tail lamp/light not working

When we turn the head lights on, the tail lights are not illuminating. When I press the breaks, the lights light up. The turn signal lights work.The license plate lamp doesn't turn on, but when the alarm is activated the license plate light does turn on. I don't think it is the bulbs. HELP!

When we turn the head lights on, the tail lights are not illuminating. When I press the breaks, the lights light up. The turn signal lights work.The license plate lamp doesn't turn on, but when the alarm is activated the license plate light does turn on. I don't think it is the bulbs. HELP!


Probably a rusty/bad ground. Ford Winstars are notorious for this problem. Check the rear wiring for problems. Find the grounding point to see how it looks. Do you have a voltage checker?

Thanks for the reply, I checked the ground it was clean. I changed both bulbs today, just in case. Same problem. I also replased the fuse.

Now the interior lights don't want to turn off and the interior bell doesn't want to stop ringing. It also shows that a door is open. I had to disconnect the battery. I guess I'm on my way to the dealer. 1996 Windstar.