Q: All of my lights went out at once

asked by on October 11, 2016

All of my lights went out at once, I have no brake lights, no head lights, no tail lights, and no inside lights, but my signal lights work. What's wrong?
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hi, thanks for writing in. When it comes to electrical issues like this one, the problem can come from many components. While it is possible that all of the light bulbs would go out at once, it is highly unlikely. Have you tried to replace one of them and see what happens? There could also be a short in the system where all of those components meet. This is likely at the fuse box. The power supply from the battery is routed to the main fuse box where the voltage is run to the separate electrical loads (bulbs). Check all fuses for related circuits and make sure they are allowing the power to pass through them. You can use a voltmeter to trace the power supply to each socket and bulb. If you have voltage available at the socket, you can skip tracing it from the fuse box. If not, its recommended you trace the voltage from the source. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose this electrical issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.

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