Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

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thaxman
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Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:39 am
Location: AZ

Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by thaxman »

Its been a veery long time since I've been here, but my login and password were still good, believe it or not.

Unfortunately my 93 L Wagon is gone, but my MIL has a 94 L Wagon that my sister-in-law has on permanent loan. She is not hard on cars, but if something is going to break, she will be the one that it happens to. The car has been in my driveway DOA 3X now, and this one has me stumped: no brake lights. Got headlights, parking lights, turn signals, dashboard lights, etc. The dome light circuit has been dead as long as I have known, so I don't think they are related. Any ideas what would cause just the brake lights to fail, but not the parking lights?
'93 L Wagon: gone @ 190K (still see her around sometimes) and replaced by
'06 Mazda5 5MT (hers)
'04 Volvo V70 T5 MT (his)

wish list:
'05-'06 XT Legacy Wagon or Outback
Challenger R/T
rallyak
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Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:02 am
Location: Anchorage,Alaska

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by rallyak »

Easy stuff first: fuse and brake switch are both good?
Charles

90' White/Gray Outback DD workhorse (670,xxx) miles
92' Onyx Metallic (430,xxx) Wife's DD
68' Barracuda formula S 340 4spd coupe (ongoing project)
66' Mustang 2+2 4spd wife's (ongoing project)
thaxman
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Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:39 am
Location: AZ

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by thaxman »

If you were to search my old posts, you'd find I almost never had any problems w/my '93.
IOW, I have no idea where the brake switch is. All the fuses under the hood latch are OK.
'93 L Wagon: gone @ 190K (still see her around sometimes) and replaced by
'06 Mazda5 5MT (hers)
'04 Volvo V70 T5 MT (his)

wish list:
'05-'06 XT Legacy Wagon or Outback
Challenger R/T
rallyak
Third Gear
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:02 am
Location: Anchorage,Alaska

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by rallyak »

Brake switch is under the dash on the brake pedal. I've accidentally unplugged mine once while doing something under the dash.
Last edited by rallyak on Tue Feb 24, 2015 4:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Charles

90' White/Gray Outback DD workhorse (670,xxx) miles
92' Onyx Metallic (430,xxx) Wife's DD
68' Barracuda formula S 340 4spd coupe (ongoing project)
66' Mustang 2+2 4spd wife's (ongoing project)
thaxman
In Neutral
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:39 am
Location: AZ

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by thaxman »

ON the pedal? O just got out the flashlight & I didn't see anything attached from the pedal all the way up to the hinge. IIRC, there wasn't much above the hinge either. This car doesn't have the fuse box door anymore. Which fuse is the brake light? I eyeballed each one, but there is one in the center row closest to the door that has a plastic ring around it - 15 amp - that I couldn't see and wasn't coming out without more effort that I was willing to give it at the moment.
'93 L Wagon: gone @ 190K (still see her around sometimes) and replaced by
'06 Mazda5 5MT (hers)
'04 Volvo V70 T5 MT (his)

wish list:
'05-'06 XT Legacy Wagon or Outback
Challenger R/T
thaxman
In Neutral
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:39 am
Location: AZ

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by thaxman »

OK, so I saw the switch on top of the hinge. How the flip do you get it off?
'93 L Wagon: gone @ 190K (still see her around sometimes) and replaced by
'06 Mazda5 5MT (hers)
'04 Volvo V70 T5 MT (his)

wish list:
'05-'06 XT Legacy Wagon or Outback
Challenger R/T
rallyak
Third Gear
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:02 am
Location: Anchorage,Alaska

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by rallyak »

I pulled over and snapped some pics
Image
Image
Charles

90' White/Gray Outback DD workhorse (670,xxx) miles
92' Onyx Metallic (430,xxx) Wife's DD
68' Barracuda formula S 340 4spd coupe (ongoing project)
66' Mustang 2+2 4spd wife's (ongoing project)
thaxman
In Neutral
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:39 am
Location: AZ

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by thaxman »

Dang man, You're awesome!!
'93 L Wagon: gone @ 190K (still see her around sometimes) and replaced by
'06 Mazda5 5MT (hers)
'04 Volvo V70 T5 MT (his)

wish list:
'05-'06 XT Legacy Wagon or Outback
Challenger R/T
James614
Fourth Gear
Posts: 1744
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:35 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by James614 »

Is the car an automatic? If so, the brake light switch also opens the shift-lock. If the switch is bad you'd have to push the button on the console to shift out of P. I actually replaced an entire shift-lock assembly before without realizing the brake lights also didn't work.
93 Touring Wagon (EJ20G 5spd Swap) -- Finally back and running strong as ever!

05 Outback 2.5XT 5spd -- Now the wife can have her SUV and get in on the turbo Legacy goodness at the same time.
thaxman
In Neutral
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:39 am
Location: AZ

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by thaxman »

James614 wrote:Is the car an automatic? If so, the brake light switch also opens the shift-lock. If the switch is bad you'd have to push the button on the console to shift out of P. I actually replaced an entire shift-lock assembly before without realizing the brake lights also didn't work.

Had to press the button to get out of Park as long as I have had the "opportunity" to dig into this car (this example is NOT in the condition of the car I sold) so I wonder if its not had brake lights all this time. Supposedly a new switch is traversing the continent as I write, but I don't think I'll see it until late next week, grumble.
Is replacing it just a matter of disconnecting the electrical connection and removing the unit counterclockwise while holding the outside bolt in place? I can't tell if its more in-depth than that. The floorboard smells like feral cat, if you get my meaning.
'93 L Wagon: gone @ 190K (still see her around sometimes) and replaced by
'06 Mazda5 5MT (hers)
'04 Volvo V70 T5 MT (his)

wish list:
'05-'06 XT Legacy Wagon or Outback
Challenger R/T
James614
Fourth Gear
Posts: 1744
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:35 am
Location: Arkansas

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by James614 »

All you gotta do is unscrew that lower nut and it pulls straight out.
93 Touring Wagon (EJ20G 5spd Swap) -- Finally back and running strong as ever!

05 Outback 2.5XT 5spd -- Now the wife can have her SUV and get in on the turbo Legacy goodness at the same time.
thaxman
In Neutral
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:39 am
Location: AZ

Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by thaxman »

That did it! Thank you all for the assistance. Brake lights, shift lock - all work now. Its tight working down there though.
'93 L Wagon: gone @ 190K (still see her around sometimes) and replaced by
'06 Mazda5 5MT (hers)
'04 Volvo V70 T5 MT (his)

wish list:
'05-'06 XT Legacy Wagon or Outback
Challenger R/T
Legacy777
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Re: Brake lights - GOT NONE!!!

Post by Legacy777 »

Glad it was an easy fix.
Josh

surrealmirage.com/subaru
1990 Legacy (AWD, 6MT, & EJ22T Swap)
2020 Outback Limted XT

If you need to get a hold of me please email me rather then pm
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