Very Uneven Tail Light Illumination: Help!!

[NSXY]

Hey Folks, your advise is needed here.

My right tail lights are much dimmer than my left tail lights. However, when I checked all the other lights (blinkers, headlights, brightsd, stop lights, back up lights) they're equal in illumination on both sides.

The car has only 7,600 miles and is always covered (out of the rain). What could be the problem?

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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s

 

[PUREVIL]

So its just your tail lights that are dimmer on one side? Because you mentioned you checked your headlights and turns signals.

Has this problem happened since you got the car or just recently?

I'd say replace all the bulbs in the tail lights first. If it still does it then it may be something in the wiring.

 

[NSXY]

Yo PUREVIL,

Thanks for the response. It's only the tail lights, and no others. It's been like this since I bought the car in April with 4,100 miles. I guess buying new light bulbs will be easy, so I'll give it a try, but I can't understand why the bulbs would be dimmer on one side when the car is essentially new (like yours), has hardly been used, and I've never driven it at night (never used the lights)!!!!!

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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s

 

[TitaniumVtec]

I don't know how many bulbs (off the top of my head) are used just for the parking lights on each side. If their is more than one, maybe one of the bulbs is blown. If their is only one bulb on each side and they both are working, try swapping the bulbs and see what happens. If the other side is dim then you know it's the bulb. If the same side is dim, check to see if there is any corrosion inside the light bulb receptacle.

My $0.02

 

[NSXY]

Yo TitaniumVtec:

Great and logical advise (obvious in hindsight). Why didn't I think of that myself? I'll give it a try and report back tomorrow. Later....

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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s

 

[PUREVIL]

Titanium is right that does make more sense than buying all new ones. But if its just the bulbs dimming and not the wiring I'd try the new bulb idea.

Let us know what the deal is.

 

[scott]

Most likely it is the bulbs.

If you have to trouble shoot the wiring just measure the voltage at each point with the lights on to two digits. (You can get a cheap voltmeter at Radio Shack or Fry's.) Pop out the bulb with the lowest voltage and measure the line voltage at that point. If you pop the bulb out and all the light get brighter it was the bulb loading the system. Otherwise it would be the wire where the voltage drop is coming from. I would then look for an alarm system, radar detector or after market item tapped into this line sagging the voltage.

 

[James Cruz]

NSXY,
Anytime! I hope it's just the bulb.

TitaniumVtec

 

[NSX4U2]

97 NSX Voltage problem. Noticed right tail light dimmer than left. Replaced bulbs no change. Ran voltage check and found left at 12v and right at 10v (HMMM). Note: Wiring comes in on left side. Acura Tech. Line has not heard of this problem (my luck). Checked 98 and found same. Check grounds back to dash and I DO NOT want to dismantle dash assemby. Anyone experience this problem and what was the fix if any?
97/Red/Blk./009

After further discussion with Acura, their response was this is normal. I do not believe this. They said they could check ground which is under dash and requires dis-assembly. Did not want to do this.

No answere.

 

[scott]

2 volts is a large drop. I looked at the wiring diagram and there is a bunch of other lights tapped off the right ( stereo lights licence plate lights, glove box, etc) Its in the service manual. I would turn off the stereo and climate control, dim the dash, put alarm in valet mode (this will drop the current demand on that line). Then measure the glove box light voltage. If it is also at 10v then you probably will be in the dash. If its not it is probably somthing in the back.

The probablility of a bad ground in the dash is very low. I have looked at mine and they are very solid. Rust or corosion at the tail light would be more probable.

 

[nsxman]

NSXY:

Did you resolve your problem?

 

[NSXY]

Sorry for the delay, and thanks for asking, but I'm side-tracked with work-related issues (reality sucks, then you die), and I have not yet had enough time to take the car apart to test the above suggestions in this thread.

I'll be able to do it in the next few days, and I promise to respond. I'm now also wondering if the aftermarket CD stacker, which is in the right side of the trunk (near the dim tail light), might be part of the problem. I don't know how it's wired in on that side yet, and it's maybe drawing current there. More later....



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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s