# My brake lights & tail lights keep going out **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** brakes, toyota, camry, lights\ **Created:** [May 21, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805 "2019-05-21T22:46:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ccd318/32.png) [@zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://community.cartalk.com/u/zacharyevansbusiness_152310)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/1 "2019-05-21T22:46:57Z")
My brake lights and tail lights in my 89 Toyota Camry keep going out, They just wont stay on. I thought i narrowed the issue down to the lamp failure sensor but i opened it up and checked the circut and everything seems fine, it almost looks brand new . I found that if i wiggle the lamp sensor box a bit they will cut on but once i start moving the car, after a while they stop working . I checked all the fuses, brake light switch is fine, new bulbs. Anyone else have this problem how do i fix it? ---
**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:** [May 21, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/2 "2019-05-21T22:59:20Z")
The circuit board on the rear lamp out module probably has crack that can’t be seen without a magnifying glass. When I had my Camry’s, when I went to the junk yard I made sure the Camry’s were checked out to see if they still had its module. And if it did, I grabbed it. I didn’t have to pay for them because the counter people didn’t know what they were. so they didn’t know what to charge me. But they also said that they came with no warranty. And if you’re going to try and get one from the dealer, make sure you’re sitting down when they tell you the price. That’s why I grabbed them! Tester ---
**Author:** ![zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ccd318/32.png) [@zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://community.cartalk.com/u/zacharyevansbusiness_152310)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/3 "2019-05-21T23:04:19Z")
You’re probably right,here’s something else though. All my lights worked perfectly until i switched out the bulbs a few days ago now suddenly i have this issue. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/4 "2019-05-21T23:08:25Z")
Did you put the correct bulbs in or did you put LED bulbs in ? ---
**Author:** ![zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ccd318/32.png) [@zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://community.cartalk.com/u/zacharyevansbusiness_152310)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/5 "2019-05-21T23:10:38Z")
[https://www.walmart.com/ip/SYLVANIA-1157-Long-Life-Mini-Bulb-Pack-of-2/54633842](https://www.walmart.com/ip/SYLVANIA-1157-Long-Life-Mini-Bulb-Pack-of-2/54633842) these are the bulbs i put in . The bulbs the came with the car when i bought it were these [https://www.walmart.com/ip/SYLVANIA-2057-Long-Life-Mini-Bulb-Pack-of-2/54633846](https://www.walmart.com/ip/SYLVANIA-2057-Long-Life-Mini-Bulb-Pack-of-2/54633846) . ---
**Author:** ![DS777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@DS777](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DS777)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 1:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/6 "2019-05-22T13:04:38Z")
The 1157 is a bit ‘brighter’ or a little more wattage - on one filament. Either bulb should work. Since you state that it was working fine previous - I would go to a local store; and purchase a couple more bulbs. And just change them out again. Make sure something isn’t slightly wrong with the new bulbs you have installed. If the problem still exists… Yes it could be a cracked board. However - you mentioned wigling a wire… I did some work on a truck once which would not start. Turns out it was the Negative Ground Cable - which LOOKED fine - was internally corroded; and bad. Once we replaced that cable - everything was fine. Your bulb sensor box has a wire going into it… it could be LOOKING fine - but actually vibration over time has messed it up. If possible - you could unsolder the wire connections and solder in some new good wire; and splice that in a little upstream from the existing wire - to make sure that you don’t actually have a broken wire at the box - which is just looking fine… But since it was all working fine before you replaced the bulbs - I would be looking hard at the new bulbs and the bulb sockets, and wiring around the sockets, etc. before messing with the lamp sensor box. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/7 "2019-05-22T13:52:46Z")
> [@zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](#): > > I found that if i wiggle the lamp sensor box a bit they will cut on… I think I’d start by replacing the lamp sensor box. …but knowing how hard it is to diagnose electrical problems and how old this car is, I’d be tempted to just rewire the whole system, particularly because you might have more than one failure. > [@zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](#): > > All my lights worked perfectly until i switched out the bulbs a few days ago now suddenly i have this issue. In that case I’d check the bulb contacts and the installation of the bulbs. The contacts might be bent to where they are only loosely connecting with the bulbs. If they’re multi-stage bulbs, you might not have them installed correctly, or pushed so hard that you bent the contacts. You can buy a cheap circuit tester if you don’t have one. It will look like an ice pick with a wire coming out of the handle with an alligator clip on the end. Attach the clip to a grounded piece of metal on the car’s body and use the tool to test the light bulb socket contacts to see if they’re getting power when they should. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/8 "2019-05-22T22:06:46Z")
> [@zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](#): > > All my lights worked perfectly until i switched out the bulbs a few days ago now suddenly i have this issue. If they all worked “perfectly”, why did you replace them. Just asking. One of those “If it ain’t broke, dont’t fix it” things. ---
**Author:** ![zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ccd318/32.png) [@zacharyevansbusiness\_152310](https://community.cartalk.com/u/zacharyevansbusiness_152310)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 10:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/my-brake-lights-tail-lights-keep-going-out/140805/9 "2019-05-22T22:08:16Z")
I fixed the issue earlier today by wiring around the sensor box,