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86-95 Trucks & 4Runners 2nd/3rd gen pickups, and 1st/2nd gen 4Runners with IFS

HELP! brake lights dont work!

Old Jan 2, 2009 | 09:59 AM
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TheImplication's Avatar
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HELP! brake lights dont work!

So i was driving the other night and got pulled over because my brake lights dont light up when i pressed on the brakes. only got a warning though. i think it s a short circuit but i don't know where, is there anywhere that's a common place for this to happen anyone else have this problem before, they worked less then a month ago for sure.
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Old Jan 2, 2009 | 10:07 AM
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From: Port Coquitlam, BC
Check the bulbs, for some reason in Toyotas when one bulb goes the other side goes soon after. If they're OK check the fuse. If that's fine then check the switch on the pedal, connect the 2 wires together and the lights should go on.
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 11:27 AM
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ok i checked the bulbs they deff work alright, the fuse is good and i took the wires out and connected them and nothing happened, theres some wires that i spiced when i removed a trailer hitch wiring harness but when i connected everything its work fine since then, i dont think its that but ill double check any more ideas guys?
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 11:43 AM
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Double check your splice. Short of that, check for a bad ground connection or wire broken inside the insulation. My son's S10 gave us fits for two months til I started probing wires and got a good ground.
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 12:00 PM
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I'm not sure which vehicle you have, but this diagram for the 4Runner should apply to just about everything:

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1990-1995...i/stopligh.pdf

At your brake light switch you have two wires -- the green/red wire should have 12v on it and the green/white wire should measure very low resistance to ground. If you don't have 12v on the G/R, it's a fuse or wiring problem associated with the fuse box or the box to the switch. If you have low (but not zero) resistance to ground with the G/W wire, put 12vdc on it and your lights should light. If you have high resistance, it's either a wiring or ground issue.

My guess is it's a ground (the white/black wire from the brake lights). I'll bet when you get a good ground, your brake lights will work.
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 12:52 PM
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hmmmm i never thought about the ground but im not sure where the ground is/if anything happened to it, wheres a good spot to ground that you used? i believe mine maybe be a t100 someone said but i dont know the difference between t100s and s10s they look the same to me.
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by TheImplication
hmmmm i never thought about the ground but im not sure where the ground is/if anything happened to it, wheres a good spot to ground that you used? i believe mine maybe be a t100 someone said but i dont know the difference between t100s and s10s they look the same to me.
Sorry about that, my son's truck is a Chevrolet S10. As for the ground, I would guess there's a black wire run to the frame somewhere near the back of the truck. Start at the taillights and work forward. If you have a 12volt test light, start out with checking power at the switch and if there's no power to the brake light switch, you know there's something amiss between the fuse panel and it. If there is power to the switch, start checking grounds.
Good luck,
Chip
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