95/96 CE Red Clear Problems
06-30-2005, 06:42 PM
#1
95/96 CE Red Clear Problems
After installing my red clears, lighting problems galore occured. The only lights I have that work are the turn signals and brake lights. Everything else doesnt work. Also, the right side reverse light is always on. This is pretty unbelivable for a brand new set of taillights. I dont think its the bulbs because they were all working on my stock lights 10 minutes before I installed the new red clears. Any ideas before I email custom enterprise and complain?
06-30-2005, 06:44 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Check to see if you have any of your wirring crossed. That seems wiered being you just put lens in there, not like your changing electrical hardware. Maybe sockets are in the wrong places, twisted and stripped wires? Worst come to worst put the old ones back and see if the problems still occur.
06-30-2005, 06:52 PM
#5
Originally Posted by killcrap
maybe the problem is that they are for the 97-99 models.
killcrap - CE just started selling red/clears for 95/96... check the group deals section (or their website).
06-30-2005, 06:55 PM
#7
Originally Posted by PTownMax
make sure you hooked the connectors up right, check fuses, i thought the CE tails came with their own bulbs?
06-30-2005, 06:55 PM
#8
Originally Posted by suicidalspd99
Check to see if you have any of your wirring crossed. That seems wiered being you just put lens in there, not like your changing electrical hardware. Maybe sockets are in the wrong places, twisted and stripped wires? Worst come to worst put the old ones back and see if the problems still occur.
06-30-2005, 07:01 PM
#11
Actually I had a problem with my set as well...the out two red lights both did not work and the right inner tail always had the brake light on....everything is fixed now I did alittle work....the thing with the brake light problem was that it is almost like the rewired corner lights problem...the bulb was shining brighter all the time so I just switched the way the bulb went in and....PRESTO! everything is good to go. Still loving the new tails.
06-30-2005, 08:32 PM
#12
All of the 1st 100 sets were kind of proto-types. I also had a small wiring issue. It blew fuses until I fixed it. Here's how to find the problem (I wrote this assuming you have no electrical background, so don't flame me if it sounds patronizing - you may be an electrician for all I know!)
1) Unplug all the new lights (don't remove them, just unplug the power cables)
2) Next check the fuses (under a plastic panel to the left of the steering wheel.) If any have blown, replace them. And buy some extras because you will blow a couple of more while troubleshooting. They cost about 30 cents each, no biggie. *** You may also have blown a bulb with the power surge. I blew my front left headlight bulb (type 9004, about $8). ***
3) Now, check all of the bulb sockets. Make sure that you are using the amber (1157) bulbs on the signal lights. Make sure you have the correct clear bulbs (1156) in the rest of the sockets. REMEMBER: Your old signal light bulbs were clear and are easily mistaken for the 1156 type. They look exactly the same except for where two little bumps are to guide them into the socket! Pull out all the bulbs and put them back in just to make sure they are all seated properly.
4) Now, plug-in ONE of the taillights! Turn all the lights on and off (headlights, signals, flashers, brakes, backup). See if any lights go dead. If not, continue.
5) Continue plugging in the other three lights until you find the one that's bad.
6) Pull out the wiring harness from the bad light. Compare it closely with a matching one that works. The wiring is really simple, so don't worry. You will probably have to cut off a black rubber sleave over part of the wiring and remove a piece of electrical tape to see things better.
7) Make the bad one look like the good one! If a wire is unattached, attach it. If it is frayed, cut the frayed section out and connect the two ends securely. It should hopefully be obvious where the problem lies.
{I can't tell your issue without seeing it, but I had some frayed wiring at a juncture where two black wires were supposed to meet. I cut off the frayed section. Then I stripped a short section of rubber from each dangling end. I then pressed the two wires together with a wire-connector* (see below).
*I had to go to radioshack and buy a package of wire connectors (part number 64-3036 - "non-insulated butt connectors.") Just stick the two bare wire ends into the cylinder and crimp closed with pliers. Now cover it with electrical tape so you don't shock yourself later! Done.
Hope that helps! You will have to figure out where the wiring is messed up, or where you put the wrong bulb in! If you had to force any of the bulbs into the socket to make it stay, you probably pushed one of your old, clear 1157 turn signal bulbs into a spot where the clear 1156 bulbs are supposed to go!}
1) Unplug all the new lights (don't remove them, just unplug the power cables)
2) Next check the fuses (under a plastic panel to the left of the steering wheel.) If any have blown, replace them. And buy some extras because you will blow a couple of more while troubleshooting. They cost about 30 cents each, no biggie. *** You may also have blown a bulb with the power surge. I blew my front left headlight bulb (type 9004, about $8). ***
3) Now, check all of the bulb sockets. Make sure that you are using the amber (1157) bulbs on the signal lights. Make sure you have the correct clear bulbs (1156) in the rest of the sockets. REMEMBER: Your old signal light bulbs were clear and are easily mistaken for the 1156 type. They look exactly the same except for where two little bumps are to guide them into the socket! Pull out all the bulbs and put them back in just to make sure they are all seated properly.
4) Now, plug-in ONE of the taillights! Turn all the lights on and off (headlights, signals, flashers, brakes, backup). See if any lights go dead. If not, continue.
5) Continue plugging in the other three lights until you find the one that's bad.
6) Pull out the wiring harness from the bad light. Compare it closely with a matching one that works. The wiring is really simple, so don't worry. You will probably have to cut off a black rubber sleave over part of the wiring and remove a piece of electrical tape to see things better.
7) Make the bad one look like the good one! If a wire is unattached, attach it. If it is frayed, cut the frayed section out and connect the two ends securely. It should hopefully be obvious where the problem lies.
{I can't tell your issue without seeing it, but I had some frayed wiring at a juncture where two black wires were supposed to meet. I cut off the frayed section. Then I stripped a short section of rubber from each dangling end. I then pressed the two wires together with a wire-connector* (see below).
*I had to go to radioshack and buy a package of wire connectors (part number 64-3036 - "non-insulated butt connectors.") Just stick the two bare wire ends into the cylinder and crimp closed with pliers. Now cover it with electrical tape so you don't shock yourself later! Done.
Hope that helps! You will have to figure out where the wiring is messed up, or where you put the wrong bulb in! If you had to force any of the bulbs into the socket to make it stay, you probably pushed one of your old, clear 1157 turn signal bulbs into a spot where the clear 1156 bulbs are supposed to go!}
06-30-2005, 10:48 PM
#13
Wait.......do these new tails come with their own light sockets and wiring??? I thought the stock sockets would plug right into the housing? This is just an assumption because when I got new tails for my truck, the stock wiring/sockets fit right into the new tails. I'm not sure if that is the case with the 95/96 Max. If that is so, there's no reason why the CE tails is causing problems. Y'all might be switching things up.
Remember the following:
1) outter and inner top lenses (clear) use 1156 bulbs.
2) outter and inner bottom lenses (red) use 1157 bulbs.
Remember the following:
1) outter and inner top lenses (clear) use 1156 bulbs.
2) outter and inner bottom lenses (red) use 1157 bulbs.
06-30-2005, 10:59 PM
#15
The stock wiring and sockets will not fit into the new tails. The stock wiring is attached to a solid plastic piece that only fits the old tails.
The new tails just have wires and sockets - no hard plastic housing. Here's a picture (before fixing this one - it has a frayed/broken section of wiring if you look closely at the pic.)
The new tails just have wires and sockets - no hard plastic housing. Here's a picture (before fixing this one - it has a frayed/broken section of wiring if you look closely at the pic.)
06-30-2005, 11:03 PM
#16
Just for your info, Greg at CE was EXTREMELY nice and helpful with all of this. He's using all of our comments to make sure the next batch is perfect. He's also sending me a new headlight bulb to replace the one I blew.
He was going to send a new harness to replace the bad one, but I told him not to bother b/c I had already fixed it.
He was going to send a new harness to replace the bad one, but I told him not to bother b/c I had already fixed it.
06-30-2005, 11:04 PM
#17
So basically, there is one socket/harness per tail piece totalling 4. I'll get the ohm meter out and check for continuity on those wires. This gives me something to do while I'm baking the tails in the oven. 
Thanks for the photos.
Thanks for the photos.
Originally Posted by TrackSmart
The stock wiring and sockets will not fit into the new tails. The stock wiring is attached to a solid plastic piece that only fits the old tails.
The new tails just have wires and sockets - no hard plastic housing. Here's a picture (before fixing this one - it has a frayed/broken section of wiring if you look closely at the pic.)
The new tails just have wires and sockets - no hard plastic housing. Here's a picture (before fixing this one - it has a frayed/broken section of wiring if you look closely at the pic.)
06-30-2005, 11:06 PM
#18
Originally Posted by SXN
so they shipped the first 100 set with bum wiring?
I'm just really happy they are working so hard to make these for us.
06-30-2005, 11:14 PM
#19
I will post my video up later this morning. I had no wiring problem at all. The electrical was fine. Just make sure you did not use the 1156 with the 1157.
I am gonna add some sealant to my passenger side trunk to fill that gap from the weather stripping.
Product is awesome. I feel like I have Infiniti style rear taillights. I got my order the next day, well I am Connecticuts neighbor.
+1 for CustomMaxima
- ßaller
I am gonna add some sealant to my passenger side trunk to fill that gap from the weather stripping.
Product is awesome. I feel like I have Infiniti style rear taillights. I got my order the next day, well I am Connecticuts neighbor.
+1 for CustomMaxima
- ßaller
. the tails look good, but the cut on the clear lenses looks odd to me. people seem to like it, but i like the 97-99 red/clear lense cut better
07-01-2005, 06:10 AM
#22
About the bulbs, you can't mix the 1156 and the 1157 up. They won't both will only go into their respective sockets. Since the two little bumps are aligned a certain way the 1156 won't go into the 1157 and 1157 won't go into the 1156.
07-01-2005, 08:28 AM
#24
Originally Posted by killcrap
sorry i havent been on the org latly. god thoes things look ugly. if anything, the DavidL's Tails should go up in value.
It's important to me that every mod I do be validated by you. I guess I'll just throw these really nice looking taillights away since you don't like them 
And I guess you helped the electrical problem this guy is having too, because now he can just throw them away, too. Thanks for your contribution
07-01-2005, 08:40 AM
#25
Originally Posted by TrackSmart
Here's a pic of my tails. Ignore how shiitty my bumper looks. It needs to be painted - BADLY! I haven't had the time to do it yet.
thanks for the help.
07-01-2005, 09:10 AM
#26
Originally Posted by 86maxima96
even after the plastic screw housings have been modified and dremeled to fit better, how does the taillights line up? it seems that the top of the left tail doesn't make quite a straight line and the red line across the middle does not seem to be exactly even. maybe it was just the way the picture was taken, but i'm asking anyone who has theirs installed how well they line up? do they look like they could be OEM, or are the slightly off in some parts? (if they are off, can it not be easily fixed, or what?)
thanks for the help.
thanks for the help.
1) The middle red-line is MORE PERFECT on the new tails.
2) The top of the clear part is MORE PERFECT on the new tails than the top of the clear and amber of the old tails.
3) However, the top of the black part is DOES NOT LINE UP AS WELL on the new tails. But it's pretty close. It actually lines up better than the picture suggests because the rubber on the edge is hanging over the top of the tail (it needs to be moved up and tucked in).
4) The weather stripping needs to be adjusted in these pics, so that should line up much better on the new ones when I play with it a bit more.
SUMMARY: Lines up [about equal] to stock in most respects, except for the weather stripping. The rubber on the outside of the new tails is thin and flimsy, so you have to play with it to get it to look right (I need to do this.)
07-01-2005, 09:21 AM
#27
all right. thanks for really explaining that. so it sounds like the colored lenses line up very well, (good enough for me if it's the same or better than stock). just the weatherstripping that's off a little bit. maybe new thicker better weatherstripping can be put on in place? looks good though. thanks
07-01-2005, 10:21 AM
#29
Originally Posted by DR-Max
Remember the following:
1) outter and inner top lenses (clear) use 1156 bulbs.
2) outter and inner bottom lenses (red) use 1157 bulbs.
1) outter and inner top lenses (clear) use 1156 bulbs.
2) outter and inner bottom lenses (red) use 1157 bulbs.
07-01-2005, 10:31 AM
#30
Originally Posted by Mishmosh
Is this the same as the stock tails? ie. do I need to go out and get these or do I just swap the OEM bulbs in??
You will re-use all of your stock bulbs except the turn-signals. Replace those with the included amber to be street-legal. Or buy some silvered amber bulbs on ebay or the web ( http://superlumination.com has some of these, haven't bought from them so can't comment if they are good.)
07-01-2005, 11:59 AM
#31
Originally Posted by Black Maxima
Trust me, CustomMaxima has all of this covered. The new shipment will be perfect.
Who are you? Trust you..? Youre giving your word that a company is going to perfect these? 
:
07-01-2005, 01:23 PM
#33
Ha ha. Well, I agree that the second batch will be better b/c they will have dealt with the too-long plastic studs. But I doubt that the rubber seals around the edge will improve any. You may still have to break-out the black silicone caulking or weather stripping to make them waterproof.
CE have been very helpful and accomodating. I'm sure they will try their best, but in the end it will be the factory that makes them that determines how consistent the quality is. So yeah, they are giving a good honest effort, but we will have to wait to see how the results turn out.
CE have been very helpful and accomodating. I'm sure they will try their best, but in the end it will be the factory that makes them that determines how consistent the quality is. So yeah, they are giving a good honest effort, but we will have to wait to see how the results turn out.
07-01-2005, 01:28 PM
#34
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by bijangxe
Who are you? Trust you..? Youre giving your word that a company is going to perfect these? :
Ha ha. Well, I agree that the second batch will be better b/c they will have dealt with the too-long plastic studs.
07-01-2005, 02:32 PM
#35
Originally Posted by Black Maxima
I was just at CustomMaxima yesterday and they were test fitting the lights on my Maxima. They made all the necessary cuts, measurements, and pictures. The next batch will be awesome...
07-01-2005, 03:22 PM
#36
Originally Posted by Black Maxima
I was just at CustomMaxima yesterday and they were test fitting the lights on my Maxima. They made all the necessary cuts, measurements, and pictures. The next batch will be awesome...
We'll trust you on this one only.
07-01-2005, 07:47 PM
#38
Originally Posted by Black Maxima
I was just at CustomMaxima yesterday and they were test fitting the lights on my Maxima. They made all the necessary cuts, measurements, and pictures. The next batch will be awesome...
07-01-2005, 08:38 PM
#40
Guest
Posts: n/a
There is no way they will get the stud exactly right. People on here have been cutting random numbers off of the stud. I only had a take a couple MM off while someone else had to take 6MM off. I can almost guarantee that the lights won't be awesome because it is still a product being made overseas and they have nothing to compare the lights to.
Ok Mr. SuperTopSecret Custom Maxima guy....
We'll trust you on this one only.
We'll trust you on this one only.
allright then. you must be in charge of quality control in the factory overseas, hmmm? yours might have fit well, but not all 1999 other ones are gonna be perfect. better, but not perfect
Maxima.org is full of negativity. Most members need to think positive or nothing will ever happen. It could just be a bunch of loosers who think they are "tough" on the internet. Don't think I'm "tough" because I got to visit CustomEnterprise.