The third brake light works but the lower ones don't- Help please

[RoverInTheRockies]

My buddy just bought a 95 DI and on the way to his house I followed behind him. I noticed that when he hit his brakes only the 3rd light came on. We checked the bulbs and the tail light connectors and to no avail. I thought that it could be the brake switch but if it were that I would think that the 3rd wouldn't come on either...

Does anyone have any experience with this problem? If so please let e know how to fix it.

Thanks in advance

 

[KevLar]

Start with the obvious stuff... You've checked the bulbs and the connector contacts. What about fuses ? Are you getting power to the contacts ? I have a '96 so I don't know precisely how the '95 wiring works, but if it's a pair (left and right) of lights that are ot working, it's possible that it's a fuse. Are the affected lights double filament bulbs that are also the brake lights ?

 

[RoverInTheRockies]

He said that he checked the fuse while I was checking the bulbs. The bulbs are mono fillament. and yeah we have done everything basic but check for current flow.

 

[KevLar]

He said that he checked the fuse while I was checking the bulbs. The bulbs are mono fillament. and yeah we have done everything basic but check for current flow.

Well the next and very important step is to see if you are getting 12 volts to the receptacle. While you are checking for voltage (use a test light or voltmeter), make sure to closely inspect the wires and connections to the receptacle, and check it for corrosion. Also, if you have a multimeter (or an ohmmeter), it will help in identifying and circuit tracing the source of the problem. I just had my front left flasher bulb stop working, and it turned out to be just corrosion on the receptacle and bulb. I used a bit of fine steel wool to clean both and sprayed them with rust inhibitor and all is fine !

If you are not getting power to the connector, then you will have to identify the source, but you are correct in that the brake switch should power ALL brake lights, meaning that is likely not the problem.

I'm not familiar with the '95 lights, but typically in the rear you have signal lights (flashers), running lights and brake lights. In many vehicles, the brake and running lights are run on a dual filament bulb. Are you saying that the truck has 2 separate sets of brake lights ?

 

[RoverInTheRockies]

I'm not familiar with the '95 lights, but typically in the rear you have signal lights (flashers), running lights and brake lights. In many vehicles, the brake and running lights are run on a dual filament bulb. Are you saying that the truck has 2 separate sets of brake lights ?

On the 95 the top light is the brake and the running light the middle is the reverse and the bottom is suposed to be the turn from what I have gathered...

The top light is a mon fillament bulb (only one wire bridging the 2 towers) I am wondering if that is the prob...

 

[Lake_Bueller]

I can't remember which type of bulbs are required for the DI. Do you have a manual? It will give you the bulb type.

 

[RoverInTheRockies]

yeah he does i will tell him to look

 

[KevLar]

On the 95 the top light is the brake and the running light the middle is the reverse and the bottom is suposed to be the turn from what I have gathered...

The top light is a mon fillament bulb (only one wire bridging the 2 towers) I am wondering if that is the prob...

Do you mean that the previous owner substituted a mono filament bulb for the dual that's supposed to be in there ? That would probably explain the problem, and if that's the case, he would have had to force it into place because the bayonet studs on a dual filament are offset while the mono studs are inline...

You should be able to easily tell if it's a dual socket because there will be 2 wires running to the pigtail.

Kev

 

[RoverInTheRockies]

Do you mean that the previous owner substituted a mono filament bulb for the dual that's supposed to be in there ? That would probably explain the problem, and if that's the case, he would have had to force it into place because the bayonet studs on a dual filament are offset while the mono studs are inline...

You should be able to easily tell if it's a dual socket because there will be 2 wires running to the pigtail.

Kev

I texted him earlier and told him to check the bulbs again... and sure enough that is what the problem was... It looks like they were forced in there but the bulbs were extreemly cheap from what it sounds like one of the studs had broken off and the other one had been sanded down.... The funny thing is that he looked through all of the papers that came with it (the lady that sold it to him would only take it to the stealership) and found one with a charge for 78.00 to replace both brake bulbs... so the fuckers put in the wrong bulbs and covered it up!!!!

 

[KevLar]

I texted him earlier and told him to check the bulbs again... and sure enough that is what the problem was... It looks like they were forced in there but the bulbs were extreemly cheap from what it sounds like one of the studs had broken off and the other one had been sanded down.... The funny thing is that he looked through all of the papers that came with it (the lady that sold it to him would only take it to the stealership) and found one with a charge for 78.00 to replace both brake bulbs... so the fuckers put in the wrong bulbs and covered it up!!!!

Wow, that is absolutely unbelievable !!

While I wouldn't put anything past the stealerships, I'd be curious to see how old the receipt is for those bulbs, and see if both bulbs were the wrong type. It's possible that if the receipt is fairly old, then one or maybe both bulbs were replaced again after the stealership changed them... I know the stealerships have a reputation for ripping people off, but it's usually for not doing work they claim to have done, not replacing parts they claim to have replaced, or doing work that wasn't necessary. I'm surprised that they would do work using the wrong part, and also use a part that apparently wasn't genuine LR.

Too bad he couldn't prove that it was the stealership who did it, otherwise he could really sue their asses for using improper parts and creating a hazard by disabling the brake lights !

Anyway, glad to hear that minor mystery is resolved ! As for replacement bulbs, my '96 has a list of "correct" bulbs in the owner's manual, but they are impossible to find at any retailer other than LR. However, the bulb numbers do cross-reference to standard bulb type that you can get at any automotive shop. Bring the bulb into your local auto parts place and ask them to match it, then write down the number for future reference. There's no point paying inflated LR prices for a friggin' light bulb !!