No brake lights---ALL others work

[Guest]

ok NO brake lights but YES, ALL other lights work...Did a jump from the VRegulator to the 1 terminal to the light switch on the master cyl and got the brakes to light, did another jump and pressed the brake pedal and NOTHING, so that told me 2 things,.
1. The brake switch on the Master Cyl is shot
2. NO power from the Brake pedal to the swithch.
That is more of the problem, we can always replace the switch but concerened about the power to it..
Any one have any ideas on this or had it happen to them??
mark

[newyear]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

I had a similar problem whereby the brakes had just been bled and I suspect an air lock was created in the switch -no brake lights. I actually ordered a new switch but before fitting it I squirted a small amount of fluid into the switch - the brake lights then worked.Probably the original switch is OK as I can't see much to go wrong with them - Hope this helps
Peter

[Guest]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work


>brake lights. I actually ordered a new switch but before
>fitting it I squirted a small amount of fluid into the
>switch - the brake lights then worked.Probably the original
>switch is OK as I can't see much to go wrong with them -
>Hope this helps
>Peter

what do you mean you sqirted fluid into the switch?????

[newyear]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

Just remembered - I connected the two cables to the brake light switch with a short piece of wire and the brake lights were on permanently which suggested the switch was at fault in some respect..
Peter

[newyear]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

I used a plastic syringe to fill the switch prior to fitting -
Peter

[Guest]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

ok so then it does go back to the switch and the squirting of whatever does not matter???

[newyear]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

Hi-My brake lights were not coming on .Connecting the two cables proved the cirquit was OK and I now with hindsight suspect the fault was an air lock in the original switch as the system had been bled .I ordered a new switch presuming the original had just failed completely . To try and prevent this happening in the new switch I pre-filled it with brake fluid in an attempt to make sure there was no air lock in it prior to fitting - My brake lights were then working...This may not be the solution to your particular problem but may be of help
Peter

[Guest]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

very interesting, you squited a drop of brake fluid into the connetors and then into the switch on the master?
m

[newyear]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

Hi-Just a drop into the new brake switch!Turned it upside down and gently filled it.I hope this works for you!I think what I'm really trying to say is that you may have an air lock in your switch which would stop it working.If you can try this and it works its a quick fix .I cant see much to go wrong with these switches but I am happy to be proved wrong .At least you can test the switch by connecting the two cables that attach to it(I'm presuming that you have the std T'Bird switch).BTW I'm waiting for a replacement master cylinder as my brakes dont work at all well at present...It goes on and on....Great cars though
Peter

[Guest]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

Ok still no lights, seems the problem is from the dash to the switch., Pulle dthe wires off the swith and inserted a wire and no lights lit up, so it tells me juice is not getting to the light switch...any suggestions, the MCyl is full
mark

[JohnG]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

hi Mark

To test the switch itself (the unit screwed into the fitting on the master cylinder),

a) unplug both wires
b) put a conductor (a finish nail works) in between both caps on the wires and hold everything, not letting the conductor touch ground.
c) have someone turn the key ON and have them see if you have brake lights now on

The switch does nothing more than, with pressure applied, connect the two wires electrically together.

If the lights did come on then your switch is defective. Perhaps cleaning it out with some CRC or something might help but you probably need a new one (about an $8 item...good to have in any event)

Assuming the lights still do NOT come on, then you have other problems. As you indicated, you need to see if there is power to it. So you want either a multimeter set to DC Voltage (0-20 scale) OR a light bulb with two wire leads ( I use an old brake light and socket and wires to it from a junked out car). One lead goes to a good ground place and the other to one of those leads to the switch. With the key ON you should see voltage from one OR the other, doesn't matter which. Double check your testing gear by trying it across the two posts to the battery. If you have no voltage to either lead for the switch then your problems are elsewhere.

One place I will point out as a possible source of brake light problems is the turn signal mechanism in the steering column. While it might seem strange to mention that, the key thing is that the circuit indeed passes through that mechanism. The contacts CAN wear a little and need cleaning or fiddling with. I will hope not, for your sake, as it is a fussy kind of job that takes some care and dismantling. If you do a search on the Posts in this space, you will find discussions of how and why the turn signal mechanism is involved. One sign this area is involved is that one brake light comes on and the other does not yet the bulbs are ok.

Let us know how you make out! this is mainly careful testing and process of elimination.

John

ps While you are doing this kind of testing with the key On, it is not a bad idea to disconnect the ballast resistor so you don't have continual voltage to the points. It is right on the firewall above the steering column on my car, or you can disconnect the lead to the coil.

[Guest]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

You have several brake light connectors at the base of the steering column.......I had several problems with my 58.......until after a little trial and error with these plugs.......now my brake lights work fine. It seemed someone had them plugged up all wrong .......I had brake lights......but no signal lights.

[Guest]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work


>If the lights did come on then your switch is defective.
>Perhaps cleaning it out with some CRC or something might
>help but you probably need a new one (about an $8
>item...good to have in any event)

NO THE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON@
>
>Assuming the lights still do NOT come on, With the key
>ON you should see voltage from one OR the other, doesn't
>matter which. If you have no voltage

NO VOLTAGE... So that tells me no POWER to that SWITCH>.CORRECT?

>
>One place I will point out as a possible source of brake
>light problems is the turn signal mechanism in the steering
>column.

[b]My mechanic which will look at it wed (Would like to fix myself though) did do was run some kind of ju,per from the voltage regulato or something to the switch and did get light..What we also did was check the starter switch and the Turn signal switch and ALL THE FUSES ARE FINE!!!
Keep note Jouh that ALL the other lights work on the car,
I do however when the parking lighs are on i get a middle tail light and an end tail light on each side. i dont know if that is any indication of a problem, could it be the something with the wires on the wrong bulbs, i did check the tail lights and all is hooked up and no frayed wires at all..
What do you think next??
mark

[Guest]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

>You have several brake light connectors at the base of the
>steering column.......I had several problems with my
>58.......until after a little trial and error with these
>plugs.......now my brake lights work fine. It seemed someone
>had them plugged up all wrong .......I had brake
>lights......but no signal lights.

At the base of the steering column??
mark

[JohnG]

RE: No brake lights---ALL others work

hi Mark

first of all, at the very least, you need a factory shop manual for your year TBird ('60??). That will provide some wiring diagrams. There are other sources available as well and owning them pays off sooner or later.

From my '58 shop manual, there is wiring information about the brake lights in Group 8, Part 1. For my car, there appears to be power for the brake lights coming FROM the turn signal mechanism, TO the switch, then TO a brake light relay and then to the lights.

Yours may very well be different. You have an extra light, if nothing else.

IF you have no power at the brake light switch, which you seem to indicate, then were it my car I would be investigating the connections to the steering column, as someone else suggested. They could have gotten disconnected. I would begin here and do two things: 1) look for bad connections and 2) get my multimeter and see of one or more has 12Volts on either side of the connection point. In my case ('58) the wire that goes to the brake light switch is green so I would be on the lookout for that one in particular. Even if this is not the problem, it needs to be eliminated as a possible culprit.

IF you have no problem connecting with the steering column, then the next place is the turn signal mechanism, inside the upper steering column. This is a complex unit and the aspect of it relevant to the brake lights (you may have wondered what they have to do with one another) is that when, for instance, the Left blinker is on then the brake light on the left canNOT be on or things would not blink. Thus the brake light gets disabled on that side while the Left turn signal is on. The right brake light would function as normal. the unit contains an ingeneous collection of contacts and connections to make all this happen.

But you really need a shop manual and/or wiring diagram. Without these, you are kind of groping around in the dark hoping to get lucky.

good luck!
john