I have no brake lights I need to fix it

The brake light switch is on the top of the brake pedal. Use a test light to see if you have power on both sides once the pedal is depressed (orange wire)

Here are guides to help you get the job done.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/brake-lights-not-working

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

There is a tail lamp relay as well

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

Here is a wiring diagram to help (below) Please let us know what you find.

Yes, my husband said there is a rear tail light circuit board and he will check that.

Will this test tell of the brake light switch is bad?

Thanks for your help I appreciate it.

Yes it will, you can check for power in to the switch (which is hot all the time) and when you hit the brakes, there should be power coming out from the other wire. If I had to guess.

Let me know what you find.

joe

Hey guys, finally gave up on trying to solve this mystery. Took it to the pros and found there is a fuse under the hood. Changed the fuse and now it works.

Hope this helps others!!

Husband says he didn't know they could be under the hood...sigh....

Good to hear, please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help.

Cheers, Ken

Brake lights on 1996 C1500 stopped working, to include the above cab light as well. Checked and I have no power to the lights (removed left brake light housing and checked continuity). I've checked all the fuses. The #1 location 20amp fuse for aux/haz keeps blowing. If I put in a new fuze and turn on the hazard lights it blows. First guess is a ground wire but its just my guess. It doesn't seem to sound like the brake switch or the turn signal switch...but I don't know so that's why I'm asking you experts. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

It's not a ground wire problem. Those wires already go to ground so if one is bare and touching the body, that's what it's already going to. If it's broken, there is no short so the fuse wouldn't blow.

A simple trick to finding a short is to replace the blown fuse with a pair of spade terminals, then use small jumper wires to connect them to a 12 volt light bulb. A brake light bulb works well. When the circuit is live and the short is present, the bulb will be full brightness and hot so be sure it's not laying on the carpet or against a plastic door panel. Now you can unplug electrical connectors and move things around to see what makes the short go away. When it does, the bulb will get dim or go out.

You can place a stick between the seat and the brake pedal to keep the brake light switch turned on for the tests. Also, try activating the turn signals each way. If turning on the left signals, for example, makes the test bulb light up bright, but it's just dim for the right signal, you'll know to look on the left side for the short. The place to start looking for a grounded wire is at a trailer wiring harness.

great info and thanks for the reply.

so from the problems I identified, you do not believe it would be the brake light switch or the turn signal switch? Friend of mine thinks it might be one of those two.

I just rechecked and: the taillights work, the turn signals work, the brake lights do not work, the high position brake light does not work.

If I install a fuse, the emergency blinkers and engine compartment light will work for just a moment before the fuse is blown.

I don't have all trucks memorized so you'll have to tell me, . . . does yours use separate bulbs in back, one for the signal and another one for the brake light? Most manufacturers have gone to that. It greatly simplifies the turn signal switch but it makes it miserable for connecting the two independent circuits to one circuit on a trailer.

My guess is you have two separate bulbs because you said the turn signals work. If that is correct, the signal switch is not part of the system so we can forget that. Switches won't cause a blowing fuse anyway because there isn't anything in them going to ground, therefore, no matter what would become shorted, it would just make the wrong lights turn on or at the wrong time.

Do my light bulb trick so you don't have to keep wasting fuses. Once the brake pedal is held down and the test bulb is bright, move harnesses around, particularly in back, and remove the rear lamp assemblies to see if disturbing any of those things makes the bulb go dim. When it does, you'll also see the brake lights turn on dimly.

If you have a four-pin trailer connector from U-Haul with three red LEDs on it, those often shorted leading to blowing fuses.

I replaced the switch and the light bulbs i checked the wiring harness under the truck bed and put brake fluid in it still no brake lights . when i started working on it i checked a few things and they started working for a little while then they quite is their a relay because when they were working when i mashed i heard a click under the dash. can you please help me? i am sorry but something went wrong it is a 1996 s 10 pickup.

Not sure what you heard clicking, but the brake light switch would have been the best suspect. Start by measuring the voltage on the orange wire on the brake light switch. If you have that, verify you have twelve volts on the white wire when you press the brake pedal.

The brake light on the cab works but the brake lights on the bed do not.

The best suspect is the turn signal switch. The working center high-mount brake light proves the brake light switch and its circuit are working. That brake light doesn't go through the signal switch, but the two rear brake lights do.

Before you replace the turn signal switch assembly, be sure the hazard switch is fully turned off and is not stuck midway between on and off.

To verify this, check for 12 volts on the white wire, (blue arrow), at the signal switch connector when the brake pedal is pressed. Next, check on the yellow or dark green wires and you'll find it's not there.

i checked everything from fuses to ground wires to bad tail lights. i found out that it was the brake light switch that wasn't working. i found out that the button on it is not getting pressed. when ever i press on the brake pedal the push rod and brake go with it and the switch isn't getting pressed.

Good evening,

Does the brake pedal feel normal? here is what the brake light switch should look like. Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what happens.

Hi,

The entire switch shouldn't move. Are you sure it hasn't come disconnected? Here are directions for removal and replacement. Take a look through these directions and confirm it is still properly attached. The two attached pictures correlate with the directions.

________________________

1995 Chevy Truck C 1500 Truck 2WD V8-350 5.7L VIN K TBI
Stop Lamp Switch
Vehicle Sensors and Switches Sensors and Switches - Lighting and Horns Brake Light Switch Service and Repair Procedures Stop Lamp Switch
STOP LAMP SWITCH
STOPLAMP SWITCH

Remove or Disconnect

pic 1



1. Negative battery cable.
2. Retainer from brake pedal pin.
3. Switch by unsnapping from pushrod.
4. Electrical connector from switch.

Install or Connect


pic 2



1. Electrical connector into switch.
2. Switch by snapping it onto pushrod.
3. Retainer onto brake pedal pin.
4. Negative battery cable.

______________________

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe

Thanks both for answering. The brake switch fix it great site btw :)

yep we like it too

I had problems with the transmission not shifting completely into overdrive. The transmission shop replaced the brake light switch. Transmission shifted properly. However, at the time I didn't think to check the brake lights.
I replaced the brake light switch and the brake lights work for about 3 cycles of pushing on the brake pedal, then there are no brake lights. I have checked the wiring from the brake light switch to the light bulbs, with no breaks in wiring.
Replaced brake light switch again and same sequence and quit.

How did you check the wiring? Did you ohm it out to make sure you don't have any shorts? I suspect that is the issue because there isn't anything else in this system other than wiring, the switch and bulbs. If just pressing the pedal makes the switch fail, then I suspect there is a wiring issue.

Let's check for shorts to power, ground and go from there.

I thoroughly cleaned several ground contact points and re-insulated some suspect connections. Replaced brake fluid with new and flushed and bled the entire system.
Brake pedal was at top and brake lights work great. Until? I started the vehicle and the brake pedal went to the floor. I now have to do 3 quick bursts on the brake pedal and hold and the brake lights work properly. Shortly after doing this, the brake pedal seems to seep down and the brake lights go out .
I am tempted to believe there is a vacuum leak. With this said, I will be replacing the master cylinder and power brake booster with new check valve. And keeping fingers crossed.
Any suggestions are helpful.
Thanks

I have a 1194 Chevy Silverado 1500. I am having trouble getting the brake lights to function. All of the running lights work, blinkers and back up lights also. I have replaced the fuse, the lights themselves, and the switch behind the brake pedal. What do I need to work at next?

Does yours have the high mount stop light? Does that work?

Yes. It does have a high mount brake light and cargo light. All the bulbs have been replaced in that light as well, and it does not work either.

OK The common wire to both runs thru the multifunction switch, a test of that is needed. Also check the relay for the high mount, it's under the hood, on right side cowl(under the windshield). Check the ground for the lights. Check diagram for the location.

Got it. While looking for the problem, I found a ground issue from an old set of backup lights that had been installed and then taken out. Found and fixed! Thanks tremendously for the help!

you bet, good work!

The brake lights on my truck stopped working. I changed out the brake switch it worked for about 5 minutes and the brakes stopped working once again. I have checked all the ground wires and they are fine I am not sure what else to do. All the fuses are good and the light bulbs are also working. What do I need to change to make the brake lights to work again?

First check if the center brake light is working. If it is, the brake light switch is okay. Next, check if the cruise control works, then if it cuts out when you tap the brake pedal.

The next suspect is the "Center high-mount brake light relay", (which, oddly enough, does not run the center brake light). Swap that relay with one like it, and check the socket for loose terminals. The next suspect is the turn signal switch or burned terminals in the connector.

OK thank you the 3rd brake light does work and I will check everything else.

I press the brake pedal and it blows out fuse. I replaced switch, relay and ground wire.

Good morning.

Does the turn signals work normally?

From the switch, the circuit goes to the turn signal switch and the third light relay.

The diagram below for you to view.

Roy

Added a new brake switch as soon as you press panel it blows out stop fuse.

I read that in your original post.

Unplug the turn signal switch and replace the fuse and see if it still blows the fuse.

Roy

If that does not work?

One step at a time to try and eliminate areas of failure.

Beyond that is wiring.

Roy

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

This truck is my daily and i need brake lights to drive it.

Every light but brake lights work, even running lights in the rear when the headlight switch is on. i replace the circuit boards and bulbs when i had this problem when i bought it and it fixed it for a while, until today. my brake lights stopped working and my CEL came on showing P0172 and P0175 which i've also had before but neglected to fix because the CEL went off after 50-100 miles of driving... i don't think the 2 are related but i could be wrong, please tell me if i am.

i have checked fuses, relays, grounds, and connections to the circuit boards, i even tested continuity to the brand new circuit boards as well. does anyone have an idea of what this could be? i'm not worried about the codes right now if they don't relate to the brake light issue.. i just need them to work so i can work, lol. Edit: if it matters my temperature gauge doesn't "work" either. it moves but not to where it's supposed to.

Hello, I'm Danny.

The most common issue for not having brake lights is having a defective brake light switch which is mounted against the brake pedal. Since you've attached your question to a prior one we will need you to start a new question regarding the check engine light codes as that is a different subject which is not related. I can give you the information on how to change the brake light switch and I've attached the picture steps below for your truck. Here is the link to start a new question for the check engine light codes:

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/new

Be sure to include all your vehicles information as well as symptoms and we can help diagnose. We look forward to hearing back from you. Hope this helps and thanks for using 2CarPros.

I had the same problem… it’s gonna be your hardness you’re gonna have to replace it. There not expensive and it’s pretty easy to replace. You should give that a shot. And if that’s not the problem you can always return it but I’m almost 100% that’s the issue. If you give that a shot. Let me know how it goes. Best of luck…

Excellent addition to this thread!