I have replaced the bulbs and checked the fuses. I have headlights, brake lights, and turn signals. I don't know anything about wiring. What could the problem be?

 

check the fuse again. lol. Take a look at all your taillamp wiring. not just at the bulbs, all the way down to the frame, follow the frame. Basically check it out for any slices and the like.

 

Your headlight switch could be bad, Are the front parking lights on?

 

Yes, the parking lights come on. The dash lights work as well. Which I assume means it's not a fuse. I guess I have it narrowed down to the headlight switch or some kind of wiring problem. Any other suggestions?

 

It's your BOO sensor. Brake On/Off switch that's located on the brake pedal. I had one on my 94 go out.

Oh wait I thought you had everything but brake lights.

 

I have everything except tail lights. I really need some help here. If the headlight switch was bad, wouldn't other things not be working as well. It's only my tail lights that do not work.

 

Anybody?

 

Have you done any work to the truck lately? I would check the headlight switch and the turn signal switches wires. Push the terminals in better and make sure none have come loose, i've had that happen a couple of times now. Next thing I would check is the ground for the tail lamps.

 

How do your brake lights work and not your tail lamps?

 

You tell me, but I can assure you that they do.

 

Isn't the tail lamp and the brake light the same bulb? I believe on some years the ranger had 3 bulbs back there but don't know the specifics.

 

Nope, 3 bulbs. Brake, blinker, and tail.

 

Yes, yes 97's have 3 bulbs, you need to trace the wires and see where you are losing your voltage at the front to the back. I would get a multimeter and start probing wires. Find out on here what color wires at the switch need to be hot for the brake lights to work. Then I would check to see where the wire under the cab goes. It has to be a burnt up wire or a wire that got snagged on something.

Does your 3rd brake light work?

 

Yes, all of my brake lights work. Like I said, everything but my actual tail lights. I am starting to get very frustrated, as I do not want to take it to the shop. I know nothing about wiring, so if it's a wiring problem, I may be forced to take it in. I just keep thinking it must be something simple. Everybody keeps telling me it's a fuse, but it's not, or the dash and side lights would not work either.

 

I would check the wiring right under the steering column. I had a similar but different problem. All my lights would work except for the brake lights. I had a frayed wire, green one. I fixed it up and now everything works.

But I just got lucky. I didn't know what I was looking for or looking at for the most part!!

 

Theres a connector behind the rear bumper on the driver side.

Make sure everything is ok at the connector.

 

I still haven't figured this out. It's obviously a wiring problem, but I don't even know what to look for. Is there any way to somehow connect the license tag light wiring to the tail lights? The tag lights work fine, so i think this might work.

 

should work.