LAMP TROUBLE-SHOOTING CHART

The following questions are frequently asked about automotive lighting in general and about Peterson’s products in particular.

PROBLEM	POSSIBLE CAUSE	POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
Lamp wont light	Bulb is burnt out	- Replace bulb if bulb can be replaced
		- Replace lamp if bulb cannot be replaced
	Bad connection to ground	- Tighten grounding connection (screw or nut on grounding stud)
		- Remove dirt, film, paint or rust from grounding surface
		- Replace lamp
	Bulb not in socket correctly	- Put bulb in socket correctly if possible
		- Replace lamp
	Bad or loose lamp terminal(s)	- Tighten or replace terminal connection if possible
		- Replace lamp
	Bad or loose connection inside the lamp	- Tighten or replace terminal connection if possible
		- Replace lamp
	Low or no voltage to lamp	- Evaluate vehicle wiring
	Incorrect bulb in lamp	- Replace bulb with correct bulb if possible
		- Replace lamp
Lamp is dim	Bad connection to ground	- Tighten grounding connection (screw or nut on grounding stud)
		- Remove dirt, film or paint from grounding surface
		- Replace lamp
	Bulb not in socket correctly	- Put bulb in socket correctly if possible
		- Replace lamp
	Bad or loose lamp terminal(s)	- Tighten or replace terminal connection if possible
		- Replace lamp
	Low voltage to lamp	- Evaluate vehicle wiring and wiring harnesses
		- Consider adding a relay to vehicle wiring to operate lamp(s)
	Incorrect bulb in lamp	- Replace bulb with correct bulb if possible
		- Replace lamp
Lamp life is short	Voltage to lamp is higher than lamp rating	- Replace lamp with lamp with correct voltage rating
	High vibration	- Evaluate lamp to see if lamp is correct lamp for application
		- Replace lamp with lamp of higher vibration capabilities if available
	Rated life of bulb in lamp is low	- Evaluate bulb to see if bulb is correct bulb for application
		- Replace bulb with higher life bulb if available
Lamp blows out fuse	Vehicle wiring to lamp is shorting to ground	- Evaluate vehicle wiring
	Ground wire is connected to the wrong place	- Evaluate connections of ground wires for correct connections to ground.
	Lamp is shorting to ground	- Evaluate lamp wiring, remove short to ground if possible
		- Replace lamp
	Fuse value is too low	- Replace fuse with correct value
		- Consider operating lamp(s) on a separate fuse
	Too many lamps for current vehicle fuse	- Consider operating lamp(s) on a separate fuse
		- Consider adding a relay to vehicle wiring to operate lamp(s)
Lamp switch melts	Defective switch	- Replace switch
	Value of inline fuse is too high	- Replace fuse with correct value
		- Consider operating lamp(s) on a separate fuse
	No inline fuse connected to switch	- Add a fuse inline to the switch
	Too many lamps are connected to switch	- Consider adding a relay to vehicle wiring to operate lamp(s)
		- Consider adding a second switch to vehicle wiring to operate some of the lamp(s)
	Lamp(s) are operating continuously for long periods of time	- Consider adding a relay to vehicle wiring to operate lamp(s)