Rear brake lights do not work.

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Dec 24, 2009 | 10:28 PM

i-w

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 1,572

Likes: 37

From: Northern Virginia.

Rear brake lights do not work.

my rear brake lights do not work at all.
i can turn on the lights no problem.
but when pressing the brake pedal
they do not work at all. i checked all
fuses. i even disconnected the sensor
connector on the brake pedal arm and
shorted the connections with a piece
of wire and they still did not come on.
i have no voltage coming to the wires
that go to the brake pedal sensor switch.

i have no idea what to look at next.

Thanks for your help!

Dec 24, 2009 | 10:33 PM

montana_highboy

Post Fiend

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 8,261

Likes: 15

From: Big Sky Country

The brake lights go through your turn signal switch, are your t/s working?

Dec 25, 2009 | 10:09 AM

mark a.

Lead Driver

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 8,922

Likes: 153

Sure sounds like a bad turn signal switch.

Dec 25, 2009 | 12:48 PM

FESuperDuty

Junior User

Joined: Dec 2007

Posts: 94

Likes: 0

From: Oklahoma

The brake light wire comes from the brake light switch, then to the turn signal switch. If you have no power coming to the brake light switch, you either have a blown fuse or a wiring issue of some sort. The better paperback Chilton's manuals have good wiring diagrams. At 20-30 dollars, this would be a good investment.

Dec 25, 2009 | 02:44 PM

montana_highboy

Post Fiend

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 8,261

Likes: 15

From: Big Sky Country

Doesn't anybody read these things anymore, or do they just post????????

Dec 25, 2009 | 06:34 PM

i-w

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 1,572

Likes: 37

From: Northern Virginia.

i am sorry my family is divorced and i had to go to my
fathers for christmas eve. then to my mothers for Christmas.
i know the blinkers work great. the dash light is out for the
left blinker dash light. but the outside front and rear lights
blink properly. for each side.

should there be 12 volts going to the brake pedal switch?
if so where does it come from.

Thanks for the help.

Dec 25, 2009 | 09:15 PM

hp246

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 811

Likes: 4

Here are a couple of things to look at. First of all, any time you are having problems with any type of light not working properly on an older vehicle, and you've checked the bulbs and fuses, there is a high probability there is a ground problem. Check you ground. Another thought is the brake switch might be bad or out of adjustment.

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Dec 26, 2009 | 04:29 AM

i-w

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 1,572

Likes: 37

From: Northern Virginia.

oooops sorry it is a 1979 short bed 351M.

Thanks for the help!

Dec 26, 2009 | 08:11 AM

#10

doctorgoo

Freshman User

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 26

Likes: 0

From: Gaffney, SC

I had the exact same issue once. I wound up buying a replacement light socket ($5.99 @ Autozone) and that actually fixed it! May be too simple but worth a try?

Dec 26, 2009 | 08:59 AM

#11

i-w

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 1,572

Likes: 37

From: Northern Virginia.

i believe the foot switch for the high and low beam is
causing the issue. i wiggled the wires and checked
voltages. i put the switch back on the harness and
the brakes started to light up.

Dec 26, 2009 | 01:57 PM

#12

hp246

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 811

Likes: 4

Replacement dimmer switches are cheap. I always keep one around the shop. you never know with these things.

Dec 26, 2009 | 07:43 PM

#13

mark a.

Lead Driver

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 8,922

Likes: 153

How did we get from the brake lights not working to the headlights ?

Aug 26, 2010 | 07:48 PM

#14

tgorrell

New User

Joined: Aug 2010

Posts: 1

Likes: 0

No Brake Lights

I have the same exact problem....except...my left works great (turn signal, brake, back-up, lights) but my right light only works for the turn signal, regular lights, and back-up. Any time that you hit the brakes, the light goes off or if you turn the left turn signal on the right light goes off. I've bought a new light and housing unit and it doesn't work. Oh did I mention that it is a 1979 F350 dump truck so the brake lights are not even the original so i have no clue where to go next. I think my next step is to re-wire the brakes but if anyone has any ideas on what to try prior to doing that, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.