My tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?

i have a 92 nissan 300zx 2+2. my license plate lights have been out ever since i bought the car so i decided 2 change them 2day. i put them in but they still didnt work and there was battery acid all over the socket. i had switched my lights on 1 click (2 means the head lights would come on) and forgot 2 turn them off before messing with the socket.



i started trying 2 clean some of the battery acid out of the socket where the lights go with a flathead screwdriver. so as im doing this i can see that my tail lights are on. i was cleaning out around the positive and negative charges and my lights started to flicker. then the second time i think the positive and negative charges connected/touched completely through the screwdriver and my tail lights went out, my deck reset, and my headlights wouldnt come on.



now when i try and turn my head lights on the tail lights dont come on unless i step on brake. instead of my headlights coming on when i switch them to on my high beams are on instead. i checked all my fuses and they are ok. my fuse links are all fine 2. the bulbs are all fine. i think i really messed up the wiring by touching positive and negative.



how can i fix this??? it is very important that my tail lights work because this car is my daily driver and i work graveyard shift.My tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?
Well sounds like you probably fried the switch, i'd try replacing that if it doesn't solve your problem, be prepared to start tracing wires. Start from the affected area and trace it all the way back. You could have melted a wire which is causing it to short out or you could, have killed a relay as well. Did you just check the fuses under the dash, because there is probably another fuse box under the hood as well where you can check some of the relays.My tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?
You smoked the fuse just change it and quit sticking screwdrivers in the light sockets.My tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?
get new taillightsMy tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?
Your tail lights and number plate lights are on a different circuit to the brake lights.

You may have a poor connection, or broken wire.

Poor earth return is a common problem.My tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?
If all the advice above doesn't help your only other option is getting a specialist auto electrician to run diagnostics and track down where you shorted out the circuit.My tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?
check the fuse, then scrape the contact in the sockets and put some grease in the sockets.My tail lights dont work when i turn my head lights on?
My guess is you don't have grounding of the bulbs, because of the corrosion. I would say this because you state the %26quot;tail lights come on when you touch the brake%26quot;. I'd bet the brake lights don't come on!

This can happen because of the tail light filaments %26quot;finding ground%26quot; via the stop light filaments when the brake light switch is worked.

What you need to do is to test between the bulb contacts and a GOOD ground point, with tails switched on, using a voltmeter or a test lamp. If the volts are there, ground is the problem. Clean everything VERY well!