Brake/Stoplight switch Issues
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Seguin TX
Brake/Stoplight switch Issues
My brake lights stopped working (1968) and trying to figure out why. I have checked the fuse and it is good and I have also checked for power at the wires. When the pedal is all the way up I have power to the orange wire and not the white wire. When I push the pedal in I have no power at either wire. What is happening? Tried a generic switch with pigtails at the harness and still nothing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: New Hill NC
My brake lights stopped working (1968) and trying to figure out why. I have checked the fuse and it is good and I have also checked for power at the wires. When the pedal is all the way up I have power to the orange wire and not the white wire. When I push the pedal in I have no power at either wire. What is happening? Tried a generic switch with pigtails at the harness and still nothing.
Try a test light at the orange wire to ground. See if it will power the light.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Charlotte NC
VERIFY that you have 12 volts on the orange wire. If you do...and then it goes away when you test it again...I would BET that it is at your fuse.
DUB
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From: Seguin TX
I test light lights up on the orange wire when the pedal is up and then no reading when switch is opened. What now?
Thread Starter
Pro
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From: Seguin TX
Race Director
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From: Charlotte NC
DUB
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From: Charlotte NC
Thread Starter
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From: Seguin TX
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From: Charlotte NC
Be MORE specific...when you wrote "gauges fluctuate/ jump" What gauges are you a referring to????....it is important.
Knowing that you have issues in your fuse panel now....I am betting that you have more issues that are related to the fuse panel again...but just on another fuse....this is why you need to be very specific and not so vague.
Does you AMP gauge work??? When the engine is running is the needle on the gauge going to the (+) side??? When the engine is off..WITH THE KEY ON...and you pull your headlight switch...does the needle in the AMP gauge go to the (-) side????
DUB
Knowing that you have issues in your fuse panel now....I am betting that you have more issues that are related to the fuse panel again...but just on another fuse....this is why you need to be very specific and not so vague.
Does you AMP gauge work??? When the engine is running is the needle on the gauge going to the (+) side??? When the engine is off..WITH THE KEY ON...and you pull your headlight switch...does the needle in the AMP gauge go to the (-) side????
DUB
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
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From: Titusville Florida
Sorry to break in on this for a question to DUB, what's the best way to clean a fuse box? take all the fuses out get a small wire brush and go to town? I think I need to do a bit of wiring cleaning along with grounds. I really don't have many issues but my flashers wont work and I haven't figured that one out yet, wiring leaves me like this 
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2014
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I've read a few post on here about what I'm about to ask but I'm still with a problem and no solutions yet... My tail lights stay on as if I were braking but when I push on my brakes nothing happens.. Does anyone know what I can do?
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Here is a schematic I made a while back that might help you. It's simplified...
And here is a page on how to test the turn signal switch too..
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=266
I'm sorry... I didn't read the entire thread, it's late and I have to get up early.. I'll check it tomorrow and see if all of us can figure it out.
A fuse box with excessive corrosion is usually a sign of a leaking windshield frame, or a leak somewhere else in the car. I would make sure I have leaks under control.
I like to use a small wire wheel, (the kind with the wires on end not like a regular wire wheel, bottom wire wheel in the pic below) on a "Dremel" tool to clean the contacts... There are other ways to do this.. the small wire wheel seems to work best for me because you can get in the fuse contact area with ease.
And here is a page on how to test the turn signal switch too..
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=266
I'm sorry... I didn't read the entire thread, it's late and I have to get up early.. I'll check it tomorrow and see if all of us can figure it out.
Sorry to break in on this for a question to DUB, what's the best way to clean a fuse box? take all the fuses out get a small wire brush and go to town? I think I need to do a bit of wiring cleaning along with grounds. I really don't have many issues but my flashers wont work and I haven't figured that one out yet, wiring leaves me like this
I like to use a small wire wheel, (the kind with the wires on end not like a regular wire wheel, bottom wire wheel in the pic below) on a "Dremel" tool to clean the contacts... There are other ways to do this.. the small wire wheel seems to work best for me because you can get in the fuse contact area with ease.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Apr 8, 2014 at 11:25 PM.
Race Director
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From: Charlotte NC
I use a similar tubular wire brush like what Willcox has shown in a photo.
I will remove the fuse panel if I am not happy with what I see when cleaning the terminals...and YES...I am brave enough to remove the terminals and clean them with them out of the fuse panel itself. In some cases I replace the terminal with a new one. Usually if there are many terminals "in question" and having "other" problems...the time to try to save the fuse terminals ...along with many other "issues" due to some BOZO getting into the wiring...I suggest to the owner to replace the wiring and start fresh...because...I can not spend hours on a repair that could exceed the cost of replacing a wiring harness with a new one. I balance out the costs and end result.
DUB
I will remove the fuse panel if I am not happy with what I see when cleaning the terminals...and YES...I am brave enough to remove the terminals and clean them with them out of the fuse panel itself. In some cases I replace the terminal with a new one. Usually if there are many terminals "in question" and having "other" problems...the time to try to save the fuse terminals ...along with many other "issues" due to some BOZO getting into the wiring...I suggest to the owner to replace the wiring and start fresh...because...I can not spend hours on a repair that could exceed the cost of replacing a wiring harness with a new one. I balance out the costs and end result.
DUB
Race Director
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From: Charlotte NC
What year is your Corvette???
What do you mean by "my taillights stay on"????
If you push your brake pedal...and the lights stay the same...you can have a brake switch that is either bad or not adjusted correctly....have you looked into this????
Disconnect your brake switch and see if the lights go out.
Do you turn signals work with the key on????
Do you have a volt meter????
DUB
Last edited by DUB; Apr 11, 2014 at 06:49 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Willcox
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From: Seguin TX
Be MORE specific...when you wrote "gauges fluctuate/ jump" What gauges are you a referring to????....it is important.
Knowing that you have issues in your fuse panel now....I am betting that you have more issues that are related to the fuse panel again...but just on another fuse....this is why you need to be very specific and not so vague.
Does you AMP gauge work??? When the engine is running is the needle on the gauge going to the (+) side??? When the engine is off..WITH THE KEY ON...and you pull your headlight switch...does the needle in the AMP gauge go to the (-) side????
DUB
Knowing that you have issues in your fuse panel now....I am betting that you have more issues that are related to the fuse panel again...but just on another fuse....this is why you need to be very specific and not so vague.
Does you AMP gauge work??? When the engine is running is the needle on the gauge going to the (+) side??? When the engine is off..WITH THE KEY ON...and you pull your headlight switch...does the needle in the AMP gauge go to the (-) side????
DUB
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I re-read this today.. and I did miss the year.. I must have seen it when I posted the picture though..
But this makes no sense.. the power to the brake lamp switch is on the orange wire which comes straight from the fuse panel. I wonder if there isn't corrosion in the fuse terminals.. That's about the only thing I can think of because if your switch was shorting out you would have blown the fuse.
When you lose power on the orange wire.. go to the fuse panel and test the left side of the fuse terminal for power.... if you have power on the left side then test the right hand side for power. If you have power on the right hand side then you should have power on the orange wire.
Willcox
But this makes no sense.. the power to the brake lamp switch is on the orange wire which comes straight from the fuse panel. I wonder if there isn't corrosion in the fuse terminals.. That's about the only thing I can think of because if your switch was shorting out you would have blown the fuse.
When you lose power on the orange wire.. go to the fuse panel and test the left side of the fuse terminal for power.... if you have power on the left side then test the right hand side for power. If you have power on the right hand side then you should have power on the orange wire.
Willcox