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3rd high mounted brake light

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Old 10-22-2005, 09:23 PM
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Car: 92 rs camaro
Engine: 305 lo3
Transmission: WC t-5
3rd high mounted brake light

anyone else have problems with thier 3rd high mounted brake light in the back glass? i have power all the way to the plug itself for the bulb. i did a continuity test with the bulb out and everytime i press the brake, it has power to the bulb, only the bulb won't light up....any ideas?
Old 10-23-2005, 01:11 AM
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Car: chevy camaro 1987 z28
Engine: bored out 305
Transmission: t-5
check the bulb itself if u havnt all ready or make sure its connected cleanly
Old 10-23-2005, 01:18 AM
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Car: 1991 firebird
Engine: 3.1 v-6
Transmission: 700 r-4 4spd auto
cmsl light

mines doing the same thing...if its not one thing its another.
Old 10-23-2005, 04:00 PM
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Car: 1989 Firebird Formula
Engine: Internal Combustion
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Axle/Gears: ones that turn.
If you have power to the bulb, and the bulb is good, that only leaves the ground connection...
Old 10-23-2005, 05:02 PM
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Car: '91 Z28
Engine: L98 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 323's
the contacts in the socket itself are pretty notorious for being the culprit. many times they will not make a good contact to the bulb. you can try to bend them inward somewhat, but you gotta be really careful cuz that stuff is very brittle and easy to break...
Old 10-30-2005, 09:09 PM
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Car: 1986 Trans Am, 1997 Trans Am WS6
Engine: 5.0 Liter TPI, LT1
Transmission: 700R4, T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9-bolt, 3.42 10 bolt
This reply might be a little late and simplistic, but when I had to change a couple of the bulbs in my 3rd brake light, I made the mistake of checking the function with the hatch up and the lights wouldn't work. When I closed the hatch, all bulbs had power.
Old 10-30-2005, 10:00 PM
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Car: 90 RS 'Vert, 88 IROC-Z, 88 Firebird
Engine: 305 ci tbi, 305 ci tpi, 350 ci tpi
Transmission: WC-T5, WC-T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.27, 3.27
Originally posted by BigTiggBoy
This reply might be a little late and simplistic, but when I had to change a couple of the bulbs in my 3rd brake light, I made the mistake of checking the function with the hatch up and the lights wouldn't work. When I closed the hatch, all bulbs had power.
It is a common mistake. The HMSL (High-Mount Stop Light) on 1987-90 F-bodies is powered through the contact pad on the hatch sill which makes contact with the spring-loaded contact pins when the hatch is closed. Clean the conact pad and pins with a scotch-brite pad.

Lon
Old 10-30-2005, 10:47 PM
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The 91-92 cars don't power the brake light through those contacts. There is a stretchy cord at the top of the hatch that runs under the headliner.
Old 11-13-2005, 03:33 PM
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Car: 1985 Trans Am
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I just removed the bulb and folded 2 narrow pieces of aluminum foil and folded one over each of the contacts. You have to fold it enough times that it's fairly thick, and then put the bulb back in. Solved the problem for me.
Old 11-13-2005, 11:36 PM
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Originally posted by bingo
The 91-92 cars don't power the brake light through those contacts. There is a stretchy cord at the top of the hatch that runs under the headliner.
Bingo is correct in what he says about the ground. It is located under the headliner and uses the same ground as the map (dome) light.
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