No brake lights or turn signals!

[FrozenRedneck]

I lost my brake lights and turn signals today... I seem to remeber seeing something on here about a swith in the steering column that controls them? Any info on that? Whats it look like?

 

[rckslash2010]

I replaced the switch in the steering column a couple of weeks ago. My problem was that I didn't have blinkers at my left rear, and right front signal lights. The brake lights worked fine. The first thing I would check would be the fuses. Does the blinkers up front work? Then try your emergency flashers. I'm not all that good at wiring issues, it's just something that I trace down through trial and error. Sometimes it can take a long time to get things figured out. Also, do a search on this issue and see what you come up with.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Brakes and turn signals both... thats no switch problem. Sounds more like a ground issue. All the outer marker lights run off of the same ground, it runs all the way around the truck. I had problems with my lights after pulling the motor and cab in my brown truck, I just wired them the way the factory should have. Cut the ground wire off the light socket several inches long and clean a spot on the body, give each light its own ground. You'd be amazed at how bright they are after that.

 

[franklin2]

The brake wiring and the rear turnsignal wiring both do go through the turnsignal switch, so it is a possibility.

If you want to check the switch, the best thing to do is go down to the plug at the bottom of the steering column, and poke the wires with a meter.

Make sure the turnsignal switch is in the center position.

Put one of your testlight or meter leads on ground, and then probe the lightgreen wire. While you have the lightgreen wire on the meter, push the brake pedal. You should get 12v, this is the brake signal wire going into the turnsignal switch.

If that's good, then probe the orange/lightblue wire. When you push on the brake, you should get 12v, this is the right rear brake turn wire.

If that's good, then probe the lightgreen/orange wire. When you push on the brake, you should get 12v, this is the left rear brake turn wire.

If all these tests pass, and your brake lights still don't work, your problem is going to be in the wiring to the rear or some other problem at the rear.