Get tail lights to work I have turn and brake lights no running lights

automatic transmission or manual stick, the brake/clutch switch operations are NOT THE SAME on both car options.
no country told, lighting (for sure external) are not the same all over earth, sorry I do not make laws (like DOT USA?) or anywhere.
this forum is www, a world wide web forum. so where are you ,a country.?
and you work with no voltmeter or service manual schematic.
and no scan tool? wow endless guessing done. throwing parts wild.
its is modern car, 2009 totally unlike a 1990 or 1980 or older car.
for sure.
there is never a need to replace all fuses ever, testing is super easy even if they all look good. (did they?). (look test, ohms or volts tests)

that melting thing means a lamp shorted. (they can)
I see reverse lamps failing and parking lamps
the transmission PRNDL SWITCH MUST WORK IN "R" OR THE LAMPS WILL BE DEAD REVERSE. BOTH WERE SO.....
I GUESS INDICATOR MEANS turns signals failed( blinkers)
the car has 4 corners, why not tell what all 4 do when Turns or parks fail.?>??? what they all do outside matters most. (electrics)

the huge problem here is not scanning the OBD2 port with a real scan tool. I bet it tells you why it fails I sure do but you failed to do that.

does this car have the parking AID option?
does this car have optioin
Daytime Running Lamps, a.k.a DRL?>? also wiring for TT is unique so states the SM (service manual)
i can't see you work on any car so now comes right parts questioln
using only these parts.,
Rear Turn Signal Bulb

1. Left/right Rear Turn Signal Bulb M6
2. Right Rear Turn Signal Bulb M8
3. 12 V, 18 W
4. W16W

the German manual calls park lamps TAIL even when front and side park lamps are park lamps. same source.
It does call TURNS turns, so we can find the correct schematics,
searching the online service manual for you.
most modern cars, use BCM to run all that. I call it the body brain
each maker uses there names and Germans use CODES
LIke J123. to name a model. (that must be decoded first to work the problem, yes a pain on all germane cars)
deep in the manual i found the secret german body brain
J519 - Vehicle Electrical System Control Module
this module runs the whole rear (it has DRIVERS)
Drives means electronic high power regulator drivers to lamps.
that if it sees a short , it simply goes OFFLINE until cures.
then magically goes back on one,

J519 - Vehicle Electrical System Control Module
M6 - Left Rear Turn Signal Bulb
M8 - Right Rear Turn Signal Bulb
M9 - Left Brake Lamp Bulb
M10 - Right Brake Lamp Bulb
M16 - Left Back-Up Lamp Bulb
M17 - Right Back-Up Lamp Bulb
M37 - Left Rear Side Marker Lamp Bulb
M38 - Right Rear Side Marker Lamp Bulb
T2g - 2-Pin Connector, In the Luggage Compartment, Right, Black
T6k - 6-Pin Connector
T6l - 6-Pin Connector, Black
T12c - 12-Pin Connector, Black
T12d - 12-Pin Connector, Brown
X3 - Rear Fog Lamp
395 - Ground Connection 30 (in Main Wiring Harness)
662 - Ground Connection in Left Rear Side Panel
676 - Ground Connection 2 in Luggage Compartment, Left
------------------------

J519 is here
Behind driver's left stowage compartment, beside steering column -2

Fuse 7 (On Fuse Panel C)? blown fuse?
this car uses CAN BUS.
many of the switches wire directly to the J519 Body brain
but not all.
lets look at that now, (my book is USA only SM)
the steering switchs for park, turn and heads.
are all sent to the cluster brain directly,
then the cluster brain via the CAN_BUS network sends data commands to the J519 (body brain)
then if this fails the scan tool told you it did but you never scanned the OBD2 port. while failing
others found water leaks to dash module (windshield cracks or glued in wrong and leaks)
some Audi versions 2009 have top of brake pedal brake switch that must work, and is direct drive signal to J519
TURNS are not switch actual direct drive to the J519. no.


example 1
U1113 Audi Code
lacking scan tools you will never fix this by guessing. sorry
CAN Bus wiring intermittently open, shorted to power or ground
U0001
U0155<< lost comms to IP cluster.
and more lots and lots more possible
we check all fuses in all fuses boxs A ,B,C etc.
then scan the OBD2 port. for errors. for sure comm errors'

see this fuse box?

Main Fuse Box in Right Rear of Luggage Compartment on Battery see? drivers (electronic) to each lamp. proof (no fuses to lamps)
so if one lamp shorts. the other do not die. by design
and J519 must get the commands to turn them on first.

Not for tail lights.
GeT a 12 Volt probe screwdriver with the handle that lights up or volt meter. Remove the bulb turn on tail lights clip to any good ground and put the probe tip on the bump at the bottom of the socket and it should lite up. Now clip ground to side wall of socket and probe both bumps in the center one bump is tail the other is brake. Have someone push on brakes and see if they light when on one bump then check tail on other bump. DO NOT TOUCH THE SIDE WITH CENTER PROB OR IT WILL SHORT BE CAREFUL. this will tell you where the problem is,

Also check fuse holder.
leave fuse in clip to ground turn on tail light and probe both ends of fuse for power.

Hope this helps Mike

Your rear left side combo lost a ground on the part of brake/signal lamps. Just put one more wire between parts.

hiya
cars dont have relays for brake lights as its too low power.
If you have power across the switch you may want to check the connections to the bulb holders and then check the bulbs themselves.
If no power at bulb holders you need to check the loom which, unless you have had some welding or similar disruption would be very odd.
Check for a good earth at rear bulb holders too, quite oftena poor earth will cause many faults.

you need new bulbs in tail lights one bulb in each side has two elements one works brake other works running lights the elements in the bulb for tail lites are bad . so just replace bulbs. hope this helps.

Hello Dallas,

There is a possibility that both bulbs are burned out or the paste that GM seals the lamps sockets with is preventing a good connection between the contacts.

Remove the bulbs and test for power (with the brake pedal depressed or the running lights turned on.)

If your multi meter reads voltage, it's the lamps, if not...check for continuity on the brake light switch (connected wires removed.)
The headlight switch controls the running lights, the brake light switch controls the brake lights. Good grounds are also critical so make sure they have clean solid connections.

All the exterior lights run threw the turn signal switch. Except the high mount brake light. If you are talking about brake lights replace the TS switch. Parking lights are a little different. If you have no parking lights front and back, TS switch. If you have front and no back, ground problem. Grounds for the back are usually on the drivers side mounted to the frame.

Tail light bulbs used are double element one is tail one is turn check your bulbs and, make sure the lamps for your turnsignal have two pins and, are a different number than your other lamps

The tail light housing bulb holders are notorious for not making good contact to the tail light housing. Remove the housing, and disconnect the electrical connector. Label each bulb holder prior to removal, with a marker pen. 1, 2, 3, upper, middle, lower, etc. Remove each bulb holder, by turning counter clockwise 1/2 turn, and withdraw holder. Inspect each contact. You can bend the contacts outward a tiny bit, just flex it a tiny bit, and check with an ohmmeter for contact. Also inspect the bulb holders for melting from bulb heat, so much so that the plastic holder, which contains the bulb contacts, no longer make proper contact to the bulb. Also check the bulbs with an ohmmeter to verify that the bulbs are good. When reinstalling the bulb holders, check that the little flanges on the holders are properly inserted into the tail light housing. Reconnect electrical connector, and reinstall housing into vehicle. On a further note, with the electrical connector disconnected from the housing, you can check for voltages from the connector pins to ground, using a voltmeter. Turn ignition switch to run position, turn on headlight, and turn on blinker, or use stick to push brake pedal, against front of seat, and verify voltage from pins to vehicle frame (or connector ground pin). If no voltage, then check fuses, or broken wiring. My experience, however, is poor connection from bulb holders to tail light housing.

check the wire harness that runs from inside the trunk on the drivers side follow it down to the tail light and make shure the wires are not damaged or unplugged remove cover on the drivers side inspect the bulbs the holders and the wires and dont forgt to retighten all grounds that you find on your travels this should get the rear tail lights working also check the brake pedal switch up on the metal part of the brake pedal arm follow it up tp the brake pedal switch and acuate the switch by hand and check the wire voltage coming in and going out when pressing the brake pedal ok give this a shot