Have series V car. When brakes are applied brake lights come on, but stay on only an instant. Then they go out. I've tried testing the brake switch by disconnecting the wires from the terminals of the switch and then joining them together. Doing that does not activate the brake lights. Tail lights work as do turn signals. Not sure how to proceed.
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brake lights not working
- Thread starter Blue12
- Start date
sunalp
Diamond Level Sponsor
Actually, I purchased all of the brake light switches from Bill a while back.
I use them on cars that I rewire as they are steering column mounted and work with the brake pedal.
No more pressure switch and you'll always have brake lights.
Let me kn0w if you'd like one.
Cheers!
Steve
I use them on cars that I rewire as they are steering column mounted and work with the brake pedal.
No more pressure switch and you'll always have brake lights.
Let me kn0w if you'd like one.
Cheers!
Steve
RootesRacer
Donation Time
Doesnt sound like the problem is with his switch.
You by-passed the pressure switch, connecting the two wires from the pressure switch together, and no brake lights. As Jarrid mentioned, that rules out the pressure switch.
If the running lights and turn signals are working, the tail light housings would appear to have a good ground.
With the two wires you removed from the pressure switch, there should be a green wire and a green + purple wire. The green wire should have 12V when the ignition switch is in the 'run' position. Check that first.
If you find 12V on the green wire at the pressure switch, then go into the trunk and disconnect the green + purple wires from each of the sockets in the tail light housing. Connect the green and green + purple wire from the pressure switch together again and go check the voltage on the connectors you disconnected in the trunk. You should see 12V at each connector. If you see 12V at each connector, then check the light bulbs and check the continuity between the light socket housing and chassis ground.
Note: When you are testing, do not leave the ignition in the 'run' position with the car not running. You can cook the ignition coil. While you are doing your tests with the ignition in the 'run' position, temporarily disconnect the wires from the ignition coil's "+" terminal and you will be ok. (Make sure the wires you disconnect from the ignition coil terminal are not touching anything.)
Mike
If the running lights and turn signals are working, the tail light housings would appear to have a good ground.
With the two wires you removed from the pressure switch, there should be a green wire and a green + purple wire. The green wire should have 12V when the ignition switch is in the 'run' position. Check that first.
If you find 12V on the green wire at the pressure switch, then go into the trunk and disconnect the green + purple wires from each of the sockets in the tail light housing. Connect the green and green + purple wire from the pressure switch together again and go check the voltage on the connectors you disconnected in the trunk. You should see 12V at each connector. If you see 12V at each connector, then check the light bulbs and check the continuity between the light socket housing and chassis ground.
Note: When you are testing, do not leave the ignition in the 'run' position with the car not running. You can cook the ignition coil. While you are doing your tests with the ignition in the 'run' position, temporarily disconnect the wires from the ignition coil's "+" terminal and you will be ok. (Make sure the wires you disconnect from the ignition coil terminal are not touching anything.)
Mike
Very puzzling. Makes no sense, why they would turn on briefly and then go out, that would suggest a bad switch. But when you connected the switch wires directly nothing worked. Gotta ask a couple dumb questions. How did you connect the two switch wires together for your test? I think both wire ends have insulated female flag/ spade connectors. Did you put a paper clip or something into each female ? When did this problem start showing up? After any rework? Or were they working fine until one day they stopped working? Or maybe they stopped working weeks or months ago and you did not notice until just recently.
Quite a mystery.
Tom
Quite a mystery.
Tom
Mystery solved Good move. Next step, contact Steve (Sunalp) and get the kit that puts a switch where it is actuated by pedal movement, not pressure in the line.
Tom