Another brake light thread....

[hitman912]

Here's the story:

When I got the car one side worked and the other didn't, so I cleaned the metal where the bulbs go in the pods and then both sides worked. Great.

A couple of months later someone told me the brake lights were not working, so I turned the engine off and started the car again and they were working.

Again, a couple months after that someone told me the lights weren't working but when I got home they were bright as can be without even turning the engine off like before.

The next week (3 weeks ago) I was heading to a car show and the brake lights were not working and the outside driver bulb (blinker) was burnt out. So I replaced that and it is working, but still no brake lights.

I have read about 10 threads on here but I can't figure it out because I know nothing about electrical. Two things I know, when I use a test light on ANY of the connections in the engine or under the dash nothing lights up except positive on the battery and positive on the voltage regulator and the "mystery" fuse was blown when I took it out and it was a size 14, so I replaced it and it blew and then put a 9 amp in and it blew.

Remember, I suck at electrical so be kind! Oh yea, the headlights and taillights and blinkers work but not the dash lights or dome light.

[LuckyJay]

When I had brake light troubles and it was blowing the fuse, I found that the stop switch (mounted on the Master cylinder) was shorted to ground internally. I would say, disconnect the wires from the stop light switch, replace the fuse and see if either of the wires will light the test light. I think the ignition switch has to be in the on position. That wire that lights the test light is from the fuse socket. The other wire eventually goes back to the brake lamps which would have relatively low resistance to ground as you should be reading through the bulb filaments to ground.

Good Luck.

[simplyconnected]

Jay has good suggestions. Try them first.

Brake lights work with or without the key. Turn Signal, Running Lights, and Dash Lights need the key turned to, 'on'.

Thank God for fuses because they protect your wires. When a fuse blows it means you have a short circuit to ground somewhere. The trick is finding out exactly where. Usually the fault is at a badly corroded or rusty lamp socket like in your license plate lights or any lamp holder that water finds its way into. (Check your front turn signal housings and lamp holders.) Certainly, the brake switch on your master cylinder could short to ground, too. Unplug the wires to these devices and replace any blown fuses.

Using a process of elimination, re-connect each device or lamp one at a time, and see what blows the fuse. Check your grounds, too. Each circuit must have a solid ground on the lamp holder or the bulb will not work right. Sometimes bad grounds cause lamps to work intermittently. No special tools are needed to ensure solid grounds.

[hitman912]

So I just did the paper clip thing to the two connectors going to the brake switch and the lights came on. So tomorrow I'm getting a new switch and hopefully that's that. Thanks guys!