No brake lights or hazards
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 38
Likes: 7
From: chicago
No brake lights or hazards Hello Everyone,
The problem I appear to be having is no brake lights or hazards. Parking lights come on and turn signals work also. Checked all bulb sockets and checked/replaced fuses (stop/hazard fuse was melted). I checked the ground by the drivers side b pillar also. I also noticed the third brake light wasn't coming on either. I replaced the brake switch after the fuse and still having the same problem. The car is a 2001 Trans am. I am getting power to the brake switch connector, but i am not getting power the rear brake lights or third brake light. I tried my best to search for an answer but nothing specific really came up. I'm not very good at electrical diagnosing but I am trying to learn. Any advice in appreciated, thanks for your time.
-George
The problem I appear to be having is no brake lights or hazards. Parking lights come on and turn signals work also. Checked all bulb sockets and checked/replaced fuses (stop/hazard fuse was melted). I checked the ground by the drivers side b pillar also. I also noticed the third brake light wasn't coming on either. I replaced the brake switch after the fuse and still having the same problem. The car is a 2001 Trans am. I am getting power to the brake switch connector, but i am not getting power the rear brake lights or third brake light. I tried my best to search for an answer but nothing specific really came up. I'm not very good at electrical diagnosing but I am trying to learn. Any advice in appreciated, thanks for your time.
-George
My Silverado had the same issue and it was the hazard light switch, I don't know if that is the same way they are wired on your TA though. It can also be the brake light switch at the pedal.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 38
Likes: 7
From: chicago
Thanks for your reply. I did replace the brake light switch earlier and cruise control does cancel when engaged and I step on the brake. The hazard switch does click in and out on the steering column but I cant seem to find the replacement part for it. I assume it wouldn't be the turn signal switch because both turn signals work, unless I'm wrong and they share a circuit in the steering column? I just want to make sure I properly diagnosed the problem before I go taking the steering column apart. Thanks for your time.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,331
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Do you have tools to do diagnostics on electrical circuits? If not, you can get a simple test light for $10 at your local parts store or much less online (I've seen them for $3 on Amazon).
With something to test with (multimeter or test light), you want to confirm that you get 12V on the light blue wire coming out of the brake light switch when the brake is depressed. Just because it's a new switch doesn't mean it works - faulty parts happen all the time. And just because it cancels cruise also doesn't mean it works because that's a separate circuit within the switch.
If that checks out then you probably have a problem with the light blue wire someplace between the brake switch and the splice S243 where it splits between the regular brake lights and the CHMSL (Center High Mounted Stop Lamp - the third brake light). That's because both aren't working - if the problem was in the wiring past that point then one or the other would still be working.
With something to test with (multimeter or test light), you want to confirm that you get 12V on the light blue wire coming out of the brake light switch when the brake is depressed. Just because it's a new switch doesn't mean it works - faulty parts happen all the time. And just because it cancels cruise also doesn't mean it works because that's a separate circuit within the switch.
If that checks out then you probably have a problem with the light blue wire someplace between the brake switch and the splice S243 where it splits between the regular brake lights and the CHMSL (Center High Mounted Stop Lamp - the third brake light). That's because both aren't working - if the problem was in the wiring past that point then one or the other would still be working.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 38
Likes: 7
From: chicago
Ok thanks to everyone that gave me a reply. Monday I ended up replacing the turn signal switch, and the problem was still there. I checked the switch with a test light to see if there was power and it was. And I was getting signal from the terminal also when i pressed the brake pedal down. I started tracing the wire and found a really awful tape job they did when installing the viper alarm system. Everything was wrapped in electrical tape together. I’ve never really messed with electrical stuff, but turns out it’s not that hard. Thanks again everyone.
