2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette-Brake lights not working. Replaced fried bulb panel, bulbs and plug which was melted at the connection. replaced stop light swith at brake pedal, found another smaller switch above the brake switch, but did not replace it. Connections are good. Right signal blinks fast flashing all lights, left blinks slow. Park, running, interior, dash & headlights all working fine. This has been an ongoing problem. I have not inspected 3rd brake light as it was working until recently.

Check the ground wires on that side .

If any of the brake lights work,it is not the switch.check the bulbs then take a test light and check for signal/power at the tailight plug

Ok try this, press down and hold brake then push on the hazard switch if the brake lights come on replace the turn signal switch.

there is a switch with the brake pedal.pls check it. some times the bulbs do not get earth connection due to rust gathered on its base. check the rust first clean it then the switch and then the wire from the switch to the lights.

automatic answer would be the rear brake light bulb. So much for being funny. Look at the bulbs the bulb that you will want to replace with have 2 elements inside the bulb. The single element bulb is for your tail lights.

Check the plug ins. Than check the light bulbs and see if they are melted If that is the case than you have to find the bad wires eather way it has something to do with your wires

a bulb that is too high wattage or a short in the ground wires

The rear brake light, passenger side, on my 2002 Olds Silhouette has had a similar problem. After years of frequent replacement of the bulbs, and often having the light not working an hour later, I finally looked into this and discovered that it's a common problem on this vehicle. Some or all of the sockets for the mulitple-bulb assembly are poorly designed, and do not properly hold the bulb in place. You can test this by having someone else pump the brakes on and off while you "jiggle" the bulb in/out/up/down. On mine, the bulb only works if it is inserted all the way and then pulled back out about half way. For whatever reason, this position properly seats the bulb.

This didn't start after you replaced bulbs did it?

I agree with the post about the tail lights. And the symptom about the brakes on when starting was also helpful. When I took off my rear tail lights and removed the top light bulb (top of the 4 is closest to connector) then repeat starting the car the problem is gone. I have a whole drawer of these bulbs that I removed, not because the filament was burned out, but because the base (similar to circuit card edge connector) had heat damage and melted. I am not sure exactly what the problem is but I think there are multiple conductors in the fixture which are too close or get moisture shorts. Anyway I hypothesize the circuit for daytime running lights is leaking current into the brake light circuit, and it causes that module that controls traction control and ABS to declare a fault. When you start with foot on the brakes the brake lamp is pulled on (I don't know if switches hi or lo) so that module doesn't declare the fault until you release the brakes.

I put in new bulbs and it works fine for now, but I know it may reappear some day then I will repeat, disassembly of the fixtures and inspect bulb bases for heat damage and clean out and replace. That is what did the trick for me.

Thanks Fixya and all contributors