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Repair Topics / Brake Lights
MORE: Brake
light questions
Car Brake Light Question and Answers - This category contains featured
questions as examples. They relate to most vehicles.
Question: 1999 Ford Escort mileage: 62,555. What would cause the third brake
light to come on when you turn on the parking lights?
Answer: Check the tail lights, as there could be an inappropriate taillight
bulb in one of the sockets back feeding the brake circuit.
Question: 1999 Chevrolet Pickup 1500 5.0 L mileage: 120,000. The Brake
Light stays on intermittently. You can lift the brake pedal with your toe turn them
off. This happens going down the road or when you park the vehicle. The brake light
switch is NOT ADJUSTABLE. This switch snaps into place with NO WAY TO ADJUST the
plunger travel. I have replaced the switch. It did not help. When I purchased the
switch at a Chevy dealer, the parts man first brought out a switch that looked nothing
like the one I had removed. When I showed him the one I had removed, he dug around
in the back and came out with one that matched the old one. I have had a number
of people tell me "Oh yeah I had a Chevy pickup that did that. Any Ideas?
Answer: There are two switches on your brake pedal, one for the brake
light switch and one for the cruise control/ECM.
Question: 1999 Olds Cutlass Ciera mileage: 75,000. My brake lights
don't work. But only when the " anti lock " dash light comes on and stays
on. If I start the car and the "anti lock" light does not come on, the brake
lights will work ok. The "anti lock" light will usually come on after about
10 minutes of driving. Any suggestions? Thank you much...
Answer: The “ABS” (antilock breaking systems) light will “light” when
there is a malfunction in the braking system. The fault code is then stored
in the computer. The computer must be scanned to retrieve these stored faults
to pinpoint the malfunctioning component. Because the ABS light indicates
something is wrong, a trip to you neighborhood automobile service center sooner
rather than later is recommended. Your ABS system may not be functioning.
Question: 1999 Ford Ranger 4 cylinder mileage: 99,999. Recently,
the rear brake lights (including the third) have suddenly stopped lighting up when
I step on the brakes. The fuse looks fine and all the other lights work normally.
I don't think they all burned out together. What should I check next?
Help, before I get rear-ended! Thanks!
Answer: Check the brake light switch on the brake pedal linkage,
because if it is not supplying 12-volts to the brake lights, the result would be
the problems you describe.
Question: 2004 Chevy Silverado mileage: 67,000. My brake lights
do not work. The rear lights or the cab brake light. I noticed a fuse
was tripped and I replaced, but the brakes still do not work. The same fuse
has the hazard lights and those do work. I removed the rear light cover, and
all three bulbs do work. Signal work, hazards work, and reverse lights
work. I do not see any loose wires or bad grounds. Is there a sensor
or flasher exclusively for the break lights? All other electrical controls
work. I do have electric brakes, which were installed for a trailer, but I
do not use them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Answer: Check the brake light switch on the brake pedal. It
may be out of adjustment or just faulty.
Question: 1999 Volvo 940 turbo 4 cyl mileage: 72,562. The brake
lights won't work. I have done the obvious. Checked the fuses; checked the
wires; checked the bulbs; and even replaced the brake light switch. I am at
a total loss. The car was repaired by a shop for the same thing 2 months ago.
I have figured out that the shift lock and the brake light switch are one in the
same. Any leads?
Answer: Check for 12 volts into and out of the brake light
switch. Then trace the 12-volt power. Repair shorted wiring as needed.
Question: 1999 Buick Regal V6 mileage: 68,000. When I step on the brake
pedal, my brake light in the rear window goes on but the other brake lights do not.
I have checked all of the bulbs and fuses and they all seem to be working properly.
I have also traced the wires as far as possible to check for breaks but found nothing.
Any suggestions?
Answer: Check your turn signal switch. Sounds like it has shorted.
Question: 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, 70,000 miles. I have a 91 Pontiac Grand
Am. Just recently, when pushing down on the brake pedal, the lights on the radio
display will dim and flash. When the brake is release, all lighting appears normal.
Sometimes, as well as the radio display problem, there will be a popping sound.
I was told that it could be the module housing for the headlights, parking lights,
etc. Is this correct? Any other ideas that I need to check before I start buying
and replacing parts?
Answer: Check rear tail\brake light bulbs (sounds like you have the wrong
bulbs installed.)
Question: I have a 1999 GMC Truck. The wire harness for the tail lights
was taken off and put back on and now they don't work. One blinker works ok and
the other is very dim. There are no running lights or brake lights. Any suggestions?
Answer: Sounds like you have a poor ground connection between the
tail light assembly and the fender. Clean the mounting surfaces or add an extra
ground wire from the tail-light housing to the frame.
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