B2524

Code

Other B — Body

License Lamp Circuit Short to Battery

Brand: Other

Type: B — Body

Views: UK: 30 EN: 38 RU: 32

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Page language: EN

Causes

Wiring shorted to constant battery feed (pin contact into a harness that carries constant 12 V)
Damaged or pinched wire insulation contacting a battery-powered conductor
Faulty lamp socket or bulb wiring tied to constant power
Failed body control module (BCM) or lamp driver transistor internal short
Corroded or bridged connector terminals
Aftermarket accessories or recent repairs that altered wiring routing

Symptoms

License plate lamp remains lit with the light switch off
Flickering or intermittent illumination of the license lamp
Possible blown fuse for lighting circuit (if protection present)
Related lighting direction warnings or other body lights behaving abnormally
DTC B2524 stored in body control module

What to check

Visual inspection of lamp, socket, wiring harness, and connectors for damage, corrosion, melted insulation or water intrusion
Confirm bulb type and condition; remove bulb and check for continued voltage at socket
Verify fuse condition for the lighting circuit
Back-probe the lamp connector with switch OFF and ON to observe presence/absence of battery voltage
Scan BCM/BCM inputs for additional related DTCs and freeze/frame data
Inspect for aftermarket accessories tied into tail/plate lamp wiring

Signal parameters

Expected voltage at lamp positive pin: ~0 V with lights OFF (open/high impedance), ~12–14 V with lights ON
If shorted to battery: ~12 V present at lamp pin even with lights OFF
Typical current draw: incandescent license lamp ~0.1–0.6 A depending on bulb wattage; LED lamps draw much less (check manufacturer spec)
Resistance between lamp positive and battery positive should be high/infinite with vehicle off; low resistance indicates direct short
Resistance between lamp positive and chassis ground should match bulb resistance when installed (or show open if bulb removed)

Diagnostic algorithm

Retrieve freeze-frame and related codes from the BCM; record operating conditions.
Visually inspect license lamp, lens, socket and rear harness for damage, corrosion, or water intrusion. Repair obvious damage.
Remove the lamp bulb. With ignition OFF and lighting switch OFF, back-probe the harness positive terminal at the lamp connector. If ~12 V is present, a short to battery is confirmed.
If voltage is present with bulb removed, disconnect the lamp connector and measure voltage at the harness side to isolate between lamp assembly and vehicle harness. If voltage disappears when connector is disconnected, the short is in the lamp assembly.
If voltage remains on the harness side, trace the harness toward the vehicle body, inspecting connectors and splice points. Unplug intermediate connectors to isolate the segment containing the short.
Use an ohmmeter to check continuity between the lamp positive circuit and battery positive with the ignition OFF. Low resistance indicates a direct short. Also check continuity to other nearby constant-power circuits to find contact points.
Wiggle harness while monitoring voltage to reproduce intermittent shorts. Repair/replace damaged sections or connector terminals found to be faulty.
If wiring and connectors check good, perform BCM output driver tests per manufacturer procedure. Replace BCM only after wiring and lamp assembly are verified good.
After repair, clear DTCs, test lamp operation through several cycles, and re-scan to confirm B2524 does not return.

Likely causes

Damaged/insulation-failed harness where license lamp circuit contacts a constant 12 V circuit (most common)
Corroded/bridged connector at lamp assembly or rear harness
Short inside lamp assembly or bulb holder (less common)
Defective BCM/lamp driver (least common)