# (Chevy Cavalier 2001) Tail light issue help?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-cavalier-2001-tail-light-issue-help/92405>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [January 30, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-cavalier-2001-tail-light-issue-help/92405 "2016-01-30T18:23:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PoorMkIV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@PoorMkIV](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PoorMkIV)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-cavalier-2001-tail-light-issue-help/92405/1 "2016-01-30T18:23:13Z")

</div>

Passengers side tail light doesn’t react when braking, using hazards or blinker, what do I replace? The bulb is lit, but doesn’t blink or brighten when the brakes are applied. As of right now I’m replacing the bulb socket seeing as when I replaced the bulb the contacts were covered in a brown crust, is there something else I should be looking at? Thanks in advance!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-cavalier-2001-tail-light-issue-help/92405/2 "2016-01-30T23:05:11Z")

</div>

The problem is probably with the multi-function switch in the steering column.

Tester

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-cavalier-2001-tail-light-issue-help/92405/3 "2016-01-30T23:10:18Z")

</div>

That bulb is actually two bulbs in one. The dimmer one is on with lights and the brighter one is your brake light. Are both elements in the bulb intact? I will start with a new bulb and cleaning the contacts.

Are all other turn signals working? If one of them is out, could affect the whole circuit.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MY\_2\_CENTS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@MY\_2\_CENTS](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MY_2_CENTS)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2016, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-cavalier-2001-tail-light-issue-help/92405/4 "2016-01-31T01:41:58Z")

</div>

I’m with @galant on this one. The bulb has two filaments, one for the tail light, which is working and the other for the stop-turn signal which is probably burned out. Also, the brown crust you’re seeing is probably just dried up dielectric grease.

If that doesn’t work then I would go along with @Tester s advice.