Rear Brake Light Will not work
 

Hello Master minds I have a 1998 E320 with the right brake light doesn't work I have changed the blub and carrier and still the darn thing doesn't work. Can someone out the tell a fellow what is wrong? I've tried everything except changing the entire tailight.


Need Help!

The PCB contacts can wear down and/or corrode. If they are worn down you can try bending up the contacts on the socket (lampholder) or slightly building up the contact points with some solder.

Voltmeter check at harness end to verify problem is at the socket.

And, as I stated in the other post use electronics cleaner on both the bulb and the socket (lampholder). Once you get ten to twenty hours into this project and still no joy, it might be worth considering finding a top rated automotive electrical repair shop to solve the problem. Run a BBB report (easily available on the BBB web site) BEFORE taking your car in. Also, ask if they are familiar with german car electrical systems. They will have the problem solved in 1/4 the time and save you from getting more grey hair. Electrical issues can be amongst the most frustrating of all, that's why these shops are booked up.

My 3rd brake light would not work.Solution got rid of brake light,and replaced with unversal and cheaper bulds.

When the brakes are lit on the new Audi, it looks like the sky lit up! Some of the new GM cars have blinking rear brake lights to WAKE UP sleeping tail gaters. You just haven't lived until you've been rear ended by a speeding out of control tail gating idiot.

Harness has to be busted somewhere if you have done all that and nothing is happening. Why, who knows? Has to be corrosion.

If you are really that tired of it, find the brake light feed wire in either the LH or RH tail light cluster and T tap (yes, T Tap- keeps the integrity of the wire you are branching into ) off of that and run new 18GA wire to the bulb in the 3rd brake light- cut and splice into the wiring harness for the 3rd eye. Hide it in the package tray, and secure the T-tap connector with a wrap of electrical tape.

Problem solved.

rjp

My guess is that there is corrosion on the contacts that are part of the taillight assembly. I would try polishing the contacts where the bulb holder rides on these contacts. I would use an eraser on a pencil to polish away any corrosion. You might also have luck by turning the bulb holder just a hair in the off direction so a new portion of the contact is being used.

I have yet to see a German car from any era have decent electrical contacts.

you think this is bad, own a BMW.

rjp