modified my license plate bulb to work

[Bronco73]

I discovered that I had a brand new license plate light kit that I got when I bought the bronco a few years back. Since the bronco is painted I decided I should mount it. Turns out the bulb would not sit tight enough in the socket to keep the light on. I had to push on the bulb to get it to work. I bought two new bulbs and had the same issue. So I decided to add a tad of solder to the back of the bulb and I now have a working license plate light. I also cleaned up some of the wiring that the PO had spliced into.

 

[rastiss]

Depending on the style of contacts in the socket, you can Also bend them upwards to make better connection using a little pick or screwdriver, etc.

Congrats on a functional light! Things like that can drive you nuts.

 

[Bronco73]

Depending on the style of contacts in the socket, you can Also bend them upwards to make better connection using a little pick or screwdriver, etc.

Congrats on a functional light! Things like that can drive you nuts.

I tried that first and was not successful. Step two was new bulbs and the solder was step three. I even tried to push the inner socket guts into the housing more but that didn't work out to well either. I stopped before I broke something.

I figured the cheap after market part was just that, cheap.

 

[rastiss]

Yeah, it sounds like the socket has quality control issues...