I'm having problems with my parking light bulbs. they don't seem to be able to seat all the way in their sockets. The springs in the back of the bucket work fine. I can push the bulb into the socket and it will work but when I let go it doesn't work. anybody know whats wrong?

 

You might be trying to put an eleven-fifty-six bulb into and eleven-fifty-seven socket or you have the 1157 bulb turned 180*. Pins on the bulb are offset/uneven vertically.

 

An 1157 or 1034 (normal parking and tail light bulbs for your car) has TWO contacts on its base and the socket also has two. As Yellowstatue has pointed out, these sockets and bulbs also have offset pins to correctly orient the filaments for either running or brake/turn signal.


Make sure you're not trying to put a single contact bulb in it. Plenty of us have done that.

 

I remain amazed that people can mix these up, but for completeness, THIS is an 1157 base:



And THIS is an 1156:

 

I don't think the poster has provided enough information... It's not mentioned whether or not the bulb actually locks into the socket... Assuming an 1157 bulb is being used as required, and it does lock securely into the socket, there is a contact issue between the bulb and the wire lead... Be it spring tension or a bad contact on the lead...

 

I've had this exact problem with two different causes. First, as noted, is broken or rusted springs under the contacts. There are different styles of sockets, some that have coil springs under the individual contacts and some that have formed leaf spring contacts. The former can rust or be broken. The latter can be bent or corroded and not make adequate contact.

The second cause is worn solder terminals on the bottom of the bulbs. Note that the two contacts are simply built up solder, which is soft and wears easily due to road vibration. This is often compounded if the socket is loose or if the Chinesium bulbs are not manufactured within dimensional tolerances.

 

Mitchy said the springs work OK, but I've seen them "work OK" and still couldn't get the bulb to function.


One of these should be in everyone's tool box, esp if fooling with old cars. Battery disconnected of course.

 

I have had the wires seize to the rubber boot they pass thru, so that the spring cannot force them back out into good contact even IF the springs and wire ends and bulb blobs are all perfect. Alas, if lubing the wires and working them back n forth thru the seal does not cure this, then it's time to replace or refurbish the entire thing.


Clean with brush per above.
Lube wires to boot exterior area with silicone [dielectric] grease
Shove the wires right on out where the bulb used to be and inspect the springs. Assuming springs are ok-ish...
Lube the sticking-out ends of the wires and springs.
Pull back thru, lube, repeat until joy is attained or it really needs fixin'.