Rep Power: 0

Strange issue with the brake lights not working.

I checked and all the brake light bulbs are working and the wiring has power to them. I replaced the brake light switch (twice, thinking maybe I got a bad one). All fuses are good. The horn works. The blinkers work.

Randomly, with the new brake light switch connected, the brakes lights worked (this has happened to me twice). then they stop working.

I have inspected the wiring under the dash and found the following...

1. there is an orange wire the was connected into the ignition coil fuse
2. there is a thick yellow wire, which looks like it comes from the relay that connects to nothing.
2. the black/white wiring that connects into the brake light switch has been krimped to a thin yellow wire.
3. both the thin yellow wire and think yellow wire connected into the relay.

Thoughts????????

 
Rep Power: 519

1) Tell what sort of car you have. You posted in 8th/9th gen, and your car does not look like one of those.

2) Get rid of the relay, restore the hacked brake switch wires to original condition

 
Rep Power: 0

sorry newbie to the site.

2002 civic lx. i bought the car this way and just recently had this issue.

can you direct me to a picture or diagram for the original set up?

Thanks!

 
Rep Power: 0

when i reconnect the black/white lines all the brake lights work like they should, however the line became hot, so i disconnected it.

thoughts on next thing to look at?

 
Rep Power: 519

Thread moved.

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Not really.





There's 4 wires in the harness going to the brake light switch.
There's 4 wires at the brake light switch.
3 wires go directly to the switch.

ONE has been hacked apart and run to (and from) the relay.
Eliminate the relay, reconnect the wire to itself where it was cut apart.

Make all 4 take a direct path instead of leaving that one detoured through the relay.
Even better if you can solder and get rid of the butt splice connectors.

 
Rep Power: 519

Poor connection and/or too small wire causes heat when load is applied.

 
Rep Power: 0

ezone - spot on. Thank you.

I removed the splices and reconnected the original wire. No hot wire and brakes work.

I just don't understand why all of a sudden the brake light stopped working.

Bottom line is the car in back on the road.