2004 Camry. When I press my brake pedal, The Left brake light turns on as well as the top only. The right brake light does not turn on. However, when I lock my car, the right brake light turns on (as well as the left and top). I’m trying to figure out what could be causing this.
I’m trying to first understand the electrical circuit. I don’t see how the brake light turns on when locking the car.
I believe what is being referred to as the “stop light switch” is the brake pedal switch that actuates when press the brake pedal. You have to be physically at the pedal to press it down, to close the switch, to complete the circuit to illuminate the Left, Right and Top brake lights.
Under the assumption that what I’m observing is correct (Left, Right and Top lights illuminate when locking the car), than wouldn’t that suggest that the green wire going to the Right Brake Light should be just fine? If I was having a wire issue, I would expect the Right Brake Light to never light up, ever.
I’m a big confused by this. Thanks for any help!
Might be slightly related, but whenever I press my brake pedal and have the radio going, I get lots of static, that goes away when releasing the brake pedal.
But when I press the brake pedal only the rear left brake light lights up along with the top brake light within the car. The right rear brake light does not. What a pain in the rear. I had some body repair work done about a decade ago. Maybe some electrical repairs were done incorrectly, is all that I can think of.
I’m noticing some really odd behavior. You make me think of what is “supposed to” light up when locking the car. Looking at the schematic, I believe it’s these three wires only, if I’m understanding this correctly?
The ECU energizes the coil in the relay when when locking the car. This closes the relay and completes the circuit. Following the green wires down. The following is “supposed to” illuminate then extinguish when locking the car:
Rear Left Tail Light (Called Parking Light in the Schematic),
Rear Right Tail Light (Called Parking Light in the Schematic)
Double checking myself here on the actual car, I was wrong in my initial assessment. The top light (inside the car) does not turn on. I get the following immediately after pressing the lock button on my remote:
Rear Left Parking Light Illuminated
Rear Left Brake Light Illuminated
Rear Left Turn Signal Illuminated
Front Left Parking Light Illuminated
Rear Right Parking Light Illuminated
Rear Right Brake Light Illuminated
Rear Right Turn Signal Illuminated
Front Right Parking Light Illuminated
Then a split second after those eight lights mentioned above illuminate then extinguish, I get the following:
Front Left Turn Signal Illuminated
Front Right Turn Signal Illuminated
The two lights above then extinguish.
I can press the Lock button on remote over and over again, and what is mentioned above repeats itself.
It seems like what I’m observing is nowhere near what I’m supposed to be and abnormal?
This should be right up my (Gasoline) Alley – I drive a 2004 Camry and I used to do this kind of stuff for a living. (Sneak Circuit Analysis; Fault Tree Analysis) But it’s 2 AM and I should be sleeping. Can you confirm my understanding so far?
When doing the RKE (which I never use), the Tail Lights should flash, but not the Stop (Brake) Lights (so says Nevada_545),
but your Stop Lights are coming on with RKE, too (in addition to Tail Lights),
and when you press the brake pedal, Right Stop Light is not coming on (but Left Stop Light and High Mounted Stop Light do come on).
I’ll try to look at this some more tomorrow.
The “static” in the radio MIGHT be caused by a failure of the resistor-capacitor circuit in the Stop Light Switch (why are they there???). If you have an old fashioned analog ohmmeter, you might be able to check that. (Detailed instructions available if requested.) I think that would not be not related to the no-brake-light problem.
(BTW, you say “Rear Left Tail Light (Called Parking Light in the Schematic)” (similarly for ‘left’). I don’t see that in the schematic; I see only “Tail Light”. But it’s 2:40 AM, and I should be sleeping.)
Another one for don’t overthink it before 1st checking the basics, KISS it (keep it simple stupid), check your bulb and socket…
Swap bulbs to see if the issue moves with the bulb…
As others have suggested, let’s try to keep it simple. Make sure you have the correct bulbs installed for Tail Light and Stop Light. We have seen weird problems when mistakenly using single-filament in place of dual-filament (and vice versa). And make sure the bulbs are working properly. I remember a weird problem (probably on this forum) where one filament of a dual-filament bulb was broken and shorting to the intact filament.
I haven’t tested that yet. I have to dig the Remote out of a drawer and see if it still works (might have original battery). Also, I trust Nevada’s statement about what is supposed to happen, though seeing that we have two configurations for '04 Camry, I guess it’s worth seeing what mine does. Maybe later today.
Not sure how that is possible for the front and rear turn signals flash when pressing lock, from the schematic. Seems like only the front should right? But good to know, I’m not the only one observing this behavior.
Do the rear brake lights and tail lights also illuminate when pressing lock? What about the top brake light?
From Nevada’s excerpt from the owners manual, turn signals should.
Sorry I may have gotten 2004 mixed with 2005, but the electrical circuit I suspect is likely the same. The bulbs might be in different positions in the rear, but the same bulbs should light up for both years I believe.
I will try looking at my right brake light later today. I believe it’s LED that I have in there.
That explains the radio static, especially if you installed LED in the center high mounted stop light. The center stop light is very close to the radio antenna.
