Brake Light Issues/Wiring Harness Issues?

Tiny
CAVEDUDE17
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 CHEVROLET 1500
  • 4.3L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 190,000 MILES
I recently bought this 98 c1500 4.3 5 speed manual. My main brake lights do not work, but the third brake light does. I have changed the brake light switch, multifunction switch, headlight switch, tail light circuit boards and bulbs, and the tail light wiring harness. I started digging into the wiring recently and found that I do have constant 12 v to the relay, signal from the switch to the relay, and signal from the relay back to the firewall via the light blue wire.

I do not have signal at the multifunction switch. I disconnected the firewall bulkhead to inspect it for damage and there was none. I did find that the light blue wire turns to a dark green wire and runs back through the bulkhead. It then goes along the left hand fender towards the core support. I reconnected the bulkhead and pushed power through the light blue wire and picked it up at that green wire.

I am suspicious that the wiring harness in side the cab has been changed. I'm hoping to get confirmation on that, and help finding a path forward from here. I've seen some pinouts of the bulkhead and am concerned that it's got a suburban harness swapped into the cab.
Tuesday, November 18th, 2025 AT 7:13 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 54,137 POSTS
Yep, it is the ltblu wire to the multi functions switch, do you have power and ground to the brake light relay? Here is the wiring diagrams for the brake lights. This guide may help as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/brake-lights-not-working

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

Here are the diagrams and I have emailed them to you as well. Check out the images (below). Let us know how it goes.

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Wednesday, November 19th, 2025 AT 8:43 AM
Tiny
CAVEDUDE17
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  • 3 POSTS
Thank you for the reply, Ken. Yes, I have verified key off power and ground to the relay. I get activation from the relay when I hit the pedal. I can also confirm power out of the relay via the blue wire. I have reviewed that wiring diagram before and it all makes sense, but i'm afraid someone has changed something here and it doesn't match the diagram.

The issue at this point is the wiring on the cab side of the bulkhead doesn't match the wiring on the engine side. The light blue wire turns to a dark green wire that then runs back through the bulkhead into the engine compartment and up towards the core support. That wire stays dark green and I believe is supposed to go to the horn. The horn does not work on the truck either. I have already confirmed it carries the power from the light blue wire.
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Wednesday, November 19th, 2025 AT 2:37 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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  • 54,137 POSTS
That is good the relay works, I would just run a wire to complete the connection for the ltblue wire and by pass the bulk head connector or remove the dark green wire and install the lt blue wire, did you find the ltblue wire in the engine compartment that run to the brake lights?
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Thursday, November 20th, 2025 AT 9:13 AM
Tiny
CAVEDUDE17
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I found the one that runs to the bulkhead, but I don't believe it's supposed to come back out. I think it terminates at the multifunction switch and is then carried on by the yellow and green wires to the brake/turn signal sockets.

There are a few other weird electrical issues with this truck. Horn doesn't work and when I press the hazard switch, the hazard lights come on, but the fuel pump also cycles.

Could these also be symptoms of the incorrect harness? I am looking at just finding the correct harness to put in it at this point. It is a 98. Would the harness from a 96 work?
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Thursday, November 20th, 2025 AT 11:15 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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You are correct, the ltblue wire terminates at the multifunction switch and then comes out as yellow and dark-green, do you see these coming out of the bulk head connector?
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Friday, November 21st, 2025 AT 9:03 AM

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