Help! I'm going to be a cops dream for being pulled over.

I was told by a friend my brake lights were out. So we went and purchased all new bulbs "just in case" so I was all set. BUT still no brakelights Checked the fuses, they looked O.K. Looking at the repair manual (Haynes) but nothing.

Anyone else have this problem and know the secret to getting them working again?

 

Check your brake light switch. It'll be under the dash. When the brake pedal is at rest it will keep a switch closed, as soon as your press the pedal contacts move and light the brake lights.

 

+1 on the brake pedal switch. Sometimes it moves a little (gets loose) and stops making proper contact to activate the brake lights.

The cops will not be the BIG problem, it's people behind you REAR ENDING you!!!

 

I had "on again, off again" brake lights last year. Worked some WD40 into a sticky plunger on the switch (behind brake pedal) for a test. Worked good, so I removed switch (Haynes) and disassembled it , cleaned contacts, and oiled plunger better. No problems since.
( 96' 850 )

 

I agree, check that brake light switch. If that does not work, see if you are getting 12volts at the brake terminal strip where the bulb rests when someone steps on brake. The reason I say this is when I first got ours the bulb out indicator was on and all the brake lights were out. Reset switch and also replaced and still out. Replaced all bulbs and nothing. Ended up being corrosion on metal strips in holder causing p*ss poor contact. Little bit of sanding and some di-electric grease and all was good again. No telling how long they had been going one by one and previous owner ignored it.
Good luck with it, be persistent. Don't let it win.
Rob

 

Thanks everyone! Hubby didn't even know about the brake switch...neither did I for that matter.

The person I bought the car from had HUGE woofers in the trunk and of course ran wires from the front to the back. He told me to be careful because if I open the trunk, the doors would lock...there's a short somewhere because when hubby replaced all the bulbs...we were back with doors locking at the weirdest times, even when not running. But I'll start with the brake switch and also look to see if there are wires that are shorting each other out!