third brake light

[grandnash84]

hey guys,

need some help with my third brake light that won't come on. i changed the bulb which was burnt and still didn't come on. i put my meter to the pigtail and socket and got 11.85 volts on both so I'm getting power to it. the bulb is new ,the housing, connectors, etc all look new no signs of being burnt. all the connections in the socket are made. i put the bulb in and wiggled it and checked to make sure no loose wires. im thinking about trying a different housing but im getting the correct voltage out the one i have now. i haven't checked the wires at the pedal because i got correct voltage at the light. all other lights work no problem any help would be appreciated

 

[SFI Cutlass]

Try checking the ground.

 

[grandnash84]

Try checking the ground.

if i was not making ground, would i get correct voltage?

 

[SFI Cutlass]

Yes but were you using the ground on the connector? Did you try getting the voltage and ground from the light socket?

 

[SFI Cutlass]

Correction. If you were not getting good ground on the body or anywhere on the circuit you would not get any voltage.

 

[grandnash84]

Yes but were you using the ground on the connector? Did you try getting the voltage and ground from the light socket?

yes, i have voltage at the socket

 

[FullThrottle87]

Definately a bad ground if you have 12 volt at the socket when the pedal is pressed.

 

[grandnash84]

Definately a bad ground if you have 12 volt at the socket when the pedal is pressed.

what volt should i have when pedal is pressed?

 

[BADDGUY6]

Try Ohm the bulb might be bad?

 

[ScottHeidinger]

This/\


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[captndave737]

what volt should i have when pedal is pressed?

battery voltage/12v

 

[dynoman]

Start at the beginning . Did the light work when you first got the car ? If it didn't , it might have the wrong bulb in it to start with . I believe that is a 1156 ( single filament ) bulb , as apposed to a 1157 dual filament .

 

[grandnash84]

Try Ohm the bulb might be bad?

im ohmed both new bulbs and their fine

 

[grandnash84]

Start at the beginning . Did the light work when you first got the car ? If it didn't , it might have the wrong bulb in it to start with . I believe that is a 1156 ( single filament ) bulb , as apposed to a 1157 dual filament .

I bought new 1156 bulbs, that was what I pulled out to changed it. just got the car a month ago and It never worked. the 1156 bulb I took out was burnt.

 

[grandnash84]

battery voltage/12v

that's what I thought, guess that guy was mistaken lol

 

[No disintegrations]

If you you have ground and 12v and a good bulb only one thing left. The bulb isn't connecting in the socket. Or a break in a wire which won't flow current but tests OK. This is where a power prob type of test light is nice to have.

 

[TurboTGuy]

My problem was the socket was cracked just a tiny bit and when you installed the bulb, it spread the socket just enough it caused it to lose the ground. A new one fixed my issue.

The sockets are 30+ years old now and that plastic has seen a lot of heat cycles in all that time.

 

[grandnash84]

My problem was the socket was cracked just a tiny bit and when you installed the bulb, it spread the socket just enough it caused it to lose the ground. A new one fixed my issue.

The sockets are 30+ years old now and that plastic has seen a lot of heat cycles in all that time.

I was thinking the socket might have something wrong with it. kinda wanted to see if anything else could be done before I chance it and buy a new housing. maybe I might go with the led 3rd if im going to spend money, thx

 

[grandnash84]

If you you have ground and 12v and a good bulb only one thing left. The bulb isn't connecting in the socket. Or a break in a wire which won't flow current but tests OK. This is where a power prob type of test light is nice to have.

I think I might try new housing, hopefully that's it. everything looks made when the bulb is in but its prob something separating it that I cant see, thx

 

[TurboTGuy]

I bought just the socket. Found it in the "Help" section at Auto Zone.