Brake lights functioning?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
Brake lights functioning?
Hey folks, wondering if my 1999 C5 is normal or has issues in the brake lights or brake light circuit. I only have the middle brake light turn on during braking, hence all 4 rear oval lights are non responsive to braking. They do turn on with the headlight switch, so the bulbs are ok. Is this normal functioning?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,290
Likes: 477
From: Brea CA
Do your turn signals work in the rear?
The Hazard switch has the 4 main brake/turn signal lamps routed through it. If none of the turn signals are working in the back I would suspect that the hazard switch is bad.
Gary
The Hazard switch has the 4 main brake/turn signal lamps routed through it. If none of the turn signals are working in the back I would suspect that the hazard switch is bad.
Gary
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
You may have a brake light switch that is bad. If the turn signals work (both bulbs on a side flash) then look at the brake light switch. The center brake light works off a different switch and has a separate wire going to the center brake light.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
All the bulbs work, turn signals work, hazards work. Only thing is they don't turn on when braking except for that middle brake light, so I'm lead to believe that the brake switch on the pedal side works (unless there is more than one switch like c4cruiser says) I'm unfamiliar with the way the brake light circuit is configured on the C5.
CORRECTION: Hazards work partially. When I press the hazard switch button, the cluster indicators flash as they should and the front amber lights flash, but the rear lights do nothing.
CORRECTION: Hazards work partially. When I press the hazard switch button, the cluster indicators flash as they should and the front amber lights flash, but the rear lights do nothing.
Last edited by turabo87; Dec 20, 2018 at 11:37 AM. Reason: Correction
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 691
From: West Virginia
My symptoms were that the center brake light was good, but the main 4 did not work. I did have turn signals though, so I knew the bulbs and wiring to the rear was good. Worked through the diagnostic steps in the repair manual (one of life's essentials with an old car) and the hazard switch was identified as the problem. Changed it and problem fixed.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,290
Likes: 477
From: Brea CA
All the bulbs work, turn signals work, hazards work. Only thing is they don't turn on when braking except for that middle brake light, so I'm lead to believe that the brake switch on the pedal side works (unless there is more than one switch like c4cruiser says) I'm unfamiliar with the way the brake light circuit is configured on the C5.
CORRECTION: Hazards work partially. When I press the hazard switch button, the cluster indicators flash as they should and the front amber lights flash, but the rear lights do nothing.
CORRECTION: Hazards work partially. When I press the hazard switch button, the cluster indicators flash as they should and the front amber lights flash, but the rear lights do nothing.
Gary
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
Turn signals rear lights both work from the turn signal stock. Left turn signal activates both left rear lights and viceversa. Hazards don’t light up any of the rear bulbs at all.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,290
Likes: 477
From: Brea CA
I don't think this would be it but, check the white wire that comes off the brake switch at the brake pedal. If it is cut or spliced back together, at some point the car had a set of Euro taillights installed. This white wire is cut to split the brake and turn/hazard functions into 2 circuits.
However, since you are indicating no brake lights and hazard but working turn signal I don't think this is the case. The hazard switch is a known weak spot and is probably the culprit.
Though also check Fuse 8 and Fuse 15 in the fuse block in the passenger foot well. Fuse 8 is the Stop Hazard circuit fuse. Fuse 15 is the Hazard turn signal fuse. If it is a fuse it looks like for your issue it would be Fuse 8 that is bad.
Gary
However, since you are indicating no brake lights and hazard but working turn signal I don't think this is the case. The hazard switch is a known weak spot and is probably the culprit.
Though also check Fuse 8 and Fuse 15 in the fuse block in the passenger foot well. Fuse 8 is the Stop Hazard circuit fuse. Fuse 15 is the Hazard turn signal fuse. If it is a fuse it looks like for your issue it would be Fuse 8 that is bad.
Gary
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
My symptoms were that the center brake light was good, but the main 4 did not work. I did have turn signals though, so I knew the bulbs and wiring to the rear was good. Worked through the diagnostic steps in the repair manual (one of life's essentials with an old car) and the hazard switch was identified as the problem. Changed it and problem fixed.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
I don't think this would be it but, check the white wire that comes off the brake switch at the brake pedal. If it is cut or spliced back together, at some point the car had a set of Euro taillights installed. This white wire is cut to split the brake and turn/hazard functions into 2 circuits.
However, since you are indicating no brake lights and hazard but working turn signal I don't think this is the case. The hazard switch is a known weak spot and is probably the culprit.
Though also check Fuse 8 and Fuse 15 in the fuse block in the passenger foot well. Fuse 8 is the Stop Hazard circuit fuse. Fuse 15 is the Hazard turn signal fuse. If it is a fuse it looks like for your issue it would be Fuse 8 that is bad.
Gary
However, since you are indicating no brake lights and hazard but working turn signal I don't think this is the case. The hazard switch is a known weak spot and is probably the culprit.
Though also check Fuse 8 and Fuse 15 in the fuse block in the passenger foot well. Fuse 8 is the Stop Hazard circuit fuse. Fuse 15 is the Hazard turn signal fuse. If it is a fuse it looks like for your issue it would be Fuse 8 that is bad.
Gary
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 144
From: Miami
I think it's the hazard switch and not the brake light switch or brake light relay, because if you think about it my brake lights don't flash either when the hazards are on, and when the hazards are on the brake light switch and relay are not active elements in that operation. I'm going to go ahead and order the hazard switch. Either that or Fuse 8 like SilverC54me said.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
Hazard switch and the MFS can also be a point of failure. The rear hazards utilize the same circuit routing as the brake light routing, which starts at hazard switch, goes to MFS, then goes to the rear lights. The turn signals are on different pins on the MFS and hazard switch.