1988 brake light

[Kelly Burnside]

I know that this forum is for restoration of older Corvettes but the other forums do not have a good answer. I have an 88 convertible where the third brake light is not coming on. Ths bulbs have been replaced and the brake light unit does light up when connected straight to the battery. The other forums suggested the switch under the dash that activates the lights that connects to the brake pedal. I checked the switch and it is good. What I do know is that there is no voltage on any of the two wires to the connector from the wire harness.
The question - is the wiring fused by chance, does is go through a fusable link? Being a secondary wire (I think) I believe that there should be a fuse that might be blown.
Sorry to post on the NCRS area but I can't seem to get a good answer from the other forums.
Thanks in advance.

[Mike Yager]

Re: 1988 brake light

Kelly:

Electrical problems can be some of the most frustrating to deal with and they only get worse as a car ages. Get a continuity tester with some very long test leads and with a wiring diagram find where the brake light connects under the dash. Disconnect the light at the other end and test the continuity of the wire. I suspect that will be the problem since from your post the other brake lights must be fine. If there is a break in the wire, look first where the wire enters the car by the hatch. 15 years of flexing from opening the hatch may have caused it to break. If there is a fuse in the dash for the brake lights than I would think there is no fusible link in this line. You can also check the wiring diagram. The wiring diagram should tell you if there is a fusible link. I doubt there would be on a light like this.

If you still cannot locate the problem, you may want to consider putting in a new line from one of the rear brake lights and just bypassing the whole mess. Should be pretty easy to do.

[Kelly Burnside]

Re: 1988 brake light - ATTN: Mike Yager

Thanks Mike, did some checks, both of the leads into the switch are going straight to ground. The purple wire should be the ground and the pink with black stripe I guess should be the hot side. With the regular brake switch (for the outside brake lights), it has a red (hot) and a black (ground). With both sides on the third brake light going straight to ground I do not think it would be wise to jumper the wires to get it to work.
At this time I will need a wiring diagram to figure all of this out!! Any idea where I can get a 88 corvette wiring diagram? Looked on the web but they just carry 53 - 82 wiring diagrams...
Last resort is taking it in to a dealer to get it fixed. Not a problem with a bad third brake light but an annoying one!!
I am currently trying to get a 69 corvette restored. It is on hold for the moment but I do have lots of question on this one!!
Let me know if there is a wiring diagram available for the 88. Be a tremendous help..
Thanks again for the help...

[Mike Yager]

Re: 1988 brake light - ATTN: Mike Yager

Kelly:

I was thinking you would totally bypass the two wires you have now going to the third brake light and run a feed from one of the rear brake lights.

Have you looked at a shop manual or Chilton's book for that year? They often include wiring diagrams. If not there, I can't think of any where else.

Good Luck!

[Kelly Burnside]

Re: 1988 brake light - ATTN: Mike Yager

I have a Haynes manual. Very generic schematic. Does not show the third brake light at all. I will keep looking around and see what I can find. Thanks for the help.