How to Fix a Stuck Brake Light

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Disconnect the battery.

   Before doing any work on the electrical system in your vehicle, you should always disconnect the battery.
   
   This will ensure you don’t shock yourself or damage anything as you work.
   
   Use a hand or socket wrench to loosen the nut securing the ground cable to the negative terminal of the battery.
   
   Slip the cable off and tuck it to the side of the battery.You can locate the negative terminal by finding the letters “NEG” on the battery or looking for the negative (-) symbol.
   
   You will not need to disconnect the positive terminal.
2. 2

   Step 2: Put on eye protection.

   You will need to look around on the underside of your dashboard for this project, so it’s important that you put on eye protection to ensure no debris falls into your eyes.
   
   You will not need gloves for this project, but may choose to wear them to avoid poking yourself with wires.Goggle style eye protection offers the highest level of protection.
   
   Glasses style eye protection will suffice for this task. , The brake pedal switch is a button located along the shaft of the brake pedal, above the foot pad.
   
   As you press the pedal, the shaft presses the button, which turns on the brake lights.If you are unsure where to locate your brake pedal switch, refer to the service manual for your specific vehicle.
   
   The switch will have a wired pigtail coming off of it and will be mounted directly behind the brake pedal. , The wiring pigtail for the switch will be held in place with a plastic housing.
   
   Press on the clip release on the plastic housing to allow the pigtail to disconnect from the switch, then pull on the plastic portion of the pigtail to disconnect it.Do not pull on the wires themselves as it may disconnect or tear them away from the pigtail harness.
   
   Be very careful not to break the plastic clip. , Look inside the pigtail harness for signs of burning or melting.
   
   If the wiring has overheated, the pigtail may have been damaged, resulting in the brake light staying on permanently.
   
   Any signs of damage inside the wiring pigtail could cause issues with your brake lights.A damaged pigtail will have to be replaced in order to make your brake lights function properly.
   
   You may need to order the brake light switch pigtail from a dealership for some vehicles if they are not carried at your local auto parts store. , The switch itself is a long button that is pressed when you press the brake pedal down with your foot.
   
   While under the dashboard, press in on the pedal or on the button itself and see if the button pops back out when you release it.
   
   If it doesn’t, it likely means that the button is sticking in the “on” position.If the button is sticking in the “on” position, it will leave the brake light on all the time.
   
   Have a friend stand behind the car to see if pressing and depressing the switch has any effect on the brake lights.
   
   If the button doesn’t affect the lights, there may be a blown fuse or the switch itself may have gone bad.
3. 3

   Step 3: Locate your brake pedal switch.

4. 4

   Step 4: Disconnect the wiring pigtail from the switch.

5. 5

   Step 5: Visually inspect the wiring.

6. 6

   Step 6: Test the return of the switch.

Detailed Guide

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