I can assure you replacing the board will not be a forever fix, I've replaced both of mine 3 times and the entire rear light housing 4 times. I broke my LED tail lights wheeling so I just went back to factory, biggest mistake of my life... Almost lol. I still love my WJ though even with all its piss poor factory tail lights. Great vid as always brother keep it up.
“Let’s see if this works”…. Top brake light out/left license plate light out… “Works great!!” Looks like you need a couple more bulbs!! Saw a video where the guy used tin foil to increase height of pcb tabs. Holler if ya need a WJ jeep buddy! Thanks for awesome video!!
That looked painful... 😂 heatgun could soften up that adhesive probably.. very informative I'm gonna have to go convince my neighbor to pay me for this on his wj
G'day, mate. I have a kj with ecsacly the same problems with the tail lights . Thanks for your video it was straight to the point with no bullswool flogging parts with name dropping. Have a good one, mate ....
4:30 those contact points can lose continuity,I think they like a tiny bit of "conductive grease and anti-oxidant" (use a Q tip to spot the grease?) and where the turnable bulb holder fits in has the complementary contacts,also I think that yellow seal on the turnable bulb holder likes a bit of silicon spray or even syl-glyde slide pin lube on it so it won't be so hard to get out the next time need to clean that bulb off or even put a new 3157 bulb in as long as it is took apart,I think the contact points on the bulb tab and the metal claspers where the bulb tab pushes in could also use a bit of silicon or "bulb grease" to stop it from corroding I found that some aftermarket LED replacement lamps for the 3157 used as backup bulbs are not as bright as the plain 3157 so a waste of money. If they were brighter would be good since I would like to have backup lights that actually allow me to see where I am backing instead of just showing someone else that I am backing. I would try some attention to the contact points where the electric transfers before busting off that black part of the lamp assembly. Also you can put some silicon grease where the ball thing goes into the little rubber doughnut to help hold the lamp back in place. Any rust inside the metal cavity you could try some Fluid Film like where the Phillips screws come through.
So far I've only just added some contact paste/grease to the tabs and not had the sinking contact. Biggest electrical issue I've had with my 04 is the ground wire in the driver's door that goes thru the flexible conduit between the door and the door frame Gail I simply used two wires smaller than the existing ground wire. Connected them up using wire nuts on the inside and soldered then heat shrink inside the door.. That part you replaced looked dope to me! All the power windows did not work, so far I've replaced the motors and regulators in the two front doors, At some point I will do the rears. I got mine for a song and love my wj even tho it's just a 2wheel drive. I am a handy man and use it like a tool cribb/ material hauler! The cross bars on the ski rack were gone but I bought a complete rack assembly from eBay and took the original off redoing the nutzerts and use it mostly for a ladder rack. Bought the tool and an assortment of nutzerts from HF. I was astounded at how easy and solid that made my rack! The originals were ate up with corrosion, they were steel. I used aluminum to replace them, fortunately the roof metal was in great shape! Added some bathroom caulk to prevent water intrusion , that was 3 years back! Been watching your channel for a few months. I find it quite educational and pay attention. As I'm thrifty, lol, and don't believe in buying new automobiles! I'm subscribed as well. Being very handy helps me with things. I'm an old fart, 67 , so I suppose I'm a dinosaur in comparison. Thanks for what you do, and I appreciate your passion and obvious skills! I've watched several older blogs and again love the content!
I just really needed to hear you say, "The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the greatest vehicles ever made." 😂Probably the highlight of the whole video...and the truth is, you're right! My personal recommendation would be to buy a new set of LED taillights and be done with that terrible electrical contact design...but obviously they cost a little more. A new set of regular taillights is only $70some; that's another option. But I definitely can relate to your view of wanting to save money and do things cheaper where possible. Thanks for the informative video, Doug!
I owned a WJ from 2012 to 2015 when the 4.0 went out at 193k. I wish I had known half of what you had shown everyone on this channel back then. I had to learn it the hard way. the tail light issue I solved by buying some aftermarket ones that came with their own harness that just clipped into the original harness that bypassed this horrible design entirely
My brother! Now that I'm on my second WJ I definitely feel your pain. These tail lights are such crap! I ended up going with an aftermarket LED.. And of course they're made in China.. and there crap too!!!
Hey, bro, great video.Love your style, What I have one big question, which is?Where is the contact between the dorman board and the car make contact, so the car is aware that you're using signal, brake or backups lights???🤔
The door.an PCB panel is basically the whole light's electrical. The wiring harness from the Jeep (how it k ow which lights to turn on) is on the PCB and all the bulb sockets screw into the PCB. The rest of the light is just reflector and housing. Hope that helps
Found the cheapest way to permanently solve taillight issues is drilling holes in the bulb holders and soldering wires directly to the pins. Get a junkyard connector and solder it in for easy disconnect from the body harness and the issue is fixed forever.
It's actually pretty easy with a multi tool to cut a hole and replace it, then put the piece back in with Ducting tape.. I replaced it on someone elses WJ.
My 2003 WJ does NOT have adhesive of ANY kind but instead has a foam rubber type gasket and so perhaps someone, perhaps some dikhead glued it for you! That is much unfortune but in fact not good! I too have ordered a replacement board for the right tail lens from on Amazon. My old one developed a pit mark on the circuit connection, yet but not the spayed ended bayonette type bulb socket plug portion. I had thought that I could burnish that pitting/poc mark on the circuit trace, but if I were to do so, that circuit trace that I would be trying to deal with, would melt the plastic and would do me absolutely no good! The circuit on mine that was affected was the right turn signal. By far, when it comes down to the replacement of this circuit board, this type of problem can/could happen all over again, BUT if you were to replace all of those lamps and switch over to LED's well, LEDS draw way less current than those damned bulbs and so for an LED version the connections should not even be heating up, thus heating problems can be totally averted. Heating up of the connection most likely is caused by corrosion or in my view perhaps a low quality solder on the end contacts of the bulbs could very well be to blame. Installing LEDS in place of those damnedable bulbs is an option and I have seriously considered following through with it! These boards are intentionally different from one another. There is a board specifically for the left only and of course there is one for the righthand side only!!! To be quite frank, perhaps somebody had that board off of that taillight housing already and broke all of the little outer tabs off just so they can get a peek instead, but once reassembling it that person used something perhaps worse than silicone adhesive!! If you can help it, DON'T glue that housing cover back on!!!
@DEInTheGarage , no pressure, I just appreciate listening to your funny/witty comantary while you work on things. Its similar to listening to car talk on my commute. I appreciate that there's still working family men that are bad ass with their hands and heads.
I was pulled over for a brake light out. Cop laughed when I told him "they all do that." He stopped laughing when I pulled out a pack of bulbs and changed it like I'd done it a time or two. He didn't even give me a warning. Just drove off chuckling and shaking his head.
I have an issue where the break light on top above the rear window works but not the other two larger lights don't and can't find the issue. Anyone have any ideas? The fuses and bulbs seem to be ok, I'm at a loss.
do you know anything about how the electric windows work, when i got my 2000 xj i was lucky and got electric windows, and only so long after i started driving it, the power windows stopped working, and power locks stopped working, ive since fixed the power locks, but am kind of lost in terms of how to roll the windows down, as these are the last few days of fall. my jeep had an inconsistent wiring issue, where a select few things decided to work whenever they felt like it, and not when they didnt. (just like my mom), but i havent had many inconsistencies, since ive re-soldered the broken solders in the door switches.
THANK THE SHADETREE MECHANIC GODS I ACTUALLY READ THE DIRECTIONS ON THE DORMAN REPLACEMENT FIRST...HEAT ACTIVE ADHESIVE 🙌 👌 👍 CAME HERE HOPING TO FIND THE EASIEST WAY TO HEAT SAID ADHESIVE LMAO...GOING FOR THE HAIR DRYER
Love the channel, and appreciate you and your content. However, one point. You are normally polite and fairly curse free, yet today you use a term that was used in the past to describe someone with Downs Syndrome. As a brother of a fantastic young woman who is Downs, id really REALLY like people to stop using mongaloid as a term in relation to mistakes and idiocy etc. Thats all, keep up the good work :D
I looked it up bud. I really didn’t know what was literally the ONLY definition. I assumed… well I know now. Thank you and apologies. I will do my best to remove it from my vocabulary. For context, my wife is an outreach working at a school for children with special needs. There are many words I did not realize were offensive
@@nyarstoulg7463Doug's a genuine dude. He'd go out of his way to help a brother. Even if it means refraining a word or two. It's no biggie, help not hurt 💪❤️
@@DEInTheGarage TB this is why i mentioned it because i KNEW that youd be bothered about its conitations and meaning. Respect and love from Scotland, love the content ( and binge watching U pull vids , since we dont have them here )
I can assure you replacing the board will not be a forever fix, I've replaced both of mine 3 times and the entire rear light housing 4 times. I broke my LED tail lights wheeling so I just went back to factory, biggest mistake of my life... Almost lol. I still love my WJ though even with all its piss poor factory tail lights. Great vid as always brother keep it up.
“Let’s see if this works”…. Top brake light out/left license plate light out… “Works great!!”
Looks like you need a couple more bulbs!!
Saw a video where the guy used tin foil to increase height of pcb tabs. Holler if ya need a WJ jeep buddy!
Thanks for awesome video!!
That looked painful... 😂 heatgun could soften up that adhesive probably.. very informative I'm gonna have to go convince my neighbor to pay me for this on his wj
I ended up getting aftermarket clear lights which use 1157 bulbs, not 3157, and use old school sockets.
Good stuff Doug!! Thanks!!
that has happened to me plenty of times on the same jeep. I went the pick and pull way each time.
Amazon has the taillight assemblies for pretty cheap. I just replaced mine completely.
It's easier to take it off when you heat the glue that holds the socket cap in place.👍
G'day, mate. I have a kj with ecsacly the same problems with the tail lights . Thanks for your video it was straight to the point with no bullswool flogging parts with name dropping. Have a good one, mate ....
4:30 those contact points can lose continuity,I think they like a tiny bit of "conductive grease and anti-oxidant" (use a Q tip to spot the grease?) and where the turnable bulb holder fits in has the complementary contacts,also I think that yellow seal on the turnable bulb holder likes a bit of silicon spray or even syl-glyde slide pin lube on it so it won't be so hard to get out the next time
need to clean that bulb off or even put a new 3157 bulb in as long as it is took apart,I think the contact points on the bulb tab and the metal claspers where the bulb tab pushes in could also use a bit of silicon or "bulb grease" to stop it from corroding
I found that some aftermarket LED replacement lamps for the 3157 used as backup bulbs are not as bright as the plain 3157 so a waste of money. If they were brighter would be good since I would like to have backup lights that actually allow me to see where I am backing instead of just showing someone else that I am backing.
I would try some attention to the contact points where the electric transfers before busting off that black part of the lamp assembly. Also you can put some silicon grease where the ball thing goes into the little rubber doughnut to help hold the lamp back in place. Any rust inside the metal cavity you could try some Fluid Film like where the Phillips screws come through.
Dude, I just jimmy jammed it, by prying up the tabs. Tailights are working again. Thanks Bud!
Looks pretty self explanatory to me bud. Good work
Thanks bud. It is pretty straight forward
So far I've only just added some contact paste/grease to the tabs and not had the sinking contact. Biggest electrical issue I've had with my 04 is the ground wire in the driver's door that goes thru the flexible conduit between the door and the door frame Gail I simply used two wires smaller than the existing ground wire. Connected them up using wire nuts on the inside and soldered then heat shrink inside the door.. That part you replaced looked dope to me! All the power windows did not work, so far I've replaced the motors and regulators in the two front doors, At some point I will do the rears. I got mine for a song and love my wj even tho it's just a 2wheel drive. I am a handy man and use it like a tool cribb/ material hauler! The cross bars on the ski rack were gone but I bought a complete rack assembly from eBay and took the original off redoing the nutzerts and use it mostly for a ladder rack. Bought the tool and an assortment of nutzerts from HF. I was astounded at how easy and solid that made my rack! The originals were ate up with corrosion, they were steel. I used aluminum to replace them, fortunately the roof metal was in great shape! Added some bathroom caulk to prevent water intrusion , that was 3 years back! Been watching your channel for a few months. I find it quite educational and pay attention. As I'm thrifty, lol, and don't believe in buying new automobiles! I'm subscribed as well. Being very handy helps me with things. I'm an old fart, 67 , so I suppose I'm a dinosaur in comparison. Thanks for what you do, and I appreciate your passion and obvious skills! I've watched several older blogs and again love the content!
2004 with over 300,000 miles and still going strong
Nice. Got 227 but no brake lite no blinkers. 😢 gonna try every option.
I just really needed to hear you say, "The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the greatest vehicles ever made." 😂Probably the highlight of the whole video...and the truth is, you're right!
My personal recommendation would be to buy a new set of LED taillights and be done with that terrible electrical contact design...but obviously they cost a little more. A new set of regular taillights is only $70some; that's another option. But I definitely can relate to your view of wanting to save money and do things cheaper where possible.
Thanks for the informative video, Doug!
I need this on mine!
Love the video. I did all the Jimmy-Jam stuff for a while. Then finally went to O'Reilly Auto part. Brand new tail light "with" new bulbs, $70
I owned a WJ from 2012 to 2015 when the 4.0 went out at 193k. I wish I had known half of what you had shown everyone on this channel back then. I had to learn it the hard way. the tail light issue I solved by buying some aftermarket ones that came with their own harness that just clipped into the original harness that bypassed this horrible design entirely
Which jeep was the boat again? LoL
I feel your pain, I have 3 Jeeps and love them all!
I would enjoy boat content from you doug. What ever happened to that old seadoo you had kicking around?
My brother! Now that I'm on my second WJ I definitely feel your pain. These tail lights are such crap! I ended up going with an aftermarket LED.. And of course they're made in China.. and there crap too!!!
There's a push and turn style fix/upgrade for wj's same way headlights install. My 02 is this way when I bought it over 10 years ago.
Got a link?
I could’ve use that about two years ago when we had to replace the whole light😎👍
Swap over to led reduces electrical load and heat
Hey, bro, great video.Love your style, What I have one big question, which is?Where is the contact between the dorman board and the car make contact, so the car is aware that you're using signal, brake or backups lights???🤔
The door.an PCB panel is basically the whole light's electrical. The wiring harness from the Jeep (how it k ow which lights to turn on) is on the PCB and all the bulb sockets screw into the PCB. The rest of the light is just reflector and housing. Hope that helps
Found the cheapest way to permanently solve taillight issues is drilling holes in the bulb holders and soldering wires directly to the pins. Get a junkyard connector and solder it in for easy disconnect from the body harness and the issue is fixed forever.
Well done Doug!
I use heatgun woks nice and fast but dont melt the plastic ....
Have you ever had a issue with the infamous blend door problems that plague the dual zone climate WJs?
I have on a number of occasions. Next time it happens I will try to do a video on it
Even the ones without the dual zone have a similar issue. Those doors needed to be aluminum (and the dash needed to be removable for service).
Try "HeaterTreater" ?
It's actually pretty easy with a multi tool to cut a hole and replace it, then put the piece back in with Ducting tape.. I replaced it on someone elses WJ.
My 2003 WJ does NOT have adhesive of ANY kind but instead has a foam rubber type gasket and so perhaps someone,
perhaps some dikhead glued it for you! That is much unfortune but in fact not good! I too have ordered a replacement board
for the right tail lens from on Amazon. My old one developed a pit mark on the circuit connection, yet but not the spayed
ended bayonette type bulb socket plug portion. I had thought that I could burnish that pitting/poc mark on the circuit trace,
but if I were to do so, that circuit trace that I would be trying to deal with, would melt the plastic and would do me absolutely
no good! The circuit on mine that was affected was the right turn signal. By far, when it comes down to the replacement of
this circuit board, this type of problem can/could happen all over again, BUT if you were to replace all of those lamps and
switch over to LED's well, LEDS draw way less current than those damned bulbs and so for an LED version the connections
should not even be heating up, thus heating problems can be totally averted. Heating up of the connection most likely is
caused by corrosion or in my view perhaps a low quality solder on the end contacts of the bulbs could very well be to blame.
Installing LEDS in place of those damnedable bulbs is an option and I have seriously considered following through with it!
These boards are intentionally different from one another. There is a board specifically for the left only and of course there
is one for the righthand side only!!! To be quite frank, perhaps somebody had that board off of that taillight housing already
and broke all of the little outer tabs off just so they can get a peek instead, but once reassembling it that person used
something perhaps worse than silicone adhesive!! If you can help it, DON'T glue that housing cover back on!!!
I've been depressed lately, please do an engine rebuild. Love everything you do, but I'd like to see a 4.7 rebuild.
Ah jee bud. Hate to hear that. Let me see what I can works out in the budget. Ruby deserves a built 4.7 HO after all..
@DEInTheGarage , no pressure, I just appreciate listening to your funny/witty comantary while you work on things. Its similar to listening to car talk on my commute. I appreciate that there's still working family men that are bad ass with their hands and heads.
Use a heatgun from Harbor Fright Tools to loosen old adhesive 😎
I was pulled over for a brake light out. Cop laughed when I told him "they all do that." He stopped laughing when I pulled out a pack of bulbs and changed it like I'd done it a time or two. He didn't even give me a warning. Just drove off chuckling and shaking his head.
Add stickers to your merch!!! I need one for my collection!
Hit me up bud. dandeoffroad@gmail.com
Hey man I don't mind boats !
Well then you will be about the only person excited this spring. I am hoping to do a DOA/"will it run" on a free craigslist boat.
Been lucky to not have a single bulb burn out or socket melt in my two wj’s I’ve had over the last three years
I changed both of them and my taillights still don’t work any help would be appreciated..
I got a pair of the 150 $ led tail light assemblys from the u-pull for 30 $ and put them in, problem solved.
I have an issue where the break light on top above the rear window works but not the other two larger lights don't and can't find the issue. Anyone have any ideas? The fuses and bulbs seem to be ok, I'm at a loss.
You could had use a heat gun because it does have glue around it
do you know anything about how the electric windows work, when i got my 2000 xj i was lucky and got electric windows, and only so long after i started driving it, the power windows stopped working, and power locks stopped working, ive since fixed the power locks, but am kind of lost in terms of how to roll the windows down, as these are the last few days of fall. my jeep had an inconsistent wiring issue, where a select few things decided to work whenever they felt like it, and not when they didnt. (just like my mom), but i havent had many inconsistencies, since ive re-soldered the broken solders in the door switches.
Try checking the wires going through the door they open and close over the years and go bad sometimes
Hope it lasts for ya broski
Ill just buy aftermarket led taillights
Also a solid option. haha
THANK THE SHADETREE MECHANIC GODS I ACTUALLY READ THE DIRECTIONS ON THE DORMAN REPLACEMENT FIRST...HEAT ACTIVE ADHESIVE 🙌 👌 👍 CAME HERE HOPING TO FIND THE EASIEST WAY TO HEAT SAID ADHESIVE LMAO...GOING FOR THE HAIR DRYER
Love the channel, and appreciate you and your content. However, one point. You are normally polite and fairly curse free, yet today you use a term that was used in the past to describe someone with Downs Syndrome. As a brother of a fantastic young woman who is Downs, id really REALLY like people to stop using mongaloid as a term in relation to mistakes and idiocy etc. Thats all, keep up the good work :D
Didn’t mean any disrespect, bud.
I looked it up bud. I really didn’t know what was literally the ONLY definition. I assumed… well I know now. Thank you and apologies. I will do my best to remove it from my vocabulary. For context, my wife is an outreach working at a school for children with special needs. There are many words I did not realize were offensive
sheesh! Can't say anything anymore!.. Just do you, Doug. Nevermind the haters.
@@nyarstoulg7463Doug's a genuine dude. He'd go out of his way to help a brother. Even if it means refraining a word or two. It's no biggie, help not hurt 💪❤️
@@DEInTheGarage TB this is why i mentioned it because i KNEW that youd be bothered about its conitations and meaning. Respect and love from Scotland, love the content ( and binge watching U pull vids , since we dont have them here )
Nothing wrong with boats bro😁