Is it just me or....
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Chesterfield, VA
Is it just me or.... ...are there different types of taillights for 98-02 Trans Ams? On my 2001 (just bought it used) the passenger side taillight is darker than the driver's side. I'm not talking condensation or simple signs of dulling due to aging, I mean the right side of the passenger taillight is significantly darker than the left side of the driver's side taillight. Both lights have different textured glass in them and both are darker toward the outside of the car than they are toward the inside but the passenger side is MUCH darker. My guess is the previous owner replaced one side or the other and they didn't match for some reason? I've been looking at them on eBay and I'd swear I'm seeing the same difference between various taillights for sale.
Any other ideas?
Any other ideas?
May be a case where the previous owner had to replace one of the housings. You could VHT your lights so they would look even, or buy two new housings from the same source and sell your old ones to someone who wanted to VHT them or something. Posting some pics might help people understand the issue better. I'm a Camaro guy not a TA guy so maybe someone else has had similar issues that can chime in.
This happens when they leak water( it was very common , at one point my passenger light looked like a fish tank ) and the water is left to sit inside the light housing . It erodes away all the chrome plating inside the housing , making the lamp appear tinted . The prior owner likely emptied out the water and made some attempt to seal it ~or your just unaware theres water inside . GM did not make any variations of the 98-02 firebird/TA taillights , they were all the same for the entire model run . Take your light out , and remove the sockets to look inside , I garantee u wont see any ~ or very little chrome plating left .
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Chesterfield, VA
This happens when they leak water( it was very common , at one point my passenger light looked like a fish tank ) and the water is left to sit inside the light housing . It erodes away all the chrome plating inside the housing , making the lamp appear tinted . The prior owner likely emptied out the water and made some attempt to seal it ~or your just unaware theres water inside . GM did not make any variations of the 98-02 firebird/TA taillights , they were all the same for the entire model run . Take your light out , and remove the sockets to look inside , I garantee u wont see any ~ or very little chrome plating left .
I'll try to post pics...or just buy one on eBay and be done with it.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Chesterfield, VA
Just took this pic with a flash. It is actually very representative of how it looks in sunlight. The inside of both lights are equally bright but the outside of the light on the passenger side is darker. And the seperation is on a perfect line with the change in the texture of the enclosure.
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[/IMG] The chrome doesnt uniformly erode off . Mine were the exactly like yours . In mine anyways , there wasnt nearly any chrome plating left in the corners , and just small areas left on the rest of the light towards the top where there was no water . The taillight narrows at the corners , hence the un-uniformness ...if thats a word 
You're dull lamp is the result of condensation/moisture having been inside of the lens like others have stated before. You can easily tell by looking at the reverse lamp. Compare the left and right.
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Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Chesterfield, VA
Just a reflection from the flash as stated. No bulbs are burned out. I noticed the condensation on the inner reverse light right away but didn't see condensation in the other openings when I pulled the taillight assembly. I found a replacement on eBay that looks really clean so hopefully I can now put this issue to rest. Thanks for all the comments guys.
