Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

[WDE84]

2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

I have a 2011 4.6 Tech and for the life of me I cannot figure out what is wrong with my tag lights. I noticed after I got an oil change that both lights were blown, so I replaced with new LED bulbs which blew instantly. I checked the voltage and I'm getting 22 volts. Has anyone experienced this issue or have an idea why I'm getting double the voltage at my tag lights?

• No other lights are malfunctioning
• I cannot locate the fuse. I've checked the manual and it does not list which fuse is for the tag lights.
• Dealer wanted $129 to run a diagnostic

 

[dougmcp]

It's difficult to find 22v in an automobile circuit, check your meter with a known source then check the alternator output.

 

[Mark_888]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

I have a 2011 4.6 Tech and for the life of me I cannot figure out what is wrong with my tag lights. I noticed after I got an oil change that both lights were blown, so I replaced with new LED bulbs which blew instantly. I checked the voltage and I'm getting 22 volts. Has anyone experienced this issue or have an idea why I'm getting double the voltage at my tag lights?

• No other lights are malfunctioning
• I cannot locate the fuse. I've checked the manual and it does not list which fuse is for the tag lights.
• Dealer wanted $129 to run a diagnostic

Who did the oil change? If it was the dealer, tell them to fix it, or file a complaint with HMA, and be prepared to go to small claims court.

 

[dougmcp]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

Who did the oil change? If it was the dealer, tell them to fix it, or file a complaint with HMA, and be prepared to go to small claims court.

I am assuming here "tag lights" are what I call license plate lights. Unless the OP didn't give all the details I don't see how lights are in any way related to the services performed in an oil change.

 

[Mark_888]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

I am assuming here "tag lights" are what I call license plate lights. Unless the OP didn't give all the details I don't see how lights are in any way related to the services performed in an oil change.

You are making a lot of assumptions. Obviously, if they only changed the oil (and did it properly), it would not affect the lights. But who knows what they did?

 

[WDE84]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

I am assuming here "tag lights" are what I call license plate lights. Unless the OP didn't give all the details I don't see how lights are in any way related to the services performed in an oil change.

Sorry all, I was only mentioning the oil change to say that is when I first found out about the blown license plate lights. I do not think the oil change has anything to do with me getting almost double the voltage to the lights. After I changed the bulbs out with a brand new set, and they instantly blew, that is when I took a multi-meter and noticed I was getting 22V back there.

My initial thought was I had a blown fuse, but I cannot find the fuse that controls the license plate bulbs. I searched this forum, google, and the manual for the fuse name/location and cannot find it anywhere.

 

[Mark_888]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

Sorry all, I was only mentioning the oil change to say that is when I first found out about the blown license plate lights. I do not think the oil change has anything to do with me getting almost double the voltage to the lights. After I changed the bulbs out with a brand new set, and they instantly blew, that is when I took a multi-meter and noticed I was getting 22V back there.

My initial thought was I had a blown fuse, but I cannot find the fuse that controls the license plate bulbs. I searched this forum, google, and the manual for the fuse name/location and cannot find it anywhere.

1. Did you buy the car new or used. If used, maybe the previous owner put some special lights back there and rewired the voltage to 22 or 24 volts.

2. No one is suggesting that an oil change caused the voltage to double. But I don't understand why you don't disclose who did the oil change, since they may have done something else when the car was being serviced.

3. Looking at AutoZone, the voltage should be 12 volts and 5 watts for those bulbs. I prefer Sylvania LongLife Bulbs, which are manufactured to handle a slightly higher voltage for longer life. But Sylvania also makes an LED bulb for that application, which you know since you said you used LED bulbs.

4. If it is a blown fuse, I don't see how you can be measuring 22 volts DC at the light socket. Are you using a digital automatic multimeter?

 

[WDE84]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

1. Did you buy the car new or used. If used, maybe the previous owner put some special lights back there and rewired the voltage to 22 or 24 volts.

2. No one is suggesting that an oil change caused the voltage to double. But I don't understand why you don't disclose who did the oil change, since they may have done something else when the car was being serviced.

3. Looking at AutoZone, the voltage should be 12 volts and 5 watts for those bulbs. I prefer Sylvania LongLife Bulbs, which are manufactured to handle a slightly higher voltage for longer life. But Sylvania also makes an LED bulb for that application, which you know since you said you used LED bulbs.

4. If it is a blown fuse, I don't see how you can be measuring 22 volts DC at the light socket. Are you using a digital automatic multimeter?

1. Bought it used and have not had an issue with it for 2 years. Nothing has been touched back there, original owner is a family member.
2. I had an express oil change where I sat in the car while they changed the oil. Nothing else was touched and this is where they noticed my tag lights were not working when they had me turn on my lights for their check.
3. 10-4 on the voltage.
4. Maybe it's not a blown fuse, perhaps it's a bad ground or something else. Just trying to see if anyone else has experienced a voltage surge in their tag lights or seen something similar.

 

[jlindh]

Somehow, there's a short to a 24 volt source. First step is to find out what runs on 24 volts in the car.

 

[Mark_888]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

2. I had an express oil change where I sat in the car while they changed the oil. Nothing else was touched and this is where they noticed my tag lights were not working when they had me turn on my lights for their check.

I hesitate to make unsupported accusations, but it is not unheard of for oil change places to break something so they can fix it and charge you. Over my lifetime, I have been to oil change shops or dealers about 20+ times to change the oil (but only once for my Genesis at a dealer) and I never had any of them test my headlights.

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[dougmcp]

Re: 2011 4.6 Tag lights not working. Keep blowing bulbs.

I hesitate to make unsupported accusations, but it is not unheard of for oil change places to break something so they can fix it and charge you. Over my lifetime, I have been to oil change shops or dealers about 20+ times to change the oil (but only once for my Genesis at a dealer) and I never had any of them test my headlights.

Testing lights, checking tire pressures and cleaning windshields is an old sales trick from when I was a gas jockey in high school in the 60's. It's designed to have the service person look specifically at these items to promote add on sales while the customer is there, nothing more. It's win-win, leaving the customer with a feeling of great service while they sell you new wiper blades, bulbs etc.

- - - Updated - - -

Looking at AutoZone, the voltage should be 12 volts and 5 watts for those bulbs. I prefer Sylvania LongLife Bulbs, which are manufactured to handle a slightly higher voltage for longer life. But Sylvania also makes an LED bulb for that application, which you know since you said you used LED bulbs.

You are correct about them being able to take a higher voltage a lot like the heavy duty/rough service lights for industrial/farm use, those are rated at 130v as opposed to the usual 120v. Most of the Sylvania LL products have a bit less light output, but about twice the rated life as regular bulbs. Standard performance bulbs often have smaller filaments that have more electrical resistance, and burn hotter/brighter with a shorter lifespan. The LL filaments are supported better, often physically larger and do not have as much resistance, and burn cooler/dimmer.

 

[WDE84]

Thank you all for your thoughts an insight. I'll check the short in the line theory and see if I can get anywhere with that. I did get a chance to speak with a Hyundai tech and his initial thought was the multi-switch(turn signal/lights) could be indexing high.

 

[WDE84]

The issue ended up resulting from a ground wire that must've had a bad connection and wiggled loose through vibration. After securing the connection the voltage at the license plate bulbs dropped from 24V per light to 14V.

 

[dougmcp]

The issue ended up resulting from a ground wire that must've had a bad connection and wiggled loose through vibration. I after securing the connection the voltage at the license plate bulbs dropped from 24V per light to 14V.

Nice to hear it was a simple fix.

 

[bmathis2511]

Hi, just reading this forum trying to find the issue with mine, I'm having the same issue, couldn't find a fuse, and blew a new set of LED lic. Lights on mine. Could you tell me the location of your loose ground?