[Mgs] MGA 1600 rear lamp wiring problem.

[Classic-Car-World Ltd]

Robert it sounds like you may have a cross feed from another circuit.

Have you tried to isolate the rear lights at the bullet connectors? Take the 
connectors apart and then re-assemble them in the order lights first then 
the rest of the connections (Indicators, stop lights) and see which if any 
brings on the tail lights.

You're right that the front & rear lights are on the same circuit so you 
would expect the front lights to be on as well. Not unless your wiring has 
been modified at some point in its life.

Good luck.

Kindest Regards

Tom
Tom McCay (Director)
Classic-Car-World Ltd
Tel: 01522 888178
FAX: 0870 705 9115
E-Mail: tom at classic-car-world.co.uk
URL: www.classic-car-world.co.uk

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Max Heim" <max_heim at sbcglobal.net>
To: "MG List" <mgs at autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 6:16 PM
Subject: Re: [Mgs] MGA 1600 rear lamp wiring problem.


> Rear lamps, or brake lamps?
>
> I have had this happen with brake lamps due to problems with the switch 
> (not
> on an MGA).
>
> on 10/15/07 9:55 AM, Robert J. Guinness at guinness at stclegal.com wrote:
>
>> I have a MGA 1600 whose rear lamps stay on after the car is turned off
>> and the light switch is off..  It is both rear lamps (not the stop light
>> or the turn signal).  The front pilot lights do not stay on ( I believe
>> they are on the same circuit as the rear lamps).  When I disconnect the
>> power cable from the battery (neg. on this pos. earth car) the lights go
>> out.  If I reconnect the battery power cable within 15 minutes or so the
>> lights go on again.  But if the battery power cable is disconnected for
>> an hour or more, the rear lamps will not be on until I run the car for a
>> while.  Weird, isn't it?  I might add that the fuel gauge seemed to go
>> bad at about the same time.  It read full constantly, but I cleaned off
>> the connection at the sending unit and tightened it up.  Now the fuel
>> gauge stays at empty!
>>
>> Any insights you may have other than to replace the wiring harness
>> (which I really should do anyway this winter) would be appreciated.