Brake lights aren’t working.

-
P

Parker Close

New Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2020
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Location
Naples
I own a 73’ duster and the other day while driving someone told me my brake lights weren’t working. I drove home to see if there was something wrong with the brake light switch and when I applied power to the wire I noticed the dome light was turning on. I’ve never messed with the brake light switch so I don’t know how it suddenly stopped working. I’m new at doing electrical work and the other day I read a few threads and noticed that some people were saying this could occur when the hazard light switch isn’t working. The weird thing is is that the hazard light switch never worked when I bought the car and yet the brake lights were working perfectly fine. Does anyone know if this is true and what I should do next?
 
Check grounds first, would be my suggestion. Have you done any interior work specifically on the driver side? Reason I ask is because the wiring for the dome light, tail lights, turn signals etc run down that side.
 
"Applied power to the wire"

OK we are not there, we can't see, WHAT wire? The white, going to the TS switch? The power wire feeding TO the switch?

If you don't have constant power TO the switch that is PART OF YOUR ANSWER right there. Find out why. Fuse? Broken connection?

The remaining wire, usually white comes OUT of the "cold" or switch output, and leads to the TS switch. That terminal should have power anytime the switch / brake is pressed.

From there, the TS switch routes power to the rear lights. Connects them together with switch centered, and disconnects whatever lamp is signaling

THE HAZARD SWITCH MAY BE A CLUE. The lights go through that section of the switch. Try working/ wigging the hazard knob and see if the lights flash on or start to work.
 
This doesn't seem right. Confirm that you have really found the brake light switch which has two wires going to it. One wire will hot, the other dead. Press the brake pedal- the other wire becomes hot. How are the tailite bulbs?
 
Did you try replacing the bulbs? Thats where I would start... I had 1 brake light go out a couple weeks ago... replaced the bulb and back to new.

Replaced both flashers and back to having working turn signal and flashers...

I dislike electrical so I avoid anything more complicated than that if I can.
 
Sorry for hijacking but what do you guys think when right side works and left side doesn't even tried switching the bulbs still nothing
 
67mprfan said:
Sorry for hijacking but what do you guys think when right side works and left side doesn't even tried switching the bulbs still nothing
Click to expand...
Broken wire, bad ground, corroded socket. I'd see if it has power to the socket first. If so, probably bad ground. Those have plastic housings IIRC, so, a separate ground wire. Use a temporary jumper wire to use as a ground to verify that it's the problem. Find a good ground, like the trunk latch for one end, and the actual socket for the other and see if it now lights up. It might be easier if you have a helper to either press the brake pedal or hold and view the wiring/lights.
 
I think brake and dome are on the same fuse. With a blown fuse, applying power downstream could backfeed and power the dome lamp. It would come on if a door is open.
You can't simply look at a glass bar fuse and know its broken/blown. I've seen them blown behind a metal end cap at least 3 times.
 
RedFish said:
I think brake and dome are on the same fuse. With a blown fuse, applying power downstream could backfeed and power the dome lamp. It would come on if a door is open.
You can't simply look at a glass bar fuse and know its broken/blown. I've seen them blown behind a metal end cap at least 3 times.
Click to expand...

You cannot look at ANY fuse and tell for sure. In my old Landcruiser days, the fuse clips were rusty and junk. I kept blowing fuses, they would ALWAYS blow up near the cap. The loose/ poor connections in the clips on the fuse panel was the cause
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top