brake light problem - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

harley · 02-25-2004, 06:21 PM

The duel filiment bulb #1157 brake & taillight burnt out on my Tacoma . Replaced the bulb, taillight works, brake does not.Tried several other bulbs with same result .The other brake and tailight work fine. Any ideas?? Thanks for any help.

JeremyH · 02-25-2004, 09:57 PM

Fuse? Are your contacts on the light and bulb good? Make sure they arent corroded.

redfox435cat · 02-25-2004, 10:27 PM

have a tow package? after checking fuses check for freyed/ bad connectors, metal showing at hitch wire harness also at the connection inside the tail light were the harness splits between the tail light and wireing harness. this can cuase shorts and spike blowing the bulbs and or fuses. had the same problem. The dork that installed the tow package pinched the harness and my tail lights blew on the way home second day owning the truck.

tonyride · 02-26-2004, 12:44 PM

I'm not sure if my problem is similar but I have a 1994 pickup (pre-Tacoma) 4x4 and my brake lights stopped working on both sides. The tail light (parking) still works and I checked the bulb and they seem fine on both sides but when I hit the brake pedal, the brake lights won't come on. Can anyone offer a possible solution?

redfox435cat · 02-26-2004, 10:08 PM

try checking the brake light switch. this sometimes gets stuck on older vehicals. circled in pic. it is at the pedel in the 04 it right of the sterring column between the gas and brake pedal

tonyride · 02-27-2004, 11:48 AM

But if it gets stuck then wouldn't it be stuck in the engaged, or "in" position making the brake light stay on rather than the opposite? I would imagine it wouldn't get stuck in the out (or brake lights off) position because the brake pedal arm would push it in when the brake is applied right? It seems to me like if the switch would get stuck, it would only get stuck in the "in" position and not spring back out when I let go of the brake pedal. Does that make sense?

tonyride · 02-28-2004, 12:27 PM

Stupid me!

I thought it was the fuse at first and I thought I checked the correct fuse the first time but I didn't. After taking it apart on this beautiful day in NJ and found nothing wrong, I thought I would just double check the fuse again. That's when I realized that I had checked the wrong fuze the first time. Now it is working just fine with a new fuse. I feel so stupid. Anyway, just changed the oil, too, and with 258, 481 miles it is still going strong... knock on wood. Funny thing, 2.5 years ago I purchased a new vehicle because I thought my truck was about to die... here I am still with the truck and the thing just won't die.. despite may trips to Vermont and Canada and pouncing my way through the snow. I love that old truck. 300K here we come.