1980 Tail Lamp Assembly ... Circuit Board?

[AnthonyCasta]

Hi ...

I am just wondering if that circuit board in the tail lamp assembly is really necessary? .. I seem to be having a problem with the passenger side ... I have noticed that there is a connector with 6 wires and one with 2 wires... I haven't had a chance to dive into this with a test light just yet ...

Once I trace the wires, couldn't I just create some custom lights with standard sockets

[So Cal Mark]

sure you could fabricate anything you want. Usually the problem is just corroded loose connections at the circuit board or lamp sockets

[spider2081]

I have repaired a few of the tail light PC boards by cleaning the sockets and soldering the sockets to the pc board. The weather coating has to be cleaned off the copper before soldering. The rivets mateing the sockets to the PC board can make for intermittent connections after time.

[mbouse]

and, sometimes it is the wires between the right and left side.

[ga.spyder]

I had a problem w/ my 82 in that the pass. side turn signals wouldnt work. The problem was a break in the circuit on the drivers side!I soldered a jumper wire onto the circuit board and they have been working fine for a year.It took a little patience w/ the multimeter to track it down ,but the circuits are pretty cut and dried.
Craig

[AnthonyCasta]

So would you say that it is easy or hard to convert to standard light sockets or even LED?? Does anyone know what purpose the circuit boards serve?

[pope]

The circuit boards were used for several reasons. The left tail and right tail boards were used as the base to grommet in the tail light bulb assemblies. This allowed you to unsnap the board from the back of the lens and the quick replacement of the bulbs. 12 rear bulbs were fed from this setup. The ground and power wires came in to the rear left and then were transfered by connectors to the right side. The board allows for a common ground wire to feed the variety of bulbs.
You can change this out but you are going to have a spaghetti of wiring back there. I am sure that Fiat did this version for a cost saving solution. It does work...but.

Of course your can change it up. You gonna need a wiring schematic.
And of course time, money and desire, like everything on a Fiat.

[bradartigue]

I have not so fond memories of the circuit boards. Your problem is likely caused by a bad ground on the driver's side assembly. The passenger side has no ground of its own. This can cause things you can't even figure out, like the reverse lights coming on when you hit the brakes or the running lights blinking...anyway, find the ground wire, clean it. Clean the post it screws to. Clean it again.

The other problem can come from using the wrong bulb types. If you do not use the right bulbs in the housings and in the front blinkers and in the side lights you can "confuse" the system into doing weird things.

So start with the ground and check the bulbs.

Despite being a bit odd the circuit boards have help up well considering their age. And you have to figure they get hot since the ground is so poor to start with. I ran a ground for the passenger side on my old car, and everything was nice and bright!

[bradartigue]

Also my 1981/82 wiring diagram is the same (in that part of the car) for the 80 tail lights.

I would recommend against creating a solution. I don't think you'll be happy with the way it works or looks. The circuit boards really work well, unless they are cracked or horribly corroded I'd clean the contacts and grounds and you'll be fine.

[AnthonyCasta]

I noticed that the circuit board was a little wet ... The left side works just fine .. however, the turn signal doesn't light on the right ... It might be the wet board and a bad ground ... I am still working on the engine, I haven't even had a chance to drive it yet ...

I figure this is my project and I'll have lots of time, but the weather has sure been nice to have the top down! ... Once I get the engine running then I'll have to get further into the rear light problem!!!

[gigi]

I spent three years replacing bulb after bulb after bulb...
got two citations for light repairs and spent countless hours
trying to figure out why sometimes the lights worked and
sometimes not. In my case, it was the driver side. They
would work, then not, then some, then the wrong ones,
ad infinitum. Yes, major corrosion was best solved with a
new board. Inexpensive, quick install and problem solved.

[larrybarone]

Can anyone tell me where to gets driver side rear lighting Pc board .
I have problems as detailed by all these posts.