JasonZ28

How do I keep bulbs from blowing on my '98 Trans Am? Doesn't happen all the time, but sometimes whenever I wash it, or it rains real hard..I blow a turn signal on the front, or one of my side marker bulbs on the rear?

Anything I can do to correct this problem?

TIA,
Jason

BADFNZ-383

iTrader: (41)

good question. my side marker bulbs have been blowing out like crazy. ive changed the drivers side marker 3 times in the last 3 weeks

waterbug1999

iTrader: (3)

Havent had any problem with the sides but the fronts used to blow all the time due to water getting in there. Im sure you have some small verticle cracks on the lenses, well i did. I got some clear packing tape and put a layer or two on each front lense. I havent had a problem yet. Oh, its poropably all rusty lookin, before i replaced the bulb i squirted some WD40 in there to clean it out. Or just get a new one.

Danny2tek

iTrader: (1)

yep gotta make it water proof

samz28

!DRL helps too

JBIRD02

iTrader: (4)

I had the exact same problem when I first got the car. I must have took it in at least 5 times for it to be fixed. They told me the last time that they replaced the whole housing instead of just the bulb due to a small crack where it was taking on water, no more problems.

waterbug1999

iTrader: (3)

Damn the luck.. On the way to the F-body meeting mine went out!!

JasonZ28

lol..sorry dude, didn't mean to curse you like that..mah bad!

And, yes-the turn signals have miniscule cracks in them, but doesn't explain the side markers :shrug:

waterbug1999

iTrader: (3)

Yea i could gently hit the one front and itll come back on and then during driving itll go back off.. I got to replace the insert. Kinda melted when water got in there... On the side ones.. Have you ever tried to get some bulb grease and put some grease on the fitting (where the whole insert kinda screws into the back of the lense?) I know on my back tail lamps kept getting water in there and every since i popped the fittings out and put some bulb grease on the edge and screwed em back in i havent had anymore water build up in the back lenses. Just a thought. (im sure you all ready tried to tighten the allen head screw right on the side lamps right??)

Cerebrex

iTrader: (20)

Did anyone have the problem when their lights went out, that more than one went out at a time? My DRLs dont work (one will work if the lights are turned ON), and the front blinkers do not work, therefor, causing the back ones to not blink. I'm just wondering because I think it's water related (pressure washer). Thanks a lot!

Salvaged_Z

I definately know that if your blinker bulb up front is blown, the back one will not work either, like you said. It would just stay on.

Cerebrex

iTrader: (20)

yeah I know that... but what about the other blinker not working, or the daytime running lights. Are the turn signal and the daytime running light the same bulb?

NOBR8KSS

iTrader: (12)

hJust use the "Long Life" bulbs that Sylvania has ...like the 3157LL . Tey have a thicker element and it solves the problem with bulbs burning out prematurely.

1BadAzzWS6

iTrader: (11)

yes, but its a dual filamant bulb. So one can go out, but the other will still work. I had the same problem. My running light would work, but then go off when the headlights got turned on. I've had some issues with my drivers side bulb as well, replaced it 3-4 times in about the last 6 months.

samz28

i'm telling yah, after !DRL (camaro), i went from bulb every rainfall, to well at least a month now..

the drl's just cook those poor bulbs with heat. poor gm design imo.

of course any water touching a bulb is VERY obvious it will cause it to grow a milky cancer bump on it when it blows. quite different from the blowout from heat (clear)

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

A tiny weep-hole in the bottom might help you
dry them out but would do this only if there is
already moisture getting in; don't need to start
it.

If you have intermittent lights, may be corrosion
on the socket contacts. Fix this up with a little
graphite lock spray, for the springs to free up,
and then take a #2 pencil, work over the contacts
until the crust is as gone as you can get it and then
"color" the contact with the pencil graphite really
well. This will make decent electrical behavior.

You might see if you can find yellow LED bulbs, these
will never burn out, make minimal heat and it's not
like you really care whether they're perhaps a little
dimmer; just legal, right? Hell, you could get a few
Radio Shack bright yellow LEDs, hard-wire (solder)
them in with ballast resistors, and never worry again
even if the corners were fish tanks.

samz28

pep boys usually has the EL blinkers. with clears the orange would probably be wise, be sure to make sure they have the blinker relays too they are cheap but sometimes scarce.

slow

iTrader: (7)

unfortunatley they dont make affordable LED's that are 360 output, the factory bulbs are bottom mount, and a conventional led, faces up only.

your problem is a combination of water getting in, and a damaged socket.

try this:

As many of you know, the daytime running lights, and turn signals, on the Trans Am's are not the best designed lights. The heat likes to damage the sockets, and the paper thin lense is easily cracked by road debris. With the lamp socket at the bottom of the housing, to collect the water that enters.

Many people end up with turn signal issues due to these lights, and the sockets going bad.

Well, i had such an issue this week, and decided now was the time to replace the socket, (since i have many extras from a taillight wiring harness in the garage)

The parts needed are a 3 wire lamp holder, the stock one is a PED piece, with the numbers PED FL 2914 used in many GM cars and trucks. The back taillights use 4 of these sockets, so i was able to get one from there, you can get them from the dealer, or junk yard im sure, price unknown.

First thing you will notice is the heat damage on this socket.



To remove the inside from the outside gray housing, push on the 2 tabs, and pull with needle nose pliers. One of the tabs are shown in this pic from my spare housings.



you want to push those, pull the inside connector out, and then slide the 3 wires out, then you are left with your new socket for installation onto the car.

Next step, go to car:

After taking the bottom access cover bolts out, i got a pair of needle nose pliers, and tried to remove the inside from the housing, by pushing the 2 tabs, and pulling the inside out.. with the damage that was done, this was not able to pull out, like on the new sockets i had.

So, i just broke it until the inside would come out, as shown here.



after removing the inside socket assembly, the 3 wires pull right out.

the pinouts on my 98 TA are: A blue B Brown, and G Black. Im fairly sure all of the 98-02 share this color code.

Once the connector slides off, you are left with this



taking some sandpaper, clean up the connections, if you have any electrical contact cleaner, now would be a good time to use it.

When you done, it should at least look like this, or cleaner



After you clean the connectors, it is now time to reseal the cable seals in dielectric grease, and slide into the connector, (remember the order, and colors from above)

When your done, it should look like this:



after you get to this step, slide in the inside portion, to secure the wires into the connector. When done, it should look stock, and new, like this:



When you done, install lamp, and reinstall into the housing, test with both the turnsignals, and the hazards, lights on, and off, to ensure proper operation.

Hope this helps

Ryan.





Ryan

deznuttzz28

one off my head lights blew off. theres water gettin in there.
i took it apart and i found a small cracked inside. i apply silicone and
everything work fine.

TRANS AMber

Hi, I had the same problem with my turn signal sockets. Both of them had to be replaced. The 3 dealers that I called wanted $58 for each socket!?!?!?! I found somebody on ebay who sells an after market socket for $25 each . I bought 2 sockets from them & replaced both of my front sockets for less than the dealer wanted for 1! Here is a current link for the sockets~
Here is the item #2478183825. Just copy this # into the Ebay search page & It will take you right to it.


Good Luck!

TRANS AMber