tstring

About a week ago I was told my rear brake lights are not working. I checked the bulbs, the fuses, changed the brake switch; twice. All other lights work - turn signals, hazards, reverse lights, etc. Just the two brake lights. I have read about a harness relay plug and a brake relay - but have had no luck finding any information about either one.

Thanks!

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

how did you check the switch? cause usually the brake switch is the most common cause for the lights not working. or you could have a broken wire. just gonna have to trace back the wires from the rear to front. and maybe run new ones if you have to.

tstring

Checked it two ways - first, the brake light in the rear window still works, it did not when the switch was removed, and second I went and got the reader to make sure it was getting juice.
However, this afternoon while I was tinkering I was hearing a 'click' while depressing the brake - from the gear shifting area (automatic). I understand the tail - brake lights have a different power source than the one from the rear window brake light. Am I just hearing the rear window light relay kicking in? (The car was on, not started, that's how I could hear it.

Oh, and I made sure the horn works too. It does.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

at least on the 01+ civics, the top mount brake light is spliced into the passenger side tail/brake lamp wires. i traced them and found out, but yours may be separate. the click you hear is just the gear shift lockout. basically the mechanism that prevents the shifter from being taken out of park unless the brake pedal is pressed. that is not related to the brake lights. i would start by tracing the tail/brake lamp wires and see if everything looks good, including the grounds that are connected somewhere under the plastic trim pieces of the trunk liner.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

Brake lights are all on the same circuit... just different tap points all use the same wire color which is WHITE/BLACK.

If the taillights are working the grounds should be o.k.

You will need to trace (no) voltage back to the open connection. There looks to be a connection that has all three together (left/right high mount)

tstring

Started in the trunk - checked the wires in the trunk casing - all okay. Then, went to the front and to my relief - only 1/2 hour into it - found three relays behind the glove box.
Dealership, manuals, and the 'book' from an auto parts store said nothing about these relays. ****!
But, there seems to be a blue plastic 'holder' under the relays; two in one and one individual. They would not budge in order to use the test light.
Is there an easy way to remove the exterior of the glove box to get to the wiring for these relays so I can test them?

One more thing, if these relays do work and I still can't find the problem, couldn't I run two new lines directly from the brake switch?
Thanks for the help!

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

those two pieces on the side of the box should pop out so the whole box will rotate down to the floor.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

If your high mount is working... you have voltage back there at some area. My schematic shows it as a single line to a certain point (maybe in the trunk) and then a 3 way tap/split from it.

tstring

The three relays are slide-clipped to the metal frame behind the glove box AND each relay has a side-clip as well. Removing the glove-box completely helps tremendously in order to accomplish this without losing a finger.

I had a bad fuel pump/main relay...Any guesses as to how my car was still running?...maybe another day...ANYWAY-

Order the relay-car runs much better and sounds much better but I still have no brake lights.

Any word on just connecting two new lines directly from the brake switch to the tail lights themselves?

Thanks for all the info!

brokedown711

sure, you could run a new 12v line directly from the brake light circuit at the junction to the lights... but that wouldn't help you figure out wtf is going on. find where the stock wiring splits off into the 3 lines (left/right/3rd) and go from there. it can't be much wiring or difficult to get to if it's by the back seat/trunk

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

Like I said, if you have the high mount light that is working you have voltage in the trunk area. You can tap in there and run it to the rear lamps. The brake wire color is WHT/BLK.

GFhasahonda

I am having the same problem with a 2000 civic ex coupe...how do i test the wires? all three lights are out but they function when i hit the alarm or turn the headlights on... I also have replaced bulbs, fuses and tried another switch... Please help

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

you might have a bad brake light switch under the pedal.

GFhasahonda

Well I replaced the switch...nothing.. someone told me to take a wire and insert in the plug that goes into switch and the lights should come on...well i did that and it clicked the shift lock on and off but no luck with the lights...Does it sound like a bad wire somewhere?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

its possible. you can test the wires separately using a multimeter set to measure 12v and try each wire when the brake pedal is being pushed. sometimes if you push those bulbs in too far, the contacts short out and blow a fuse. so you need to pull the bulb back out a tiny bit so its not sitting at the bottom of the socket. this is a really big problem on hondas because the sockets were not designed properly.

Ceris

I have a 2006 Honda Civic and all of a sudden the brake lights do not work, any idea what to do ?

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

On the 8th gens these switches seem to fail quite often (there was a safety recall for some 06 models with JH VIN #s Grease from the column drips onto the switch and causes failure. They added a shroud around it.

Dave37

My brake lights stopped working because of an inline plug, which is part of the wiring harness. 2000 EX Coupe - driver side - rear passenger side wall.

davidc

My brake lights too are not coming on when pressing the brakes. My lights are on when in park but no extra lights when braking.
When I check the voltages on the molex connector in the trunk, I get zero volts when pressing the brakes and 12 volts when the brake is not pressed. Is that normal?
Now I would tend to believe that the lights would be permantly on if 12 volts is coming out, unless with the 3 pins are not as I expect?
the 1st pin to ground (pin 3) is reading 12 Volts, which I believe is for the light filament when in park which works, I am having this reverse effect accross the 2nd pin to gnd (zero when pressed).
Or am I mistaken and the light in park is the same as the brake light? I haven't removed the bulb to see if there is a 2nd filament and if it is broken, but if I am seeing a voltage change on the 2nd pin I would think it is nothig to do with the brake switch, it would maybe be the filament or the relay....
Any advice?

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

^^^^ What is the model year ??

Have you inspected the filaments in the brake bulbs (2 separate filaments in left & right bulbs, & only 1 in high mount bulb)

davidc

yes it all works now, was the filaments. Was just trying to figure out the logic in case it wasn't. It was dark outside when I was testing the voltages, couldn't see the filaments even though it was what I expected. I was just skeptical since both lights went, but now I understand the wiring better it makes sense. Thx for your feedback

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

The high impedance of DMM's can give some crazy readings at times.... sometimes the load of a test light is more helpful.

sabjork

Don't check anything before checking the bulbs themselves. Both my bulbs went out at exactly the same time. Replaced with 7443 LED and problem solved. Even if they don't go at exactly the same time, the other is never far behind, They come in two packs, do both anyway. I was confounded that the center light worked and the two lowers were both out. Pulling the bulbs I could see the filiments burn and the carbon stains within. Sylvania / Osram LED at Walmart $14.88 for two. Get the 7443R for Red.