Mysterious Lower Brake Lights won't work on my 2005 Nissan Quest! PLEASE HELP!

Tiny
NICKVA
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 NISSAN QUEST
  • 150,000 MILES
My lower brake lights (not the upper/third light) work under all conditions (hazards flash, turn signals flash, alarm flashes) EXCEPT when the brake pedal is pushed. The bulbs are good (they light up and are new), the fuses are ok, the brake switch is ok (the third light does come on and goes off when unplugged), and I just tried replacing the turn signal switch. I can't figure this one out, PLEASE HELP!
Thursday, March 15th, 2012 AT 11:05 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
All three lights are on the same circuit and that doesn't include the turn signal switch so the problem has to be in the wiring going to the rear of the truck.
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Thursday, March 15th, 2012 AT 12:19 PM
Tiny
NICKVA
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Sorry, but somehow this got posted several times. Here's what fixitmr said in one of the other posts, "i'm showin a trailor tow control unit/module on my diagrams. And it has seperate inputs for stop/turn but 1 output for both. Stop input is red/green wire."
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Thursday, March 15th, 2012 AT 12:34 PM
Tiny
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Wrenchtech - How could it be in the wiring if they work under most circumstances?
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Thursday, March 15th, 2012 AT 12:36 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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The brake lights are independent of any other circuits. They are on red/yellow that turns to red/green. The problem can be in the lights themselves also.

http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/Wrenchtech/113620824.gif
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Thursday, March 15th, 2012 AT 12:40 PM
Tiny
NICKVA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Nevermind. I've figured it out. Stupid me put the brake light bulbs in the turn signal sockets and was looking for the wrong bulbs to light up! The old brake light bulbs would only light up with the lights on but not intensify under braking. For some reason I was thinking the brake lights were the same as the hazard/turn signal lights. Duh. Just goes to show that when you ignore the simple things and assume it's complicated you only make things harder. Thanks.
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Thursday, March 15th, 2012 AT 1:38 PM
Tiny
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Yep, this is true. Never overlook the basics.
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Thursday, March 15th, 2012 AT 1:41 PM

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