Tail light issue

[Ohtwo986S]

So I seem to have a pretty odd tail light situation going on. I’ve searched everything I could find online and didn’t really get anywhere.

My taillights light up in every spot except the passenger side brake light. (The main one that lights up when you turn your lights on) So I went to autozone today to replace the bulb (5007 part number) and upon removing the light assembly from the trunk I saw that tail light bulb wasn’t even installed. Just an empty space.... so I’m like ok that’s odd. I put the bulb in thinking that’ll solve that but when I turned the lights on the tail light was still out.

Also.... my brake lights light up but when you press the brake pedal they don’t brighten. So again, they light up no problem, but don’t do anything when you apply the brake pedal. Also, the third brake light DOES function properly. (The one above the trunk) Oh and I did check the fuses already and they are ok.

What is going on?

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by Ohtwo986S

So I seem to have a pretty odd tail light situation going on. I’ve searched everything I could find online and didn’t really get anywhere.

My taillights light up in every spot except the passenger side brake light. (The main one that lights up when you turn your lights on) So I went to autozone today to replace the bulb (5007 part number) and upon removing the light assembly from the trunk I saw that tail light bulb wasn’t even installed. Just an empty space.... so I’m like ok that’s odd. I put the bulb in thinking that’ll solve that but when I turned the lights on the tail light was still out.

Also.... my brake lights light up but when you press the brake pedal they don’t brighten. So again, they light up no problem, but don’t do anything when you apply the brake pedal. Also, the third brake light DOES function properly. (The one above the trunk) Oh and I did check the fuses already and they are ok.

What is going on?

Are you sure that isn't the fog light... maybe you're confusing the fog lights for the brake lights... and you only have a bad bulb on the one side?

[ZDCATC]

During your test, was the rear fog light switched on?

Starter986 makes a good point. Our cars' rear fog light only illuminates on the left (road) side of the car. It's possible there's a fog light bulb missing on the right because it never came with one when it was delivered to the US. In countries where the road- or driver's-side of the car is on the right, the fog light bulb is on the right (and presumably no bulb is installed on the left).

If you had the fog light switched off during your test then it could be a faulty brake (or stop light) switch. I'd do a search for that and see if anyone else had similar symptoms.

This first pic is with my ignition on and headlights on. The second pic is with all lights on, inlcuding fogs. Theres no one in the car so the brakes are not lit up, and high beams are off if that matters.

[Ohtwo986S]

Originally Posted by ZDCATC

During your test, was the rear fog light switched on?

Starter986 makes a good point. Our cars' rear fog light only illuminates on the left (road) side of the car. It's possible there's a fog light bulb missing on the right because it never came with one when it was delivered to the US. In countries where the road- or driver's-side of the car is on the right, the fog light bulb is on the right (and presumably no bulb is installed on the left).

If you had the fog light switched off during your test then it could be a faulty brake (or stop light) switch. I'd do a search for that and see if anyone else had similar symptoms.

This first pic is with my ignition on and headlights on. The second pic is with all lights on, inlcuding fogs. Theres no one in the car so the brakes are not lit up, and high beams are off if that matters.

Attachment 22685

Attachment 22686

No the fog light wasn’t switched on. So I took a pic of the light assembly when I went to replace the bulb here:


That was the bulb that was missing upon removing the assembly.(this is the right passenger side) As far as I know that’s just the regular tail light bulb. Not for the brakes or fogs.

Edit: D’OH! I realized I was looking at the light assembly wrong. Just switched the bulb to the correct place. I guess because I saw an empty spot I assumed that was where it goes. Tail light now works! Thanks a lot!

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by Ohtwo986S

No the fog light wasn’t switched on. So I took a pic of the light assembly when I went to replace the bulb here:


That was the bulb that was missing upon removing the assembly.(this is the right passenger side) As far as I know that’s just the regular tail light bulb. Not for the brakes or fogs.

Edit: D’OH! I realized I was looking at the light assembly wrong. Just switched the bulb to the correct place. I guess because I saw an empty spot I assumed that was where it goes. Tail light now works! Thanks a lot!

Glad to hear you got it sorted out. It was sounding like it could be an electrical gremlin. Cheers!

[Ohtwo986S]

Originally Posted by Starter986

Glad to hear you got it sorted out. It was sounding like it could be an electrical gremlin. Cheers!

Thanks! So I bought new brake light bulbs today and put em in and everything is resolved!

It seems the only issue was my failure to understand that there is a separate light for the brake and tail lights. My last car and probably last few cars had the the tail light incorporated with the brake light. So I assumed this was the case.