No brake lights!

[DCharger70]

Hey all,

I just picked up a '69 Charger and I have no brake lights. I bought it online, sight unseen and it was advertised as needing a turn signal switch because the cam was broken and the left signals didn't work at all. I put a switch in, switch was bad. Put another switch in and now I have turn signals, but no brake lights. I already checked the fuses and they are ok. I tried jumping the brake switch but that didn't work either. I didn't think to check the brake lights before I put the switch in but I KNOW the dome light worked, and that does not work now either. I also tried replacing the brake light switch already.

The previous owner put a new dash wiring harness in. As far as I can see everything looks ok and there are no shorts. My right dash turn signal indicator light does stay lit constantly though, and I put all new bulbs in the dash.

Can anyone give me an idea of what I should check next? Headlights and taillights work also. Just no dome or brake lights.

Thanks,
Tony

[nascarxx29]

At the pink wire from brake switch any there power. Search brakelight or no brake lights there many other causes besides the TS switch

[DCharger70]

Yes, I do have power at the pink wire. I also forgot to mention that I also have no hazards. I'm searching around now. Thanks.

[nvrbdn]

  want to see what this turns out to be.

[DCharger70]

I'll keep ya updated. I probably won't get to do much until the weekend. Don't have much time after work to play with the cars.

[nvrbdn]

prob is i just swaped out my turn signal switch also. i had brake lights and all, but then one of the kids borrowed the battery from the charger and put it back in backwards. i seen the tail lights glowing when i went in the garage. well i figured out what the problem was, but after i turned the battery around, presto, no brake lights. so i changed the turn signal switch and still no brake lights. so im waiting to see if a solution is reached and i will head there. meanwhile i will keep looking and post back to you if i find something. thanks.

[68neverlate]

I have no brake lights... I put a switch in and now I have turn signals, but no brake lights. I checked the fuses and they are ok. I tried jumping the brake switch but that didn't work either. I didn't think to check the brake lights before I put the switch in but I KNOW the dome light worked, and that does not work now either. I also tried replacing the brake light switch already.

The previous owner put a new dash wiring harness in. As far as I can see everything looks ok and there are no shorts. My right dash turn signal indicator light does stay lit constantly though, and I put all new bulbs in the dash.

Hey Tony... the problems you're experiencing with the brake lights not coming on, the right turn signal indicator on the dash staying on constantly and the 4 way flashers not working are all look to be related.  The dome light not coming appears to be a separate issue... 

When you said that the right turn signal on the dash stays on, is that when the signal lever is set for a right hand turn, or just when the ignition switch is in the "on" position or all the time?  The turn signal switch that you installed... is it new or used?  Do the colours of the wires going into the turn signal switch connector all coincide with your wiring diagram?   

[DCharger70]

Probably. I know the brakes and dome share a fuse, I just know that the interior lights did work when I bought the car, but I never checked the brake lights before changing the switch.


The turn signal switch is new. All the wires in the switch do coincide with the wires in the dash harness and wiring diagram. All of the connections are tight.  The right turn signal dash indicator light is on constantly when the ignition is on. Even though the right turn signals blink outside of the car, that light still stays constant.

[nvrbdn]

a friend of mine has a mustang that we were working on. his left turn indicator on the dash stayed on all the time even though the lights worked right. turned out to be voltage regulator not grounded good. screws tightened up and the light went out. dont know what that would have to do with it, but it worked.

[DCharger70]

Thanks, I'll check into that.

[nvrbdn]

mopar guy stopped in the office today and said check the dimmer switch. says it and the brake light switch and the turn signal switch are all connected somehow. i guess worth a try.

[DCharger70]

Ok I will, thanks a lot. I'm planning on working on the car tomorrow morning/afternoon so I will report back.

[Budnicks]

Ok I will, thanks a lot. I'm planning on working on the car tomorrow morning/afternoon so I will report back.

Bad ground, bulkhead connector {corrosion issues?}, bulbs, sockets, flasher, fuse, I was having intermittent problems like that I disconnected the main bulkhead connectors on the firewall cleaned all of the connections both sides with a small brass & stainless wire brush & pipe cleaners, then some electrical spay cleaner solvent, then reinstalled all the connectors with a tiny dab of dielectric grease on each & every connection in the bulkhead {tedious job, but it cured the issues}

[DCharger70]

Ok. I have brake lights now. It turned out to be a fuse. It wasn't blown and had continuity between the terminals, but when I took it out one of the ends just fell off. I put a new fuse in and my interior lights came on and the brake lights work!  The 3amp fuse is blowing for some reason when the white wire is attached to the brake light switch. It turns out the previous owner ran a purple wire to the left side kick panel area spliced into something, and with that plugged into the brake switch everything is working.

The right turn turn signal indicator light still stays lit for some reason. It's a new harness with new bulbs. The bulkhead connector looks like it melted at the red wire going to the starter relay at some point. I'm looking for a replacement connector now.

[resq302]

The light staying on solid seems to be a bad ground issue.  I had that happen to me with a tail light on my 85 CJ 7.  The light would come on bright but not blink like it should have due to some corrosion on the ground.