The main brake lights stopped working on my 87 T/A, but the high mount still works. I checked the fuses, none are blown, and then I checked the bulbs. I couldn't remember which ones light up during braking, and since none of them work, I had no reference. All three on each side are dual filament bulbs, and the second ones in from the end are flashing while the turn signals are on. I swapped out bulbs one at a time, having the wife hit the brakes each time, and none of them lit up. The brake light switch on the pedal is fairly new. I replaced it last year when I did my T-56 swap. My Hanes manual doesn't have Sh!% as far as diagrams go for the brake lights. Idk if that brake light switch controls both the high mount and regular brake lights or if they get spliced together somewhere down the line? Anyone have any experience troubleshooting this problem?

 

If the high mount is working but the tails are not, it is wiring. Either a bad ground or a cut wire. The switch is good as the high mount works as it should.

 

Oh, brother. Do you have any idea where they get connected together?

 

Been awhile since I have taken that section of harness out. Here is an easy test. Get a test light and pull out a bulb. Put the test light to ground and one terminal within the bulb socket. Test all the terminals in the socket and see if you have power when the brake is applied. If the test light lights up then you have a bad/no ground. If nothing happens you have a cut wire somewhere. If you open the access hatch on the driver side(the one with the key to lock) the harness comes in through there. It then snakes down the drivers. I will take a look at a harness that I have out and see where the grounds are.

 

Cool, thanks!

 

There is something flaky going on with the bulb sockets. The bulbs aren't making good contact. I took the sockets apart and bent the terminals up a little (they're supposed to have a slight arch to them). They worked, but then after I put the tail light housing back in and secured everything, they wouldn't work again. I'm wondering if I should just buy all new sockets?

 

If the old sockets are not beat up and rotten then I would think you can make them work.

 

Yeah, I'll have to dedicate some time to them. I've been trying to squeeze in time to fix them here and there, but I need to set a good chunk of time aside.