by delbert brecht <halfsour@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Apr 4, 2008 at 04:16 PM
Tegger4/4/08 16:00Xns9A76A2683C2ABtegger@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> "Seth" <seth_lerman@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in
> news:hzuJj.333631$Gl5.128619@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>> <syclone98@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>> news:bd38c9d1-d429-4f40-a853-9663604a67f0@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> ..
>>> I recently bought a 1998 Honda Civic DX and discovered that my brake
>>> lights are not working.
>>>
>>> I began troubleshooting the problem by first replacing the brake
>>> light switch (under the brake pedal) which didn't help and then
>>> replaced the third brake light bulb (which was burnt out) but that
>>> didn't help either.
>>>
>>> I then started looking at the brake light bulbs and discovered
>>> something a little odd. The actual brake light bulb has two
>>> filaments in it - the first is for the running lights and the second
>>> gets illuminated when the brake pedal is pressed. What's happening
>>> with my car is that if the headlights are on, both filaments are lit
>>> for some unknown reason. I should add that the turn signals still
>>> work so I know that there is power in the circuit.
>>>
>>> Any ideas or suggestions on where I should look to fix the problem?
>>
>> You have a grounding issue. Both filaments are on when the running
>> lights are on because the running light filament is getting grounded
>> through the other filament.
>>
>> Fix the ground issue and both should work as they should.
>>
>>
>
>
>
> Bet there is corrosion in the sockets or connectors.
>
Check the simple things first. Does it have the correct bulb? Do this
first.
Check the contacts inside the bulb holder. When does each one get power?
Use
a test light or multimeter to do this. Get somebody to work the brake
pedal
for you. Is there corrosion anywhere? Did somebody try to wire up a
trailer
and botch the job? If you can read schematics, Honda puts out an
electrical
troubleshooting manual for most of their cars. There are wiring diagrams
which show which circuits share a ground and where that ground is located
on
the car.
--
Pickleman
halfsour@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
remove "yourpants" to reply
1998 Civic HX MT with 142K
2000 CRV EX MT with 98K
