Lifetime warrantee on lights, I think the sales representative was pulling something. Just go to the service department and tell them you got stopped for no tail lights and let them figure it out. Looking through the ESM this is what comes up. As you see, it could be a number of things. I recall once on my old car, I changed the light bulb on the digital clock (it was a contour) and when I went to use the headlights, nothing worked. By pure luck, a switch, which was later part of a recall failed, and I thought I caused the problem.
PARKING, LICENSE PLATE AND TAIL LAMPS PFP:26550
System Description EKS0016R
Control of the parking, license plate, and tail lamp operation is dependent upon the position of the lighting switch (combination switch). When the lighting switch is placed in the 1ST position, the BCM receives input requesting the parking, license plate, and tail lamps to illuminate. This input is communicated to the IPDM E/R
(intelligent power distribution module engine room) across the CAN communication lines. The central processing
unit of the IPDM E/R controls the tail lamp relay coil. This relay, when energized, directs power to the parking,
license plate, and tail lamps, which then illuminate.
Power is supplied at all times
l to tail lamp relay, located in the IPDM E/R (intelligent power distribution module engine room)
l through 10A fuse [No. 38, located in the IPDM E/R (intelligent power distribution module engine room)].
Power is also supplied at all times
l to BCM (body control module) terminal 7
l through 50A fusible link (letter f, located in the fuse and fusible link box).
With the ignition switch in the ON or START position, power is supplied
l to BCM (body control module) terminal 35
l through 10A fuse [No. 12, located in the fuse block (J/B)].
With the ignition switch in the ACC or ON position, power is supplied
l to BCM (body control module) terminal 36
l through 10A fuse [No. 6, located in the fuse block (J/B)].
Ground is supplied
l to BCM (body control module) terminals 8, 27, and 63
l through body grounds M57, M61, E15, and E24.