Brake Light Problem???
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Thomaston Maine
Brake Light Problem???
I have a 1988 Corvette that I just took in trade. I am trying to get it inspected but the outer brake lights do not work. The center brake light does work. I have check the bulbs and they are fine. The blinkers and running lights all work. The four-way flashers do not work.
I changed out the brake light switch and the flasher but it did not make any difference. The middle brake light worked but the outside ones still did not. I did notice that the little resister (?) was broken on the brake light switch cradle.
Here is a photo of the broken resistor. Is it possible that this is causing the brake lights and flashers to not work? If yes, how/where can I get one to replace this broken one?
Looking for help as I can not drive the Corvette until I can get it inspected. No brake lights, no inspection sticker.
I changed out the brake light switch and the flasher but it did not make any difference. The middle brake light worked but the outside ones still did not. I did notice that the little resister (?) was broken on the brake light switch cradle.
Here is a photo of the broken resistor. Is it possible that this is causing the brake lights and flashers to not work? If yes, how/where can I get one to replace this broken one?
Looking for help as I can not drive the Corvette until I can get it inspected. No brake lights, no inspection sticker.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,293
Likes: 240
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Never seen that resistor box before. The brake lights have 2 switches above the pedal, rear and high. It may only require an adjustment of the switch.
http://members.shaw.ca/dankai/Exterior%20Lights.pdf
http://members.shaw.ca/dankai/Exterior%20Lights.pdf
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
If the inner brake lights work, then the brake switch, stop/haz fuse, turn signal sw, are all ok. If only the outer brake lights don't work, then you have to have an open connection between the inner and outer lamps on each side. Both the 12v lines and the ground wires are suspect. I think that the most likely cause is the splice on the black ground wires from all of the brake lights. The black wires from each brake light first go to a splice and one black wire from the splice goes to an unpluggable connector and then to a frame ground. Using a needle to pierce wire insulation and a voltmeter, you can test if you have 12v on the yellow wires on each left brake light and on the green wires on the right brake lights, brake pedal depressed. Likewise you can check for 12v on each black wire. You should have zero volts on each black wire. If the ground wire is open circuit, then you will have 12v on the ground wire with the brake pedal depressed.
Another thing to check is for dried out grease that GM puts in the lamp sockets for water protection. Sometimes this grease dries out and gets hard and prevents the lamp from contacting the socket button.
Another thing to check is for dried out grease that GM puts in the lamp sockets for water protection. Sometimes this grease dries out and gets hard and prevents the lamp from contacting the socket button.
Last edited by jfb; Jul 16, 2008 at 10:59 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 125
From: Dunstable MA
St. Jude Donor '05
Been there. On my 87, the signal switch was at fault. The wires to it in the column had chafed and were grounding out ... In my case, only when the column was lowered!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
The outer light turn signal problem I just solved was traced to the brass end of the bulb not grounding to two little strips in the socket.
A slight bending of the strips with a screwdriver solved that problem. Took me almost two weeks to track down the cause though. In the meantime I had all sorts of light problems - I posted on them in another thread -including my remote start system wouldn't work.
Once the bulb grounding was corrected, ALL worked normally again.
Jake
A slight bending of the strips with a screwdriver solved that problem. Took me almost two weeks to track down the cause though. In the meantime I had all sorts of light problems - I posted on them in another thread -including my remote start system wouldn't work.
Once the bulb grounding was corrected, ALL worked normally again.
Jake
