Expert: Roland Finston - 2/3/2012

Question
QUESTION: Both brake lights are not working on my 2000 Chrysler Town & Country. We've switched out the fuse, the bulbs and the switch and the brake pedal...and they still are not working. Is there something else we are missing that would cause this problem?

ANSWER: Hi Stephanie,
Those are the components of the circuit. Have you checked for voltage to be present on both sides of the fuse, and then gone to the brake pedal switch and checked for voltage on the pink/black wire, and then stepped on the brake and checked for voltage on the white/tan wire, and then on that same color wire at either of the brake bulb sockets while a helper steps on the brake? That checking for the presence of voltage is the next step to isolate exactly where in the circuit the voltage is not being completed. You can use a voltmeter or a simple/cheap 12v neon glow bulb, placing one lead on the wire in question and the other lead on a shiney metal surface nearby. Let me know what you find and we can get this resolved.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: After doing what you said we have discovered that there is no voltage/juice going to the switch at the brake pedal. I'm still uncertain of how to fix this but that definitely helped us. Thank you very much

Answer
Hi Stephanie,
The wire between the fuse socket and the brake pedal switch (pink/dark blue) leaves the fuse box on an dark green 10-pin plug located on the back side of the fuse box (It flips over when released from its clamps to reveal the several plugs). So you could check that wire on pin 8 of that plug to verify that it shows 12v, and from there it is a straight shot to the brake pedal along the plugs harness with no other disconnection spots. So either there is a problem between the fuse and pin 8, or a break in the wire between pin 8 and pedal switch. Visually inspect as much of that wire as you can, but if there is voltage on pin 8 and none on the other end of the wire at the pedal switch then you may ust have to put in a replacement wire between those two points.
Roland