<VV> Brian's disappearing brake lights

[Sethracer at aol.com]

_patiomatt at aol.com_ (mailto:patiomatt at aol.com)  writes:


Yes..  the turn signals carry the brake light circuit... see diagram. this 
is most  likely your problem.

Sadly I have a pic of a non tele switch opened  up... but the tele's are 
different / rare... iirc


The basic connections are the same, though. The feed to the brake  lights 
goes through the column and through the turn signal switch. The switch  
interrupts the circuit to the brake lights -which only has power with your foot  
on the switch- and feeds it another power from the flasher. If it wasn't 
wired  this way, you wouldn't have flashing turn signals if the brake was 
applied. (=  rear-end collision at night) So you can check the wires where the 
column plugs  into the body harness. FIRST - Do your rear turn signals work? 
If so, the  problem is likely NOT in the column, it is in the feed circuit to 
or from the  brake light switch under the pedal assembly. When you  apply 
the brakes, you should find voltage on the wire feeding into the column  and 
on either of the feeds to the rear bright light feed. If it goes in, but  
doesn't come out, the issue is in the switch, down in the column, under the 
hub.  I have attached a photo of the top view of the switch contacts. Before 
you do  remove anything, test the wiring into and out of the column, this 
disassembly  job is a pain! To remove the turn signal actuator, the mounting 
screw comes up  from the bottom, you have to remove the lever attaching screw, 
then the three  Phillips screws visible in the photo, then slide the jacket 
down to ward the  dash and undo the screw on the bottom of the actuator. 
Painful? Yes, but it lets  you remove the actuator and see the brass contacts. 
Be very gentle with the  contacts. - Seth
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