JR HAWK 9

iTrader: (3)

ok, my GF has a '95 TA vert.

The set of -left- brake lights don't work periodically. The thing is, when they work, ALL three bulbs work and when they don't, all three don't. When she has her lights on, her tailights work just fine, then when she brakes, the lights just stay lit in the "taillight mode" and won't illumanate both of the filaments.

I was following her when she had her lights on and noticed her left brake light was not working, so I called her cell and told her to put her left blinker on. She did and then it worked. Then I had her hit the brakes again and now the left brake light worked again. This is driving me crazy trying to figure it out. The passengers side always works. I wonder if the drivers side has a bad ground or something....? I know the signal is getting back to the lights, seeing the passengers side always works. The drivers side probably works >75% of the time.

I don't know how the wiring is set up on these cars. I haven't tried new bulb sockets and can't imagine they are wired in series for that to be the problem. The biggest thing is trying to get them to NOT work long enough to try to trouble shoot them. If you can catch it when they don't work and wiggle the wires all over and it doesn't do anything and then all of a sudden it can start to work again just by leaving it sit and doing nothing.

Paul

Camaro_Z28

First place I would start is wiggling the bulb in the socket with the brakes on, I bet that is your problem. The contacts in the socket sometimes loose tension after all the heat cycles over the years, get a real small screw driver or something like that and bend the tabs towards where the bulb sits in the socket. That will give it better contact. And for good measure I would replace the bulb. The Ground is most likely not the problem since all rear tail lights run off one ground, the only issue would be if the black wire coming out of that socket is broken inside the insulation. But check your socket conections because that is pretty common.

JR HAWK 9

iTrader: (3)

thanks, I will try that..but what would the chances be that ALL three sockets ALL at the same time would decide to lose the connection..? Unless they are wired in series and need all three sockets to be working correctly for them to work. If this is the case, then just one bad socket could cause all three bulbs not to work.

Camaro_Z28

Ok, my bad. I would check them just to be safe, But I was probably a little off. One thing to check first because its pretty easy, try to wiggle and jiggle the turn signal handle with your foot on the brake and watch the brake lights, because all these signals run through the multifunction switch (turn signal switch) and if you used your turn signals to make your brake lights work again that is definatly a good possibility that that switch is going bad. if that doenst do much then there is one wire to look at. On the left side it is the yellow wire going into the 2 center sockets that feed those 2 bulbs. There is a splice somewhere up those wires a little way that connects the 2. If none of them work on that side then the problem is before that splice. Both sides are independant so its one wire (the yellow one) but the problem is it runs all the way from the connector at the base of the column back. There is that connector at the column and then I'm pretty sure there is one back towards the rear on the right side, so you have to follow that wire from the rear up. Check both of those connectors for a loose connection on that pin, and also any corrosion. If that still doenst find you problem then the wire is bad somewhere from the front to the back. If it is broken inside the insulation it will definatly do that. The brake switch is good. the ground should be ok. But now that I read into it a little more, I think that multifuntion switch is a good possiblity, my s-10 did the same thing and it uses almost identical columns. Hope that helps a little better.

JR HAWK 9

iTrader: (3)

thanks a lot....I will check into that switch. That does seem like a good possibility.

JR HAWK 9

iTrader: (3)

Camaro_Z28....you hit it right on the head! Thanks man!

It is the switch, as if you have it just in the right position, the left brake doesn't work and as soon as you move it up it's fine.

Now, the next question is, how do you replace that multi function switch?

thanks agin for you help, you saved me a ton of wasted time fumbling around the back trying to find a bad wire that would not have existed...

Paul

Camaro_Z28

Hey, man, sorry it took awhile. Thats awesome that we got it narrowed down. Now putting it in is a little more difficult. I dont know how far your mechanical abilities go. If you can do it your self You will need A steering wheel puller and a lock plate remover, some snap ring pliers and I think there is also a few torx bits in there. So If these are things you cant round up, at this point take it to a dealership or shop and have them replace it. Flat rate time on it is around 1.5 hrs which depending on the shop doing the work would be $110-170 in labor. plus parts. There shouldnt be any diag, just take it there and show them what happens when you wiggle it, that tells them right there. So Like I said If its something you want to do yourself, You have to pull the steering wheel, underneath that is a lock plate with a snap ring that has to come off, then a few other small things that have to come out, then you finally get to that switch. The wires run down to the base of the column, so you have to feed them back down there when your done to reconnect. So most of it is taking stuff apart to get there the actual switch takes like 2 minutes to install. So its your call let me know if I can help anymore. L8tr