I replaced a cracked rear tail light with an after market new light. Now the brake light won't work but reverse lights and directional signal do. The bulbs are fine as I've moved them around and still no brake light. And coincidentally, the left brake light won't come on and all other lights work. Bulbs were checked. Any suggestions?

1) Open trunk
2) Remove small round plastic access panel with a flat tip screw driver by prying open
3) Remove flat tip screw holding tail light assembly
4) Remove tail light assembly by pulling outward, careful not to break plastic guide/nub
5) Disconnect wiring connectors
6) Remove plastic housing access plate on back of tail light assembly by twisting/turning tabs until they click and then lift access plate from tail light assembly
7) When viewing the the bulbs, the turn signal bulb is the bottom left bulb
8) Install in reverse order, ensuring tail light seal seats properly during installation

YOU NEED THE LIGHT SOCKET.UNFORTUNATELY THAT PART IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE DEALER OR AFTERMARKET.THATS WHY THE DEALER WANTS TO SELL YOU THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY BAR.THE SOLUTION IS TO GET A USED ONE AT THE AUTO WRECKAGE OR SIMPLY SWAP THE SOCKET WITH THE REVERSE LIGHT SOCKET AND THAT WILL SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM.BOTH SOCKETS USE THE SAME LIGHT BULB #3057.

usualy there is a faulty earth to the bulb cluster remove them and clean all the conectors spray the harness and cluster with wd40 or similer put all bulbs back in and see if that works but i would go with a bad earth hope this helps ivan uk

This will either be a fuse or the brake light switch which is on the pedal it's self. More likely the switch as these are fickle at best.

on older nissans dashoard and tail light is on same fuse. can you please check fuses on drivers side under your steering wheel? check #16.

I'm checking into that same problem for a early 90's buick ( it's a GM also ) , I've checked the obvious ( bulbs, flasher,fuses,etc) all where fine. I assume your front turn signals work if you manually operate the turn signal switch or put on the hazard switch? The Buick's rear lights won't come on even with the hazard switch on. When you say one tail light has been out for some time, do you mean the brake/signal light or park/running lights? The Buick was like that with one side out for a while ( brake/signal light) but both the rear park/running lights work. Now, I've narrowed the problem down to the turn signal switch. I'd bet money on it. I just have to dig out my steering wheel puller, bite the bullet and get 'er done. You should be carefull if you're attempting that repair yourself ( AIRBAG ), use a manual. ( You could do a quick test by trying the turn signal while you pull the bottom of the arm toward you,move some of the wiring in the column near the arm,etc. I did and the signals started working. Could be the switch,dirt or a broken/loose wire. there's a lot of wiring going through the column and a lot of movement ( turn signal,high beam,cruise, then add tilt) Hope this helped.

I've got the same problem on 98 GMC Sierra.

I'm an electrical engineer, I checked the electrical diagrams and verified that there is no problem in the rear lamp assembly or wiring. With the light assembly unplugged, I can actually watch the blinker and brake signals operate with a voltmeter. The Tail light works OK.

It simply won't provide enough current to light the bulbs.

I'm afraid that it's melted one of a pair of normally closed contacts inside the blinker switch that feed the brake and turn separately on each side.

first eliminate the possibility that you have the wrong bulb in the wrong socket. it sounds dumb but going way back to 1157 bulbs there have been two rear tail light bulbs which will fit into the same socket but are electrically different. If you have ever driven down the road following a car which had one bright and one dim tail light, or brake light, then you have seen this in action.

since you have one good tail light assembly remove the bulbs, taking great care not to mix them up and make sure the bulbs are exactly same as in the non working assembly. i mean you have to look closely at the bulb's connection points as they will look very much the same.

if the bulbs are correct then you are looking at buying a new socket, or light assembly if the whole thing is wired into the car.

test and replace the brake light switch, it is located at the top of the arm the brake pedal is attached to.