My boyfriend recently took his brakes in to be fixed, and within the week his tail lights went out. The timing seems a little to coincidental to me … is there ANY chance that the shop might have done something to impact the tail lights? They want another $600+ for the fix … Thanks.
Not likely. What did they say the $600 was for?
Tail lights are energized by a spring loaded pushbutton mounted upside down above the brake lever, that is open when the lever is pushing it and closed (energizing the circuit) when the brake pedal is pushed.
If we knew what kind of car your BF has we could suggest whether the price is reasonable or not. A BMW will cost much more than a Civic. A Porsche even more.
By the way, has BF checked the bulbs?
He’s got a 2000 Jeep Cherokee (or Grand Cherokee). We didn’t check the bulbs before we dropped it off at the hostage takers.
You must have SOME idea what they quoted him $600 to do???
Also, the explanation: Moisture has been getting into the lights and causing the system to fail.
thanks in part to his cracked tail light casing.
Grand Cherokee tail light housings often warp at the bulb socket mount. This will result in an open circuit between the socket and housing contacts.
Check Ebay for replacement tail lamp assemblies, much less expensive.
Aha!’ Corrosion!
If he’s handy and willing, he could save himself hundreds of dollars.
If he can splice wires he might even be able to save himself more.
He isn’t handy at all, but I really appreciate all the feedback and advice!
The tail lamps are easy to replace. Remove the two screws (under plastic caps) located at the inside edge of each lamp. Pull the tail lamp away from the body, there are ball and socket pins holding the outside edge.
For some reason The Same Mountainbike was describing the brake light operation, not the tail lights.
By “tail light” do you mean the tail lights that are on all the time when the headlights are on? Or just the brake tail lights, when you press on the brake? I’m assuming you mean the brake tail lights. $600 seems a little steep to replace a simple contact switch at the brake pedal. But is the tail light switch on this vehicle part of the brake pedal ass’y, or is it hydraulic activated, part of the brake master cylinder? If the latter, that would be more expensive to fix and it might well prove close to $600 parts and labor.
Oldtimer, you are correct…I had a synapse breakdown. I get more of these lately. Time to retire.
Thanks for the correction.
I have never heard anyone call brake lights “brake tail lights” . Is it a regionalism?
Naw. Just a simple screwup. It won’t keep anybody out of the golden gates.
To the same mountain bike, my comment about brake tail lights was a question for GeorgeSan Jose. As for the brain fade, blame it on taking statin drugs, thats what I do.
“Some pills make you happy,
and some pills make you small,
and the ones your mother gives you,
don’t do anything at all.”
I just blame it on old age.