3rd Brake Light
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
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From: Flatwoods, KY
3rd Brake Light I have a 2001 ss and the 3rd brake light doesnt work. also i have no brake lights period. Round how much is it to replace it and would the other brake lights work after replacing it.
thanx
thanx
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,157
Likes: 1
From: Texas
First you say the 3rd doesnt work, then you say none of them work. Which one is it?
If all of them are out, check your fuses.
If the 3rd is out go to walmart/autoparts store and replace it for about $5
If all of them are out, check your fuses.
If the 3rd is out go to walmart/autoparts store and replace it for about $5
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
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From: Flatwoods, KY
None of them work and I already checked the fuse. It was all in good shape. All the tail lights work except the one on the spoiler but the brake lights don't work on any of the tail lights. If that makes any sense at all.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Check your hazard flashers - if they don't work either then it is probably the fuse. You can't always tell if a fuse is good just by visual inspection. Best to use a tester or just put another fuse in.
If the hazard flashers work then it is likely the brake switch near the base of the steering column that is causing the problem. Use a meter or test light to make sure you have power at all times in teh orange wire and power when the brake pedal is pressed in the light blue wire.
If the hazard flashers work then it is likely the brake switch near the base of the steering column that is causing the problem. Use a meter or test light to make sure you have power at all times in teh orange wire and power when the brake pedal is pressed in the light blue wire.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
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From: Flatwoods, KY
The thing im talking about is that i have tail lights and the hazards work. The light on the spoiler doesnt work at all and i know sometimes when one light is out then sometimes the brake lights dont work. The brake light in the spoiler of the ss is leds and auto part stores dont have those.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Having the third brake light burned out won't cause a problem with the other brake lights. They are on completely separate circuits from the brake switch back (by law they have to be to avoid that very situation where one burning out affects the others). It's looking like your brake switch is the most likely cause. It could also cause the cruise problem since the cruise uses the brake switch as a control (to shut off when you press the brake pedal).
The brake switch is actually three switches in one. Two are normally closed and the other is normally open. You should have power at the orange wire all the time (battery supply) and power at the two pink wires whenever the ignition is on. On the output side you should have power only at the dark green with white stripe and purple wires when the brake pedal is not pressed (no power on the light blue). When you press the brake pedal the power to the dark green with white stripe and purple wires should go off and power should be supplied to the light blue wire.
If you check the switch with a meter or test light and find the correct input (orange and pink wires) but not the correct output then you should replace the switch. If you're not getting the correct input at the switch then you'll have to trace back further in the circuit to find the source of the power interruption.
The brake switch is actually three switches in one. Two are normally closed and the other is normally open. You should have power at the orange wire all the time (battery supply) and power at the two pink wires whenever the ignition is on. On the output side you should have power only at the dark green with white stripe and purple wires when the brake pedal is not pressed (no power on the light blue). When you press the brake pedal the power to the dark green with white stripe and purple wires should go off and power should be supplied to the light blue wire.
If you check the switch with a meter or test light and find the correct input (orange and pink wires) but not the correct output then you should replace the switch. If you're not getting the correct input at the switch then you'll have to trace back further in the circuit to find the source of the power interruption.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
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From: Flatwoods, KY
Thanx for the good advice. We put in a new brake switch today and the brake lights still don't work but we didn't get the switch yet for the cruise. Could there be a connection there? We tested all the wires and they were all working properly. So I might quite sure where to go from here.
Yeah the spoiler light is LED.
Yeah the spoiler light is LED.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Well, if you have power on the light blue wire when the brake pedal is pressed then the next thing to do is track down why that power isn't getting to the brake lights.
First, make sure that it really isn't getting power to the lights. Pull out one of the bulb sockets from the back of the tail lights and check that you get power to the socket contact when the brake pedal is pressed. The wire color will be yellow on the left side lights and dark green on the right side. It is the light blue wire at the third brake light that should have power with the pedal pressed.
If you are getting power at the sockets then the next thing to check is the ground. Make sure that the black wire in each location provides a good ground. If you have both power and ground and the lights still don't work then it's the lights themselves that are the problem.
If you don't get power at the lights then you'll have to find out where the wire got broken between the brake switch and the lights.
First, make sure that it really isn't getting power to the lights. Pull out one of the bulb sockets from the back of the tail lights and check that you get power to the socket contact when the brake pedal is pressed. The wire color will be yellow on the left side lights and dark green on the right side. It is the light blue wire at the third brake light that should have power with the pedal pressed.
If you are getting power at the sockets then the next thing to check is the ground. Make sure that the black wire in each location provides a good ground. If you have both power and ground and the lights still don't work then it's the lights themselves that are the problem.
If you don't get power at the lights then you'll have to find out where the wire got broken between the brake switch and the lights.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
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From: Flatwoods, KY
The only problem is that the 3rd brake light (spoiler) needs replaced. It doesn't work at all. We get the spoiler light tomorrow, while we are replacing it we will check the wires to the lights. We pulled out the bulbs today to check and make sure everything was in good shape and it looked as though it was. Thanx for all the help. I will post tomorrow when I know more.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
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From: Flatwoods, KY
Well we replaced the 3rd light (spoiler) taillight and it's still not working. I don't really know what to do. I guess I will have to go through all the wires and see what happened. If anyone has had this problem before and have any advice feel free to write. We would appreciate it!
