Brake Lights Don't Work...HELP!
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 593
Likes: 1
From: Chicago Heights, IL
Brake Lights Don't Work...HELP! This has been a probem for about 6 months and I've rigged a workaround for it, but I want to ultimately find the cause for this.
What happens is when I push my foot on the brake, only my 3rd brake light (in the spoiler) lights up, the main lights dont. However, when my headlights are on, the low brightness filaments come on, and when I turn on either turn signal, the lights blink the high brightness filaments. So, the problem is NOT a burned out light bulb.
I used a trace light and traced the wire that activates the brake lights all the way up the drivers side of the car and found where it goes up under the dash. There is a separate wire for the 3rd brake light, which leads me to believe why this one is working.
I checked the fuse, and the fuse is for all 3 brake lights so obviously thats not the problem.
Using my test light, I was able to determine that the single wire (forget the color) for the brakes is not getting a signal when I push the brake pedal.
I can't quite follow the wire all the way up into the dashboard, because it goes into a huge cluster of wires and then it disappears behind the fuse panel.
Currently, I have a SPST relay triggered to send 12v to the wire that activates the brake lights, whever it detects a load on the wire for the 3rd brake light. So in other words, the main brake lights are being powered by the 3rd brake light. This works, however, it screws up my turn signals when I am also braking.
I want to find the cause for this, does anyone have any ideas?
What happens is when I push my foot on the brake, only my 3rd brake light (in the spoiler) lights up, the main lights dont. However, when my headlights are on, the low brightness filaments come on, and when I turn on either turn signal, the lights blink the high brightness filaments. So, the problem is NOT a burned out light bulb.
I used a trace light and traced the wire that activates the brake lights all the way up the drivers side of the car and found where it goes up under the dash. There is a separate wire for the 3rd brake light, which leads me to believe why this one is working.
I checked the fuse, and the fuse is for all 3 brake lights so obviously thats not the problem.
Using my test light, I was able to determine that the single wire (forget the color) for the brakes is not getting a signal when I push the brake pedal.
I can't quite follow the wire all the way up into the dashboard, because it goes into a huge cluster of wires and then it disappears behind the fuse panel.
Currently, I have a SPST relay triggered to send 12v to the wire that activates the brake lights, whever it detects a load on the wire for the 3rd brake light. So in other words, the main brake lights are being powered by the 3rd brake light. This works, however, it screws up my turn signals when I am also braking.
I want to find the cause for this, does anyone have any ideas?
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Avondale AZ
Re: Brake Lights Don't Work...HELP! Did you add a hitch with wireing ? <img border="0" alt="[chug]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_chug.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[driving]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_driving3.gif" />
<small>[ March 11, 2003, 10:21 PM: Message edited by: Chevy ]</small>
<small>[ March 11, 2003, 10:21 PM: Message edited by: Chevy ]</small>
Re: Brake Lights Don't Work...HELP! This sounds like a bad ground, check around
the back lights harness for the ground wire
and chase it down, it needs to hit chassis
sheet metal somewhere. I reckon the spoiler
light has a separate harness and its own
ground connection.
the back lights harness for the ground wire
and chase it down, it needs to hit chassis
sheet metal somewhere. I reckon the spoiler
light has a separate harness and its own
ground connection.
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Lufkin, Tx
Re: Brake Lights Don't Work...HELP! My car is doing the EXACT same thing. its 2 years older, but only the third light works. All dim filaments work, turn signals work, everything else works! Except the main stop lights. any advice would be appreciated.
