brake lights not working

[Rippin]

My brake lights stopped working. The brake lights got stuck on, so i reached under the dash and fondled the switch a bit. Well, the brake lights shut off, permanently. So I bypassed the switch, and still nothing. From what I can deduce from asking Google all sorts of questions, I'm lookin at the turn signal switch being the culprit. Any input?

 

[BusaDave9]

Sounds like a problem with the brake like switch at the top of the pedal. When the pedal is pressed the switch is de-activated and the brake light comes on. It sounds like the switch was misadjusted causing the light to come on. Then you may have accidentally unplugged it.

This would be an easy task if it wasn't so far up behind the dash. I hate working on anything up there. You're laying on your back across the doorway of your jeep with a small flashlight in your mouth and you still can't see the switch you are trying to work on because there is a steering column and wires in the way. If you can see the switch I am talking about you are not looking at the right part. The brake switch is way up there at the pivot of the brake pedal.
Have fun

 

[BusaDave9]

Here's the switch

 

[Rippin]

Ive already eliminated the brake switch as my problem. I pulled the plug from the back of it and jump wired the terminals of the plug so that the brake lights should be constantly on, but still nothing which leads me to suspect the turn signal switch. And yes, my injured sciatic nerve just LOVES the contortionist position required to get to that stupid thing

 

[Rippin]

Ok I just installed my new brake switch, still nada. Leaning more towards the turn signal switch

 

[BusaDave9]

Do you have a blown fuse?

From the fuse box there is a wire that brings 12 volts to the brake light switch. I would check to see if you have 12 volts on one of the wires of the brake light switch. From there it goes to the steering column switch. Check to make sure you have the voltage necessary before replacing anything.

 

[Rippin]

Yep, already checked for juice. All fuses are good, checked visually and with meter, and got 12 volts at the switch

 

[BusaDave9]

It's beginning to look like you answered your own question in your original post.

I'm lookin at the turn signal switch being the culprit. Any input?

It gets me that it stopped all together when you started working on it. Make sure the turn signal switch is not coming loose. Here's the connection.

 

[Rippin]

well, my turn signal never has worked anyway because its broken inside the column, so it needs replaaced. Ive already gotten the steering wheel pulled, how do I get deeper than that?

 

[Rippin]

before I dug into the steering column, decided to test everything. unplugged the installed turn signal harness, plugged in the new one, and voila, I have brake lights and turn signals!

Now the question is, how do I dig into the column to replace this thing? Is there an easy way to do it, or is following the autozone repair guide that says to use a compressor tool gonna be the only way? id prefer to not have to run back out to the store, as I live about 15 miles from the nearest parts store

 

[Rippin]

Got it all working. The turn signal switch was definitely the culprit. It's nice to have working turn signals now lol