# 97 Sentra GXE - Brakelight issue



## Shawn (Sep 18, 2002)

So here's the deal:

When the lights (headlights/tailights) are *off*, the brakelight just lights up as bright as if the headlights/tailights we're *on*.

When the headlights/tailights are *on*, the running light works as normal, but when the brakes are applied the light goes out completely.

Basically the bulb has 2 circuits, but only the circuit for the headlights/tailights works, where as they should both light up when the brakes are applied.

The bulb checkd out fine (even replaced it for verification).

Somewhere along the way it seems like a connection is lost. None of the wires leading into the connector for the bulb are visually disconnected.

Can anyone help me diagnose?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Typically when taillight and brake light issues both occur, it is usually where they cross paths: at the tailight bulb and socket. Make sure you check both bulbs and both sockets as these are the two most likely places for an electrical short to occur. Next likely place would be the combination switch, but I've seen failures of this type caused by a combination switch issue to be a lot more common in GM's and Chrysler products than in Nissans.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

^^ Also check the grounds on the light assy.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

IanH said:


> ^^ Also check the grounds on the light assy.


Definately! Have run into more than a few loose ground screws!


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## skeeter123 (Apr 30, 2010)

Any problems with the cruise control not staying on? The reason I ask is that sometimes when there are probs with the brake lights, the system thinks that the brakes have been applied, and turns off the cruise control. I found two things wrong with my daughter's Sentra:
1) Someone had substituted single-element bulbs into a dual-element socket; this had the effect of shorting the two signal lines together (If I remember rightly, the red parking light and red brake light should be dual-element bulb). Remove the bulbs and look down into the socket to verify if its a single or dual element socket.
2) On one of the brake light sockets, the ground-wire (or return line) was held in place OK, but was not soldered to the bulb-holder. The socket is a piece of plastic with the metal part pushed down into it; on mine the "signal" wire went to the center contact OK, but the ground wire was merely pressed up in between the plastic holder and the metal part which makes contact with the bulb. It was making contact intermittently. I pulled it apart, soldered the ground wire to the metal, and that fixed the brake light prob.
Hope this helps.


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## Shawn (Sep 18, 2002)

A quick background: I've had the car about 10 years and putt about 200k on it, so their are no suprises as far as wrong bulbs, etc. It's definitely an electrical short/mix-up, or something of that sort.

The socket appears to have all of the incoming wires connected. I gave a little tug on the different wires and everything seemed to be secured in place. The cruise control works fine. The other brake lights (driver-side, and center) work as they should, it's just the passanger side that is malfunctioning.

I haven't disassembled the socket. Is their any trick to it?

Also, can you point me in the direction of the combination switch? Does each brakelight have its own switch, or is it 1 switch for the entire system?

Thanks for the replies!


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## Shawn (Sep 18, 2002)

As an extremely delayed update:

I cut off the old bulb socket and re-crimped a new (used) socket from the junkyard, problem solved. Apparently the connection was loose and or corssed up in the socket.


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