Driver side brake light does not work?

Tiny
JERRYARVID
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 BUICK CENTURY
  • 115,350 MILES
I have changed the bulb and it did not work. I put a test light to the plug and it barely lights it up compared to the other side that lights up the tester bright. All of my turn signals and marker lights work on the front and the back. Just that one brake light does not work. Would the brake switch be bad? Thank you for your time.
Thursday, May 10th, 2012 AT 10:51 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
Insure both side of the equation are clean (do this with the power off) I mean bulb and socket. Using dielectric grease is a plus also if that is no help run a jumper wire from a good ground--i prefer all the way back to the battery's neg post I have a good many long jumper w/ alligator clips on both ends---i get stuck troubleshooting wiring on utility trailers and boat trailers anyway lets attach the end opposite of the battery to metal adjacent to the socket (if the metal is part of the sockets ground)

push a "straight pin"--"needle"--"hat pin"into the ground wire as close to the socket as possible. Then attach your alligator clip on to it (the pin stuck into the copper wire) this will insure you have a ground to test by----if it all works fine, you are gonna have to trace down where the original ground is supposed to hook to the body or frame and repair/ clean/ reattach it many times the bulbs are dim--even make the others alternate flashing dimlyusually its a bad ground, and the only reason you see the dim lights is because it's seeking a ground thru the other turn signal or running light wire

keep us posted on progress
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Friday, May 21st, 2021 AT 3:27 PM
Tiny
JERRYARVID
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I have done all that you said to do, and nothing has worked yet. I replaced the socket on the drivers side in cass it was a bad wire there but that did not work either. My next step I think is I am going to replace the brake switch and maybe even the turn signal switch. I have traced down the ground wires and have cleaned them up. This is really baffling, any ideas? Thank you
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Friday, May 21st, 2021 AT 3:27 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Passenger coming on-check the yellow wire on the bulb socket for the driver side- no power there-investigate the turn signal switch
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Friday, May 21st, 2021 AT 3:27 PM

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