no brake lights

**Spoiledoneinar** · 05-21-2012, 09:12 AM

We have a 2001 Bird..we have tail lights,turn signals and hazards but no brake lights except the 3rd light in the trunk lid..we changed all the tail light bulbs and changed the fuse but still no brake lights..any suggestions??

**ls1nightrider** · 05-21-2012, 03:21 PM

Did you make sure it was the right bulb? Any water damage?
Are your front lights working?
I had a similar problem but with my blinker in the back.. make sure all your lights work because one could be triggering and causing your light not to work

**98maro** · 05-21-2012, 03:24 PM

make sure you have the right bulbs, some look identical but they will not work, i dont think is the fuse but you might wanna ch4eck that also, o
another guess will be the socket messed up.

**2002ssslp** · 05-21-2012, 04:41 PM

It has to be the bulbs. The brake light switch is working and you have power the the sockets. It's Gotta be da bulbs is wrong.

**Smittro** · 05-21-2012, 08:55 PM

Agree.. Has to be the bulbs or sockets.

Make sure you're getting lamps that have the right part number and contain 2 filoments.

One filoment is high and one is low in brightness on brake lamp indicators.

If you just got tail lamps which are single filoment bulbs they will light up but there will be no high or bright side for braking indication.

**pajeff02** · 05-22-2012, 02:25 AM

Interesting issue... if you need schematics posted let me know.

**Too Fast** · 05-22-2012, 02:43 AM

This is a classic turn signal switch failure.

If all the bulbs work as they should when you turn on the hazards, and also have the parking lights on to check those filaments in the bulbs, and only the 3rd brake light works, then the turn signal switch has issues 99.9% of the time. I've fixed many like this.

The brake circuit goes thru the turn signal switch except for the dedicated wire to the 3rd eye. Now, since you know about this, when you're driving look at how many cars have a failure like this, I usually see 2 or 3 per year and if I can at the stop light, let them know about it so the gun-toting fine collector doesn't do his thing.

**2002ssslp** · 05-22-2012, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by Too Fast

This is a classic turn signal switch failure.

If all the bulbs work as they should when you turn on the hazards, and also have the parking lights on to check those filaments in the bulbs, and only the 3rd brake light works, then the turn signal switch has issues 99.9% of the time. I've fixed many like this.

The brake circuit goes thru the turn signal switch except for the dedicated wire to the 3rd eye. Now, since you know about this, when you're driving look at how many cars have a failure like this, I usually see 2 or 3 per year and if I can at the stop light, let them know about it so the gun-toting fine collector doesn't do his thing.

No SHIT !!! Wow, I would have never thought about the turn signal switch. Good call.

**Smittro** · 05-22-2012, 05:45 AM

That switch is a PITA..

**Too Fast** · 05-22-2012, 05:10 PM

This check works only when the turn signal/hazard/brake light filament are all the same in the back, like on the 4th gen TA. When they are different bulbs, like an amber rear turn signal, there is a different problem. Lots of Fords have this issue as well, and those combination switches are a lot easier to replace.

**sunney** · 05-23-2012, 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by ls1nightrider

Did you make sure it was the right bulb? Any water damage?
Are your front lights working?
I had a similar problem but with my blinker in the back.. make sure all your lights work because one could be triggering and causing your light not to work

is this problem very common? why did i fall into this trouble?

**Smittro** · 05-23-2012, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by sunney

is this problem very common? why did i fall into this trouble?

It can be. With GM it depends on the vehicle in question some are a better design than others.

Example: My 05 Chevy Equanox and my brothers 07 Chevy Colorado for instance,

we're constantly replacing our tail lamps as there is an inherent design flaw that causes tail lamps to nearly constantly burn out.

Harness, socket and switch issues are a relatively common problem with the 4th gen F-body aswell.

But if you look @ vehicles such as my Hummer you see a far better design.

Everything on my H3 is water proofed..

It was designed to have it's lights and other external electrical componets submerged in water as the H3 can ford 24 inches of water.

Even the doors are double gasketed to keep water out of the cabin.

Hoses and sensors for the induction system are fitted (snap together with fitting lips and clamps) and sensors shielded to keep out water,

and durring those times where it's under water the engine breaths though the raised foe air intakes just ahead or the windshield.

The H3 is also more of a luxury SUV and carried a heavier price tag new aswell.

In the case of my 01 Camaro, I did'nt have any issues with my sockets or switches, but I could'nt keep fog lamp bulbs in it to save my life.