Re: IML: Brake lights not working on a 74

[Christopher H <imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Two things:

By "bypassing" do you mean connecting the wires together (most likely by using another small piece of wire from one terminal to the other inside the connector that you will have unplugged from the switch)? You want to bypass the switch, not the wires. Just making sure...

The turn signal switch can be the culprit because the brake lamps feed from the switch by the pedal, to the turn signal switch, and then out to each taillamp (counting both bulbs on each side of the car as one taillamp). That's how the car knows to turn off the brake lamp on the side of the car that's signaling.

Next thing I'd do after jumping wires on the brake-pedal switch (do this with the engine off, as the cruise control is not powered then) is back the car up to a plate glass window (like a store front in a strip mall) so you can see your rear lights in your mirror. With the engine running and the car in Park, step on the brake and stay on it. Then play with the turn signal lever. Left signal on...wiggle it around. Right signal on...wiggle it around. Sometimes this will allow some contact to be made if the switch has worn over time (happened on my '67), and you'll see an occasional brake lamp on the opposite side. (To your question, the turn signals can still work perfectly in this situation, since it's the "signal off" position that feeds the power to the brake lamps.) If not, the switch could be really worn and even this won't give you a clue, except that whatever it is, it's affecting the whole brake lamp circuit, so I'd guess your problem lies between the fusebox and the turn signal switch (including the possibility of needing a new switch). This certainly limits your investigation to a smaller area...just one that might induce a need for chiropractic afterwards.

Keep us posted!
Chris in LA
78 NYB Salon
67 Crown

-----Original Message-----
>From: Zack Morton <zmorty74@xxxxxxx>
>Sent: Jun 2, 2006 3:11 PM
>To: IML <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: IML: Brake lights not working on a 74
>
>Thank you so much for all your suggestions.  The turn signals do  
>work.  As well as hazards, and everything else on that fuse.  There  
>are 4 wires going into the brake light switch.  Two from the cruise  
>control?  I tried bypassing them both, to no avail.  Is it worth  
>getting a new switch anyway?  What other possibilities could it be?   
>Oh and I did check all the lights on the extremely rare possibility  
>that all 4 bright filaments were burned out, but both filaments on  
>all the lights were good.  Somebody mentioned something about the  
>turn signal switch being bad?  Was that only if the turn signals   
>didn't work?  Anyway, I'm open to suggestions.  Thanks everybody.
>
>	~Zack Morton~
>	1974 4dr. LeBaron
>
>
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