brake lights don't work, HELP!

[Blackmag17]

My tail lights work, but the brake lights don't. The third brake light in the rear window does work though. Took out the bulbs, the glass is a little dark on each of them. The filaments are intact. The sockets look burnt though. None of the fuses are blown. What could the problem be?

 

[big dad]

If the third brake light works that tells me the switch is working ok, replace one bulb and see if it works, if it does then replace the other one. Or, have someone step on the brake pedal and use a test light at the bulb socket and see if it works. Remember to find a good ground for the test light.

 

[Blackmag17]

I tried new tail light sockets and still the same thing, the tail lights work but the brake lights don't. Tried them with new bulbs, no difference.

Does the turn signal indicator have anything to do with the rear brakes? I don't know what else to try.

 

[big dad]

Have you checked for power with a test light?

 

[FubarGrn]

A Lot of cars (toyota, in this case) have lighting systems that are connected. For instance, on my 4Runner, I had a front marker light go out and it killed my break lights. I still had tail lights (running lights), but nothing when I stepped on the brake. Check EVERY exterior bulb for one that it out. (most 1157 style bulbs have TWO filaments, so make sure both work).

 

[Blackmag17]

big dad, I checked for power with a multimeter at the plug-in for the socket. I checked the left side brake light, which has a blue/white wire. It's not getting power; it read only 30+ mV. I used a stud near the lens as a ground and i know it was a good ground because I checked power to the tail light (orange/white wire) using the same ground and it read 11.40 V.

I only checked the left side and am assuming the right brake light is gettin no power either. What next?

 

[mrjess47]

well.. I did this

My 96 had the same problem and in the middle of rush hour. Then bam! Not a bad wreck but it destroyed my bumper. That was it. With the car able to drive I spent the next week trying one fix after another to no avail. Until I realized if the third brake light works it could power the other two....
I ran a single wire back thru the loom from the third brake light to the left brake light and viola. Brake lights work , well i went to the left turn signal because it was brighter. The left turn signal doesn't work when applying the brakes, the cruise control turns off if you turn the left turn signal on, and the third brake light blinks when the left turn signal is on. But the brake lights work.

Any real fixes would be nice too.

 

[Blackmag17]

Found the problem

It was the turn signal switch, as I suspected after I found that no power was getting to the socket. I got a workshop manual and EVTM and that guided me. It said that since 10V was not at the socket, test the turn singal switch. I got around 15mV at the switch; the book said that if it was less than 10v test the resistance of it. Tested the resistance between the switch and the socket and it was less than 5 ohms. Book said that if it was less than 5 ohms replace the switch. I did and now it works!

Hope this helps others out.