This one has got me stumped so need some help from my TGO family.

Drivers side brake light isn't coming on when pedal is pressed. Passenger side is fine so I assumed it was just a dead bulb. But wait, both bulbs light up when I pull out the headlight switch (no brakes). When I brake though, only the passenger side bulb gets brighter

Since it's 9:30pm and the stores are all closed, I decided to take the passenger bulb and swap it out to see if it's a bulb problem. Problem still persists....so I'm assuming it's wiring related...?

Help?

Edit - I might be jumping the gun a bit, I'm going to pick up new bulbs for both sides in the morning and see what happens. I'm also going to clean up the contacts in the socket.

 

If you switched the bulbs that would rule out a bad bulb. Do you have a volt meter? check the connector for continuity to +12 volts and to ground

 

I haven't really looked in awhile.... is that a 2 stage bulb? Running and brake? Or is it separate? First thing to do is what he said... check for battery voltage at the connector and ground continuity for the ground.

 

Yes it's a 2 stage bulb, #2057 to be exact. They appear to be original or at least very old, there is a ton of "peanut-butter" looking stuff in the socket, which I assume is die-electric grease. I cleaned it up so the contact points were clear.

I just went out and tried again to make sure I wasn't missing something. Bulb in the passenger side, works as running light and brake light. Same bulb in drivers side, only works as running light (no brake light).

Third brake light works fine...and everything seems to be grounded properly. I know this has only been a problem for a few days, I'm able to see my lights every time I back into the garage.

I'm going to go pick up some new bulbs tomorrow, and hope for some weird reason the old bulbs are the culprit.

 

ok let us know.

 

That pretty much rules the ground out as a problem, as the running light wouldn't work if it was... Age corrodes contacts etc.... whenever I pull a bulb or a plug or whatever... use a knife and scrap the connectors to get rid of oxidation and stuff. Or sandpaper... just careful you don't jump the connection... or disconnect the battery first. (or have the light off works too)

 

So....update! Replaced both bulbs with brand new ones (bought 2 sets luckily, managed to break one in my hands, OUCH), and at first had the same issue. Took both bulbs out, and cleaned out all of the old dielectric grease which had turned a nasty yellow colour quickly roughed up the contacts, and voila...running lights and brakes on both sides.

Yippeee! Thanks waltersb and jimmy_pop15 for the quick replies. Trivial little job, but TGO helps out once again.

 

Glad it's solved! Car electrical can be a real bitch

 

In the past I have also put a tiny dab of solder on the two contact buttons on the bottom of the light bulb.