Brake Light help!!!!

[Douggie26]

Hey all,
I have an issue with my brake lights when i turn my lights on my brake lights come on, but the right brake light stays on like i depressed the brake petal and the left brake light will not get bright at all. Any ideas what might be wrong?

BTW its a 1990 4runner sr5

 

[CodeButcher]

Hey all,
I have an issue with my brake lights when i turn my lights on my brake lights come on, but the right brake light stays on like i depressed the brake petal and the left brake light will not get bright at all. Any ideas what might be wrong?

BTW its a 1990 4runner sr5

Have you changed them recently? Do your brake light work with the lights turned off?

 

[Douggie26]

yea i changed both right and left mid summer...when i dont have my lights on then the left brake light operates normally but the right does not operate at all, When i changed the bulbs i noticed a wire that is spliced into it (was not soldered together) this wire goes to a goldish colored box that says its a tail light controller im wondering if this has anything to do with it. Before i changed the Bulbs the brake lights operated normally

 

[CodeButcher]

yea i changed both right and left mid summer...when i dont have my lights on then the left brake light operates normally but the right does not operate at all, When i changed the bulbs i noticed a wire that is spliced into it (was not soldered together) this wire goes to a goldish colored box that says its a tail light controller im wondering if this has anything to do with it. Before i changed the Bulbs the brake lights operated normally

Sounds like a wiring issue with the right brake light. Assuming the bulb is good. If you had replaced the left in the summer, the right side may have gone out. I'm assuming the right brake light worked when you changed it in the summer. Take a look at the right tail light assembly and make sure the wires are making contact.

The tail light controller is connected the tow hitch connector. I can't recall off the top of my head if the brake light has two contacts.

Brake lights are a pain if you don't have another person helping you press the brake pedal while you checking them. Though it can be done alone. I usually put a brick or bar wedge between seat the brake pedal.

 

[fourwd1]

Did you stick a single filament bulb in a dual filament socket, or vice-versa?
That would cause what you describe.

 

[Douggie26]

both lights are duel filaments and both were changed at the same time

 

[CodeButcher]

Then it's the wiring. If you have a voltmeter, you can check to see if the Right side lights of tow hitch is getting power while you test the brake light.

 

[Douggie26]

i just ended up changing both lights and they work fine now...its kind of crazy because both of the bulbs look fine so idk...thanks for the help guys

 

[CodeButcher]

The same thing happened on my Wife's LC. I changed the brake light bulb a few times and it would intermitently go out. Smacked the lens a few times and it would work.

I took it to the dealer for an oil change, and they noticed it was bad as well, and promply replaced it without my permission and wanted to charge me. I said I knew about the problem, but it's not the bulb since I changed it a few times already. I told the service tech I'm not paying for the bulb and labor. The service tech just said, forget it, and removed the charge. It's been working fine eversince. (knock on wood)

 

[Douggie26]

thats too funny...its like let me change your tires because they look a little bald...smh

I had something similar happen when i got my oil changed at Jiffy lube. I went in for the cheap oil change and they ended up doing a high mileage oil change when i specifically told them all i want is the cheap special that they were having