A few locals have politely yelled at me concerning my brake lights, particularly due to the fact that they don't work! I was just pulled over only a week ago for a license plate infraction; so i am confident that they worked then, or the officer surely would have told me.

So, i figure that the problem has risen from a long weekend of wet wheeling at moonrocks, NV.

This is an 87 4runner. The signals and running lights work, but only the brake lights fail to illuminate. I've checked the #9 fuse and replaced both lights, to no avail. So, my hunch is the wiring or activation switch is at fault. The brake actuation switch is clearly being depressed and released upon pedal movement, but the short time i've spent under the dash hasn't turned up any more than a bit of frustration.

Where would you fellows think i should continue to diagnose the problem? Until then im stuck with hand signals.

Mike

 

Get a multimeter and start checking for power in each part of the circuit. Check both sides of the fuse, then the switch and so on down the line. When you find where there is no power that is where the problem is. If you have power going into the switch and not out then jump both terminals on the switch with a piece of wire, if the lights go on then you know it's the switch. If the switch and fuse are good then you probably have a broken wire. Those can be lots of fun tracking down, might be easier to just rewire the brake lights if that's the case.

Another thing is if you have trailer wiring disconnect that temporarily and see if that helps.