What’s the most important part of your vehicle? That’s a trick question, because they’re all important and they all work together to keep your car running smoothy and keep you safe. One of the most important safety features on your vehicle is your lights. When it gets dark, you can’t see without them. You also depend on your lights to be seen by other vehicles on the road.
Headlights and taillights are both important for obvious reasons, but don’t overlook your brake lights. You use them no matter what time of day you drive to let others know you’re stopping or slowing down. Obviously, driving without functioning brake lights is very dangerous. Not to mention, it’s against the law and you will likely get a ticket if a law enforcement officer notices your brake lights are out.
Common Causes of Bad Brake Lights
These days, most cars taillights and brake light share the same bulb. So, it would make sense if one light doesn’t work, then both don’t work. But that’s not always true. Many bulbs today have dual function capability, which means even if your taillights work, your brake lights might not, and vice versa. Here’s why that happens
Burned Out Bulb – the most obvious cause of a bad brake light is a burned-out bulb. Your car light bulbs wear out over time, just like light bulbs around your house. With brake light bulbs, only one function might go bad, but you still need to replace the bulb if either function burns out. This is usually an easy fix on most vehicles. But if you need help, we can take care of it at Glenn’s Auto Service.
Damaged Fuse – if your bulb isn’t the problem, then the next thing to check are the fuses. Fuses can break or burn out when they get old or if there is a power surge. To check your fuses, find the fuse panel, which is usually in your dash area below the steering wheel column. Look for the taillight fuse, pull it out and test it with a fuse tester. If it’s bad just replace it.
Broken Sensor – most modern vehicles have numerous sensors. When a sensor goes bad, communication with the computer board is interrupted. That might be why your brake lights aren’t working.
Bad Wiring – another problem could be bad wiring. Wiring can be harder than changing a bulb or a fuse, so if you need a little professional help, we can take care of that for you at Glenn’s.
Busted Control Switch – your control switch could also be the source of the problem. If this switch wears out or gets damaged, one light might work and other one won’t. You can use a multi-meter to check this on your own or bring it to our shop and we’ll check it for you.
Damaged Socket – if none of these issues are causing your problem, it could be the socket that holds the bulb. This socket can get corroded or damaged, which means you’ll need a new socket for your light to work properly
Glenn’s Is the Right Auto Repair Shop in Downey
If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with your brake lights, then please come see us at Glenn’s Auto Repair in Downey. We’ll figure it out and get it fixed. You can’t afford to drive around with bad brake lights, so don’t wait to get them checked if your brake lights aren’t working right.
No matter the vehicle you drive or the repair or maintenance you need, we always put our customers first, so you can always trust your car, truck or SUV with our ASE certified technicians.
At Glenn’s Auto Service, we have you covered for any kind of auto repair. Just give us a call at 562-359-4232 or click here to set up an appointment online, if you need auto repair in Downey CA.
We are your trusted Downey, CA auto repair shop for all services and repairs on all makes and models, including:
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