When I hit the brakes the "light out" light turns on. It doesn't stay on, it just blips when I first touch the brakes. I have checked all the lights around the cars and they all work fine!! Has this happened to anyone else?
Brake light issue
- Thread starter TRACKMKIII
- Start date
The light failure box looks at the total current dropped across a resistor so an incorrect bulb, corroded socket or connector, or a dying box is probably at fault. If you open it up you'll find a "calibration" resistor you can replace with a slightly different value but since it was working before I'd check the other things first.
Take off the brake light cover in the back on the left side and theres a yellow box. Thats what you need to take care of.
Start with the small stuff tho, you might just have a filament broken in one of the bulbs. Then check the fluid, then if you're still having issues mess with the box.
That's twice with the fluid. What fluid? The blinker fluid? 
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We're talking about two different indicators here guys.
.We're talking about two different indicators here guys.
jetjock said:That's twice with the fluid. What fluid? The blinker fluid?
We're talking about two different indicators here guys.
I don't think so... if your brake light comes on and you don't have any lights out check your brake fluid... it could be low... granted it could be the lamp failure box... but not if you don't have any lights out...if your lamp failure box went out you'd have lights out... at least thats whats happened in my experience with that lamp failure box...
TrackMkIII Said the brake light out light not the brake failure warning light. Brake fluid in this case does not apply. As said the brake light out box or it could be corroded light socket. That is what happened to me. The brake light looked like it lit but not to full brightness. The result was the brake light out light came on. The problem in my case was water slowly leaking into the brake light area.
7MGTE: There is no connection between the light failure indicator and the low brake fluid/parking brake indicator. They're two completely independent circuits. Different systems with different functions. I suspect the confusion stems from using the word "brake" and people forgeting about the light out indicator because it seldom comes on (in 19 years of owning my car it's never lit up). Stuff happens. I recently misread a post about the fuel pump resistor for example.
7M-GTE said:
There are 2 lights. A "BRAKE" light, which comes on if your fluid is low, or if your e-brake is on. The second light is the "Tail light failure" indicator. The tail light failure indicator is in no way related to the brake fluid sensor, and the "BRAKE" light will NOT come on if one of your tail lights is burnt out. They're completely seperate.
Since the light is coming on when you hit the brakes, it is something in the brake circuit and not the other indicators back there (parking lights, side markers, etc). Check your brake lights, and your 3rd brake light (CHMSL), people sometimes forget the 3rd brake light.
Another thing that can cause this is putting an 89+ spoiler onto a car that had no spoiler, or a pre-89 spoiler, etc.
Jeff Lange said:
I wasn't sure of it... but Iknow that if your brake light comes on in other cars that it could possibly be your fluid... and the reason I still assumed fluid is because he said it only came on when he hit the brakes... which could send the fluid to the front of the resevior which could set off that sensor... it's like this in other cars I just didn'tknow it wasn't for the mkiii...
You're right, and it works exactly the same in the MKIII. It's just that you're confusing one system for another. He's talking about a different indicator light.
I started having the same problem too. it goes on when i turn my headlight on. goes off when i turn it off but when i step on my brakes it goes back on and stays on. it's the orange light with the car and the bottom/back of it is emphasized.
Sorry guys I should have been more clear. It is the it is the "tail light failture" warning lamp that comes on when i hit the brakes.
I see 'em on Ebay all the time for 5 bux or so. It's a real simple gadget if you know anyone who has even minor electronics expertise.