Other: Brake Lights 1965 commander

[Bill m]

I am having trouble getting my brake lights to work. If I put a jumper wire at the brake light switch they will light . There is no power at the red wire coming from inside the car to the brake switch on the master cylinder. My understanding is the power should come from the wires that come from inside the steering column . Is this correct? i Also what color is the wire inside the car? I can't trace it because all the wires are taped together. I have signal lights, parking lights and the head lights - tail lights. Thanks for the help and I have no idea how I changes the fonts.

[StudeRich]

The Power comes from the Fuse for the Dome Light and Brake Lights, It is on the Turn Signal Flasher Panel with the Fuse for that.
The Wire should be Red like it is at the S/L Switch.
It is the OUTPUT wire from the S/L Sw. that goes to the Turn Signal Switch in the Column it has No power until the circuit is live.

Your Stoplight Switch is dead.
You are just looking up the Wrong Tree !

[Bill m]

Ok since I have power on both sides of the fuses at the flasher panel shouldn't there be power at the brake switch on one of the wires that plug into the brake switch and is that power constant or just when the brake is applied? Thanks

[mbstude]

If I put a jumper wire at the brake light switch they will light .

One of the wires on the switch is "hot" all the time. When you press the brake pedal, it pressurizes the switch which closes the electrical circuit, and lights up the brake lights.

If you connect the two switch wires together and the brake lights light up, then the electrical circuit is fine.

As Rich said, all you need is a new brake light switch.

[Bill m]

When i jumped them together the lights don't come on . They only came on if i used used power straight from the battery but there is power on both sides of the fuse . I dont have a dome light hooked up at this point but I will check for power at those wires next time I am out there working on the car

[64LarkLover]

Bill m, the two wires that are attached into the bottom of the brake light switch-are the inside of the plugs clean of corrosion? Just a thought.

[bensherb]

Wiggle your turn signal switch. If it's not fully in the "neutral" position the brakes may not light or might light only one brake light. Power for the brake lights runs through the turn switch so it can be switched from brake to turn because they both use the same filiment in the bulb.

I had that happening with my turn switch. I solved the problem by installing a second light bulb for the turn signals, like most modern cars, and eliminating the brake lamp circuit from the turn switch. It was easier to do than you would think. I just rearanged the tail light connections and ran one wire from under the dash to the brake lights, since they originally used the same wires as the turn lights did.

[Bill m]

Thanks for the help. I found the problem. The ends that hook to the brake light switch must have had a brake in one of them. I took someone's advice and checked them for corrosion and if it was bent a certain way I had power and everything worked. I will put new ends on them and check that the switch works and everything should be fine. thanks again

[jackb]

good to hear.... I was going to check you on Dot 5 brake fluid problems....