Brake lights

[SeKcGamer]

I pulled my car into the auto body shop in school because I notice one taillight was dimmer than the other. I fixed the dim issue. But I asked my friend to see if my brake lights worked and he said they didnt. Also I was really low on brake fluid because my dad was removing the calipers to see why there was a lot of squeaking. I bought some today and poured it in. Do you guys think it's the brake switch?

 

 

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[Zed Head]

Which switch?  Which car?  Have you checked the fuse?

You should add your car description to your sig.  It's in your profile.

[SeKcGamer]

Which switch?  Which car?  Have you checked the fuse?
You should add your car description to your sig.  It's in your profile.

It's my 1976 280z, the fuse is good.

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[Zed Head]

The switch at the brake pedal is a simple on-off switch, actuated by the pedal positon.  It should have power to the connector at all times.  That would be the simplest place to start I think.  If there's no power there then you'll know which side to work on to narrow things down.  Crawl up under the dash with a meter and see what you find.

[SeKcGamer]

The switch at the brake pedal is a simple on-off switch, actuated by the pedal positon.  It should have power to the connector at all times.  That would be the simplest place to start I think.  If there's no power there then you'll know which side to work on to narrow things down.  Crawl up under the dash with a meter and see what you find.

The voltimeter read 3.56 at the switch

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[Zed Head]

There are two sides - one to the lights and their ground point, and the other from the power source,  You only reported one number.

Break out that circuit testing knowledge.  This is a very simple one, power on one side and device on the other.  It's just a switch, a break in the circuit.  Button in, circuit made, button out, circuit broken.

[gwri8]

Those are good things to check that ZH mentioned.  

Also, when it the last time you checked the bulbs in the sockets?  If you've never checked before, that is a common connection problem due to rust and crud built up over time on cars that have sat for a long time.  It happens to the running/parking lights also.  Probably a good time to check them all.  Deoxit is the cleaner that some of the electrical guys around here like to recommend.

[sweatybetty]

you have a bad ground

[Zed Head]

I would second that, IF he was measuring across the switch.  Unclear what he measured.

[SeKcGamer]

Those are good things to check that ZH mentioned.  
Also, when it the last time you checked the bulbs in the sockets?  If you've never checked before, that is a common connection problem due to rust and crud built up over time on cars that have sat for a long time.  It happens to the running/parking lights also.  Probably a good time to check them all.  Deoxit is the cleaner that some of the electrical guys around here like to recommend.

This was the one that's dim.. .could this be shorting it out. do you think a socket from a 260z should work?. Sorry for the late response, I had work.



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[jwtaylor]

Have you checked the bulb to see if it's the correct one and intact?  Filaments do fail.