Brake lights do not work

JUSTIN MICHAEL OLIVER

MEMBER
1985 PONTIAC PARISIENNE
RWD
AUTOMATIC
200,000 MILES

Brake lights do not work but running lights and blinker and hazards do. The fuse is good all the way to the brake switch, but nothing is coming out the other end. I am using a test lamp. Not much tools to work with, do not know if I am siring the test lamp right to determine if the brake switch is bad or not. Please help.

1 Reply

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,465 POSTS

If the hazard and turn signals work but no brake lights, it is most likely a bad brake lamp switch. Ground one side of the test light to a good ground, now probe into the back of the switch connector. With no pressure on the pedal you should have battery power on the orange wire. When you apply pressure on the pedal the switch should close and apply battery power to the white wire. An easy test is to just disconnect the switch and jumper the two brake feed connections with a short wire, if the brake lights come on = bad switch. If they do not it is more likely to be a bad multi-function switch that has bad contacts.