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Brake light issues any suggestions ...

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3.9K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  Adog  
#1 ·
First off I have the tube style fuses (on the project list to change over to blade type soon)

All lights works as they should except brake lights (installed Led and flasher) all turn indicators work correctly etc


With head lights off everything works fine.. Ie when I press the brake both lights light up and when I release brakes they turn off

When I turn daytime running lights or headlights on the left light comes on and stays on even when I press brake or not ... the right light does not come on when I turn headlight or daytime running lights however it does light up when I press the brake...

Any thoughts ? Electrical is not my strength but I do have a multimeter and willing to learn.

Could it be the pressure switch (even though things work perfectly with head lights off)

Thanks all ... usually drive truck durning day however I don’t want a reason to be pulled over at night ...


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#2 ·
Your red lamps are supposed to come on and stay on when you turn the exterior lights on. They glow brighter when when you press the brake.

Red lamps have three contacts; Ground, on, brake. Check the non-brake contact of the one that doesn’t come on when the exterior lights are on.


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#5 · (Edited)
What User Name was explaining is that there are 2 circuits in the red light: one for stop light, and one for normal side marker light. In a normal light that would be covered by a dual-filament lightbulb. The "brighter" for a normal light is the second filament lighting up.


His suspicion is that you only have brake circuit working at this time, so, the light will illuminate when you brake (that circuit closes), but your normal side marker red won't light up with the lights turned on. If you don't wanna muck around with a multimeter, then check the brake light pattern and intensity with side marker lights off. Then compare with the side marker on. Otherwise check both circuits with a multimeter.


Question for you: only the rear side marker (red) lights don't come on when you turn on the headlights, or the front side marker (white) doesn't come on either?
 
#6 ·
What else did you change when you made the upgrade? Where did you get the LED kit from?

The LED upgrade is straightforward except, I recall the kit from RN required the bridging of two contacts on your cluster.

Have you tried changing the blink rate of the new relay?

Check to see you’ve plugged the wires in the lamps correctly. One ground, one comes on with the side lamps, one comes on with the brake. Ensure you didn’t mix any up.

The colors should be: red/black LH side lamps; red/orange RH side lamps; green/purple shared to both brake lamps.


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#8 ·
Non military ... and the kit came from bearmach...

Just to be clear it was having the same situation with the old lights as well ... I just figured while is was at it I would upgrade ...

I will see what the multimeter says later and Trace back ... hopefully is a bad connection in the rear corners that have some pretty rusted bolts ... might have to remove rear trim to get leverage ....

Thanks all !!!


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#9 ·
Quick update y’all .. happy Easter ...


So truck lights work perfectly when headlights are off (so driving during day I am fine)

Although I find it strange that the rear door has to be closed in order for break lights to operate when brake pressed (I am sure there is a tread on this and will search unless my truck is wired crazy)

I found a bad fuse and this was the reason the rear right light wasn’t coming on when headlights turned on....

Ok so here is the issues and I am guessing it’s the switch

When headlights/running lights turned on the brake lights go to full brightness even though I am not pushing brake pedal

They are Much brighter than when I press the brake with headlights off.

Would this be a switch issue even though the pressure switch works fine with headlight/running lights off ....

Hope this makes sense ... thanks !

Also I remember someone selling conversion kits on the forum for upgrading fuse panel ... prob need to go ahead and upgrade ...









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#12 ·
Huh? You said you installed LEDs. You need to be more detailed in explaining what work you performed

Really, you need to troubleshoot the electrical in person. If you do not understand how, then either learn and get someone local to look at it.

#4 is the PDWA. It turns on the brake warning light if there is a brake line failure.
 
#13 · (Edited)
That is the brake pressure switch for a warning light in the warning panel. suggest you do not touch. The problem you have is in the rear of the truck. Your Led brake lamps are wired backwards.

If opening the rear door has any effect, things are really effed up as that switch only switches ground to the dome light on and off.

The bright function of your tail light is the brake lamps and you describe it as being wired to the park lamp wire. Brakelight wire in the rover harness is green.
For anything to turn off with the door opening ground for your lights has been pulled from the door switch which is inane.
 
#15 ·
They were reversed thanks Red90 ! I figured red to red was they way they went ... it was red to purple ....

Doug, I can live with the brake lights not coming on while back door is open ... once I get my new doors I will tackle ! But it is strange ... lol

Here’s to learning !




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