C-1 Brake Light problem

[Timothy A.]

Greetings!

I am having a problem with my 59's driver side brake light. (The passinger side works perfect) Here are the particulars:

Tail light works fine when head light switch is on.
When the brake pedal is depressed, the brake light does not light up.
I took out the passinger side light core and hooked it up to the driver side and it did the same thing, no brake light.
I changed bulbs....still no brake light.

Do I need to install a new plug? The harness is about 4 years old.
Do I need a new brake switch at the pedal?
Thanks to any help in advance!
Tim Allen
46673

[John F.]

Re: C-1 Brake Light problem

Try running an extra ground wire to the driver's side tail light housing.
John F

[David Z.]

Re: C-1 Brake Light problem

If one side lights up, there is no issue with the switch. carefully remove the lamp holder from the car, leaving all wires in place.then..
Take a test light or volt meter, attach or hold one terminal to the center (hot) terminal of the non working lamp socket, and the other terminal to the chassis of the LAMP SOCKET , turn on your ignition and have someone step on the brake pedal , If the test lamp lights,or you get a 12v reading on your meter, you have a dirty connection, or a bad bulb.. fix as needed.
If no action,Turn off ignition, remove the lead from the LAMP SOCKET chassis and attach to a KNOWN GOOD GROUND...repeat the process from turning on ignition...If the lamp/meter lights, or reads 12V, you have a bad ground wire..
fix/replace as needed.
If no action,Turn off ignition, run a wire from the hot terminal of the lamp socket ( using a KNOWN GOOD BULB ), attach wire to a KNOWN 12V source,straight to the battery if needed, then repeat earlier steps.
If no action, lamp socket itself may be unserviceable.. but you should have been able to get things straight way before this as a rule.
Regards, Dave Z.

[John H.]

Re: C-1 Brake Light problem

Greetings!

I am having a problem with my 59's driver side brake light. (The passinger side works perfect) Here are the particulars:

Tail light works fine when head light switch is on.
When the brake pedal is depressed, the brake light does not light up.
I took out the passinger side light core and hooked it up to the driver side and it did the same thing, no brake light.
I changed bulbs....still no brake light.

Do I need to install a new plug? The harness is about 4 years old.
Do I need a new brake switch at the pedal?
Thanks to any help in advance!
Tim Allen
46673

Tim -

Your turn signal switch isn't self-centering properly - classic/chronic C1 problem; any C1 owner who hasn't had it yet, will. If you manually center the lever and/or jiggle it, you'll have two brake lights.

Remove the steering wheel and disassemble/clean/lube the cancelling mechanism, and make sure the vertical flat spring just inboard of the lever pivot screw isn't broken, and you'll be good to go.

Power from the brake light switch at the pedal goes to the turn signal switch, and its position determines whether you get two brake lights (neutral position), right brake light (left turn position) or left brake light (right turn position).

[David Z.]

Re: C-1 Brake Light problem

JH, experience conquers all !

thx for this note. Even though I laid out an extensive troubleshooting process,this is great to know,as I myself have a 1960 C1 and should I have the same problem,your assessment will be the first thing that gets looked at.

Thanks for your continued good insight in all things Corvette.

Best Regards, Dave.