Expert: Roland Finston - 12/29/2011

Question
I just purchased an 05 Town and Country. For some reason the tail lights and center console lights do not work. Brake lights work. I changed fuses, but still no luck. Any suggestions what might be causing this?

Answer
Hi Gerry,
The tail lights and parking lights are powered out of the parking lamp relay. I would start by observing whether that relay clicks when a helper turns the headlamp switch to the part position. If not, then either the switch is bad or the relay is bad. So you could try switching the relay for an identical one in that box to see if it might be the relay. If that still doesn't correct it then it is either the switch or the wiring to the body control module from the switch, or perhaps the module itself is not activating the relay. We can sort that out if needed.
By the center console lights, do you mean the illumination light or the panel indication lights that say what the various switches do? The manual lists lights of the front floor console, but no mention of a center console so I can't ID which lights you are having trouble with.
Roland

Roland it's the courtesy/reading lights that do not work in the front console. Also if it is the control module that needs to be replaced..around how much is the cost of that?

Answer:
Actually there is no specific body control module, but rather it is all part of the front control module part of the main power box under the hood. I don't know the cost, but I doubt it has gone bad. More likely it is the relay, switch, or wiring between them.

As to the center console lights, there are so many interior lights shown in the wiring diagrams or the "interior lights" but none with the name "center console lights" so I can abe sure which it the non-working lights. My inclination would be to check the bulbs for continuity of the filaments, and to check whether or not there is 12v shown on the switches for the bulbs.