Breez

My brake lights are not working... I get tail lights when I turn on my lights.. I switched out my brake light switch but still get no brake light... What to do? I even changed the stop light sockets....

oldcutlass

Welcome to the site, have you started checking for voltage with a meter?

cjsdad

Didn't Joe diagnose a problem like this a while back as being a problem with the Emergency Flasher switch. If the switch is not all the way in or out it can interrupt the brake light circuit.

joe_padavano

1966 cars don't have that switch.

To the OP, understand that the tail lights and brake/turn lights use different circuits and different filaments in the 1157 bulbs. If you look at the wiring diagram in your Chassis Service Manual, you will see that the brake light switch feeds the turn signal switch, then the circuit runs to the back of the car. The brake lights and rear turn signals DO share the same wires and filaments in the bulb.

Do the rear turn signals work? If so, everything from the steering column back is fine, including the sockets. In this case, the turn signal switch is likely the problem. If the turn signals also do not work, then the problem is anything from the switch to the wiring to the sockets to the bulbs.

You ARE sure the bulbs are good, right?

Breez

Yes I have checked.. It wasn't making any sense though. When I took my vehicle to the shop it had tail lights and the turn signals worked.. After he messed with it.. There was nothing and he said I needed new sockets. So I bought New sockets and bulbs.. Still no brake lights.. So I went back and when he placed the passenger side in there was no light.. But when he placed it up to the tail light screws it would come on... For the the driver side it wouldn't... But it was getting voltage. So he said it had something to do with the ground around the tail light housing. But then said the ribbon harness needs replaced because it wasn't putting voltage out on half of its side... So I figure he didn't know what he was talking about.. So took it elsewhere.. Where he says... When I turn on my lights... They are brake lights on.. He stated they won't go off.. And he don't know why. Which now it's totally different then the issue I had before... Because they both are bright! What to do!? SOS

oldcutlass

So you currently have all your lights but the brake lights stay on?

Breez

I can get in the car while it's off and hit the brakes and I get nothing. But when I turn on the lights... The brake lights are on. It looks like tail lights but too bright to be. That's why we say they are brake lights. And will not go off.. But other than that yes my headlights work.

oldcutlass

Is the 4 way switch pushed in?

Breez

What's the 4 way switch?

oldcutlass

The hazard switch, on my 67 its on the right side of the steering column.

m371961

Sounds like a grounding problem. Each side must have its' own ground. If it does not, current will travel through both bulb filaments. If the brake circuit does not go to ground through its' bulb filament, the lamp will not light as the taillight circuit does not lead to a ground. I would begin with the taillights on, run a jumper from the bulb socket to a known good ground and see if it dims. Also insure the bulb is inserted correctly and has a good clean connection to the lamp socket.
The replacement sockets were the correct dual contact 1157 style, correct?

joe_padavano

As I wrote in Post #4, the OP has a 1966 which does not have a hazard warning switch.

oldcutlass

Missed that sorry

Octania

This will be a great learning experience, how to use a VOM to find the fault. Bulb number diffs, socket diffs, all that.

joe_padavano

The real learning experience will be how to read a wiring diagram and how to use it to perform logical tracing of the circuit.

Looking at the wiring diagram, one sees two important bits of info. First, the tail lights and brake lights are separate circuits that use separate wires and separate filaments in the 1157 lamps. The only common point is the ground at the bulb. Second, the brake light circuit runs through the turn signal switch. See post #4 above. Start at the brake light switch and trace voltage from there through every wire, switch, and connection until you get to the back of the car. You will find the problem.

oldcutlass

The brake lights should work whether the key is on or off.