Headlights, tail lights and cops, oh my!
 

Anyone else with a DII have the intermittent issue of their tail light and head light going out - but not at the same time? If the headlight is out, the tail light is working. If the tail light is out, the headlight is working. You get the idea. Coincidence - are they connected? I'm not too familiar with the inner workings of Lucas electronics and tonight it finally caught up with me. I was driving home with my husband and we passed three cop cars on a busy stretch of highway pulling over one lone vehicle. Slow night in Traverse. I commented on the fact and kept going, watching my speed, etc. As I was doing so one of the three police cars (which happened to be a State cop) left the other two and moseyed on down the road behind me. I decided to turn left and take the quieter gentler road home but as soon as I made my left turn, the cop lights appeared in the rearview mirror.

I haven't been pulled over in YEARS so this was unnecessary excitement in my life.

I opened my door because, like other Rovers, Bertha's darn window is broken and won't roll down. Bertha looks pretty good - she's nice and shiny and doesn't look suspicious so I was a little taken off guard when the conversation went something like this:

'Hi there officer, hm.. what did I do?'

'Why don't you give me your driver's license and then I'll tell you' (I noticed him glance at the back end of Bertha as he walked up)

'It's my tail light, isn't it? I just hit it earlier this evening'

'Hit it?...'

'Yeah, I noticed it wasn't working and I hit it with the palm of my hand' (gesturing as if I was conking my palm onto something)

'Yes, it's your tail light'

'I'm sorry...I think there may be a short in the electronics - I need to get it taken care of'

'What are you two up to tonight? Where are you coming from?'

'Sam's Club'

'Where is Sam's Club?' he asked.

I gave him a quizzical look.

'I'm new to town and really don't know where it's located. Where is it?'

'Welcome to Traverse City! Uh... I'm really bad with directions - I've lived here all of my life but am horrible at directions. Do you know where Best Buy is located?'

'Yes'

'Well it's just across the road from Best Buy - off of Silver Lake Road'

'Ok.. got it - I know where you mean'

'If I could just get your proof of insurance and registration'

(Digging into the glove box and banging it against my husband's knees, noticed my hand shaking)

'Ok, here they are..'

'Do you two have anything that you're trying to conceal in your vehicle?'

(***uh.. huh, wah?...***)

'Just the two dressers behind me' as I smiled.

'Did you buy those at Sam's?'

(banged up pieces of junk that I'm planning on painting - one with the Union Jack and the other fixed up with vintage maps of Michigan all over it)

'No sir. We repurpose furniture and sell it in our store'

'Where is your store?'

(seriously??? .... but I told him)

'Oh! I know exactly where that is. I should have come to you two when I moved here to furnish my place. How about you sir.. do you have identification?' (as he looked at my husband)

lol.. I think my husband was frozen in time. This was his first experience being pulled over by the police in the States.'

'Where is your id honey?'

'It's in the back in my wallet in my blue bag'

'It's in the back in his wallet in his blue bag' I repeated.

'That's ok - I don't need it. I'll be back - I'm going to go run your information.'

(Lights still flashing behind us. God this is taking forever.. he finally walks back with my info in his hand)

'I'm not going to give you a ticket tonight.' (thank god).

'Thank you - we will definitely get this problem seen to in the near future'. (eeks!) May I get out and hit my tail light so I'm not pulled over down the road?' - I smiled.

'After I leave you can get out and do whatever you please' - he smiled.

And off he drove. I promptly got out and hit the rear driver side tail light.

SO.. two questions:

1) Does anyone think my headlight and tail light issue are related? Is it possible the electronics are connected? and

2) Are there any cops on the forum? Not that I had anything to hide but why the personal inquisition for a tail light being out? Why do cops act like they are talking to you as a person but all the while trying to get you to trip up on something? I seriously felt like I was being quizzed to death!

That's my rant for the day :)

Everything you said sounds exactly like I would expect the officer to react when you exited the vehicle. For some reason police do not like it at all when you get out of the car (unless they tell you to). I have quizzed several cops over the years about this, and I have never been given a reasonable answer.
I have concluded by default that it has to do with their feeling of being in control of the situation (they won't admit that).
It doesn't sound like the event was anything out of the ordinary, other than you dodged the ticket.

A fat, old, angry white guy like me would have been pistol whipped in the back seat of the squad car.

1) Clean the bulb contacts in your taillight thoroughly, and follow up with some bulb grease. On the headlights, same deal, however depending on how bad the contacts are, those might require replacement.

2) Not a cop, but that's exactly what they're trying to do; trip you up on something trivial to pursue a further investigation. It could be idle chit chat to break the tension, but sadly I've been on the harassment side of things enough times that I treat all police interaction with suspicion.

I'm never ever belligerent to a LEO, but I don't volunteer information that has absolutely nothing to do with the "reason" I'm being stopped, nor do I forfeit my rights unnecessarily.

Im not really sure but the first thing to do is check all your exterior lightning bulbs and replace any that are worn, next inspect all your fuses, look for the fuses that control your front and rear lights and replace if needed, next consider replacing your brake light switch which is cheap and located directly underneath your brake pedal. It is an easy repair and takes maybe 5 minutes. Remove the lower kick plate above the brake and gas pedals, use needle noise pliers to remove the clip holding the brake light switch in place and replace. If you do all that and still have the issue than it may be electrical in which Id recommend you have an experienced mechanic diagnose. Hope the best to you.

Oops.. did I make it sound as if I exited the vehicle? Nope.. stayed in the driver seat with my seatbelt buckled. I just opened the door a crack because I haven't fixed the window yet. He asked me twice where our store was located - I answered him once and then he asked me again. It was really starting to annoy me but I kept the smile in place :D Definitely happy that I dodged the ticket. lol.. I'm sure you're not a fat, old, angry white guy:)

From working check points overseas we preferred the driver to stay seated and belted in with both hands at 10 and 2 on the wheel. That way we can see what they are doing with their hands not armed and are not likely to attack us. Difficult from in the car with a seat belt on. When you get out you now have options to fight pull a knife or gun etc. It makes you nervous not knowing their intentions. So in the future wait for the officer to get to the window and mouth out windows broken may I open the door and keep your hands in view. Everyone will be happier and calm.

Oh and check connections something is loose and shorting out

Thanks TRIARII - I had no idea that there was a brake light switch located under the brake pedal. I'll try all of the above - thanks again!

Yeah, and then I'll end up like the couple in the video that hit the telly in the past week or so. The one of the couple at the gas station and the woman was yelling thru the glass - 'I'm afraid! I'm afraid!' ;) Just to reiterate - I stayed in the vehicle and opened the door a crack. I was belted in.. guess I need to work on the window and the connections if I want to prevent issues like this in the future. We live in a fairly small town - people are fairly trusting here. I was just surprised by the inquisition. Like I said - it has been a while since I've been pulled over. I'm a 'good girl'.:rolleyes::)

Yeah, I agree Racer X. He asked me where our shop was located twice. And I thought it was strange that he asked me where Sam's Club was located. I dunno - it just seemed 'odd'. lol.. when I commented to my husband afterward 'do people really fall for the question 'are you concealing anything you shouldn't be?'' he replied 'ahh.. well it does smell a bit like your basil in here..'

lol.. as if basil would make someone think I'm doing something untoward! It was pretty funny as my husband said it in his thick British accent - phlegmatically with the pronunciation of 'Baaaaazil'. Cracked me up. Thanks for the tips - I wonder if I have water in the connection. That happened a couple of years ago and I changed the bulb out. I'll look into it again.

In Virginia it is faulty equipment if you cannot roll your window down, it is a requirement to pace state inspection, so you might want to get that fixed as well. :)