Brake lights one side

[digadam]

Hi guys. Recently noted all of my lights work. Indicators and everything work ok. However when I press the brake, only the right side works. Is this normal or a problem. I notice the tail lights and indicators and brake lights all share the same bulbs.

 

[Omie01]

Both sides of the 3 slot tail lights should light up for brake lights, the center is for backup light. If you have original sockets try cleaning them and wiggling bulbs with the lights on. Sometimes I get a dead bulb just from vibration. I changed bulb brands and that helped. If not you have some bad wiring somewhere. I can't help a lot with that. Just check all your grounds for good connection too! Good Luck!!

 

[digadam]

Both sides of the 3 slot tail lights should light up for brake lights, the center is for backup light. If you have original sockets try cleaning them and wiggling bulbs with the lights on. Sometimes I get a dead bulb just from vibration. I changed bulb brands and that helped. If not you have some bad wiring somewhere. I can't help a lot with that. Just check all your grounds for good connection too! Good Luck!!

Thanks for the quick reply. Just to clarify, both the outer red lights on the right side of the car work as tail light and brake. However left side if the car both outer red lights work as tail light but not as brake light. 

In in other words only the two outer red lights on the right side of the car work as brake lights. There is no brake light action at all on the left side of the car. 

Still ill an Issue?  Thinking maybe old cars only have braking lights on one side of the car?

 

[Don C]

Brake lights should work on both sides, since sometime in the 1920s or 1930s when they became required on both sides. The bulbs have 2 filaments in them, one for tailights and the other for turn signals and brakes. The brake light circuits run through the turn signal switch, so if the turn signals work on the left side I suspect the turn signal switch is bad, not passing the voltage through the switch for the brakes.

 

[digadam]

Brake lights should work on both sides, since sometime in the 1920s or 1930s when they became required on both sides. The bulbs have 2 filaments in them, one for tailights and the other for turn signals and brakes. The brake light circuits run through the turn signal switch, so if the turn signals work on the left side I suspect the turn signal switch is bad, not passing the voltage through the switch for the brakes.

Ok thanks very much. I’ll consult my auto electrician

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Since the brake light housings are all plastic each socket has it's own ground. The trunks or tail light gaskets on all our cars are know to leak. So the inside of the trunk is humid a lot, lol.

If your front turn signal works and back I don't think turn signal switch is the culprit. Pull the sockets out and take the bulbs out. Check the bulbs by using a small lead hooked to your battery. Clean the sides of the metal bulb base and also the two contacts on the bottom with steel wool or metal brush. Also clean inside the bulb socket and the separate ground wire on each socket.

You need to get you a tube of automotive electrical grease, Permatex is a popular brand. Any auto parts store has it usually where the tubes or RTV are located. Use a small brush and coat the insides of the sockets and bulb bases with the grease also coat the connectors for the grounds.

I do this to every connection on the car to prevent issues. Use the grease on your plug wire connections also.

If you have a boat or camper it will help keep all those lights going also.

Don't go to a mechanic and pay $70 an hour for him to clean the sockets.