Brake light problem, help!!

[Dirt nasty_gst]

Okay, so I've searched through the forums and haven't found anyone that has the same issue as me. When I bought the car (2 months ago) the right blinker was going crazy, and I had a right rear bulb out. So I replaced it and it fixed the blinker...for the first 5 min. Only the inner bulb lights up when i hit the brakes/blinker. Then I came to realize my brake switch had a quarter taped to it...replaced that and the brake lights and blinker worked great for a couple weeks. Now it's back to where I started with only one light working, any advice?

 

[Reverendlimeter]

Are you running the correct bulb? Had some very bizzare issues with a saab running a different brake light bulb, but then again it was a saab.

 

[Dirt nasty_gst]

pretty sure I am, then again I did just kinda stop by AutoZone after I bought the car and they told me what bulbs. Dont recall the size

 

[AllanL]

how about the bulb holders? no signs of corrosion on the neck and contacts?

 

[Dirt nasty_gst]

how about the bulb holders? no signs of corrosion on the neck and contacts?

Yea i did all that before I replaced the brake switch the first time. I was thinking it could be a short somewhere but it was fine a couple weeks. Figure it would have shorted out sooner. I'm gonna replace the second bulb from the left and see how that works. Just cause i have a spare bulb laying around. will report back

 

[Mauispyder]

Is the "bumper" between the brake switch and metal pedal tab intact? Without it the brake lights will try to stay on all the time

 

[XiholdtrueX]

I would say recheck all connections and make sure theres no short and brske switch is still good

 

[emcee]

Is the "bumper" between the brake switch and metal pedal tab intact? Without it the brake lights will try to stay on all the time

Coincidentally I just had this problem with the brake tab. When I got home I noticed my brake lights stayed on. I checked brake fluid - fine; took it up a small hill in the neighborhood and it rolled down fine with no binding so I figured it was not a stuck brake pad. I noticed some small pieces of blue plastic in the floor. When I tried the brake switch by hand it turned them off. Apparently that little blue plastic tab broke after 20 years so the brake switch stays on all the time. After thinking about it I took a plastic wall anchor (see below) and pushed it through from the drivers seat side toward the firewall and it works fine! Why they would design it even needing a tab seems dull, but hey I fixed it for nothing so its a good day!

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[Mauispyder]

Cool
I used a golf tee
It fit way better than I expected