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So the drivers side rear brake light is very dim compared to the passenger side. Also when the lights are one that same side is more dim. When the brakes are pressed with the lights on, the light turns out.
i verified the bulb is good. 75 coupe with standard lights. It does look like bubba was in there because the plastic bulb socket has tape around it.
You may very well have installed the bulb 180 degrees out from proper alignment. The pins on those brake bulbs are NOT symmetrical...they are staggered. Carefully inspect the 'slots' in the socket and install it properly. That will likely fix your problem.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
generally when you have that issue its the ground as greg pointed out. Its a dual filament bulb to if it was in backwards, yo would have a bright running light and a dim brake light, IF the running light or brake light was normal brighteness and the other is out its generally a burned filament. In your instance voltage is seeking or had found anoother source for ground or is barely getting its ground. Check your grounds as greg has said and check the socket as peterbuilt has mentioned.
Thanks everyone. I did notice what looked like a ground not hooked up after the body off we did earlier this year. I didn't have time to check it, but will take another look tonight and see if that is it.
Solved! bulb socket ground (shown on the side of the socket in peterbuilt's pic). It was loose. I pushed it in further into the socket and they worked fine. This winter I will have to troubleshoot this more to make sure it is fixed correctly and doesn't loosen again. Thanks for the advice!
Related very closely to this same problem, and while recently driving the Corvette back from the shop, a friend advised me that my right brake light was very dim, but the driver’s side was burning bright.
Back at the ranch, I confirmed the following.
Both tail lights were burning fine.
Both rear hazard lights were flashing brightly.
Both rear directional signal lights were flashing perfectly.
However, the right rear brake light was very dim, almost no light.
The left brake light was nice and bright.
Originally Posted by WARVETT
Solved! bulb socket ground (shown on the side of the socket in peterbuilt's pic). It was loose. I pushed it in further into the socket and they worked fine.
Thanks to this forum thread and Peterbuilt's pic, this very same fix solved my problem too. Like WARVETT, I pushed the side ground wire back in the socket, and now both brake lights burn bright.
Thank you all.
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1979 L82 M21 FE7
Classic White / Doeskin
Brake light dim on one side
