i am currently driving a 1989 volvo 240 wagon and am having brake light issues. any time i use the brakes the right side wont come on, the fuses are fine, the bulbs are new and still wont work. does anyone know what could be going on? email fartlighter31@yahoo.com

thanks

 

every single electrical device in the car needs a power source, a resistive device (in this case a bulb) and a ground return. Have someone step on the brake and see if you have 12v back there with a digital multi meter. Then check to see if you have a ground. You already know that the other side works so you at least have 12v to there. It is either the wire running to the sockect is not supplying 12v, there is corrosion that is adding resistance so there is not enough for the bulb, or the ground return is not working, connected, corroded etc. Good luck let us know what you find..

 

It could be a bad wire.
It could be a bad curcuit board.
It could be a melted tailight plastic.
It could be a bad socket.
The socket connections could be dirty.

And More.

 

thank you for the advice and it came in handy in fixing it and also just getting to know my cars maintenace. the problem ended up being a bad light socket and having to replace it, after i replaced it, worked just fine. thanks for the help

 

Glad we could help.

 

Something else to keep in mind: The tail light and brake light circuits split at a connector on the left side. One lead goes to the left side brake light, one to the right side and one to the center light through the tailgate harness. On my 245, a brake light fault was traced to that connector; the bulbs and sockets tested fine for continuity, just no 12 volt positive on the brake light that was out. The third brake light is also susceptible to a break in the wiring harness, usually where it passes through the hinge on the tailgate/