent bulbs so I assumed everything was fine. Two days later my son was following me and he said the brake lights didn’t work but the taillights worked when I turned the headlights on while driving through rain but he said the taillights went out every time I applied the brakes. 
 

Now I just need to figure out how to replace the resistors or which relay to substitute and what kind of relay to replace it with. 
 

Anyone have this scenario? What did you use as a replacement relay?

[Georgia Mike]

Just as a follow up I ended up purchasing these led bulbs and they are much brighter. They don’t flicker which I saw in a lot of reviews with others so if you have a coach around the same years they should work. 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V67K1L7?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1