help - 2002 corsa tail lights aren't working - the brake lights come on instead - due for MOT on Tuesday !!!

Question

I was checking my lights this evening cos my car is going through MOT on tuesday. My tail lights aren't working - the brake lights come on instead - why??? have my tail light bulbs gone or has the fuse gone???

Answer 1

Hi the most common problem is that you have the wrong bulbs fitted. To check this put your foot on the brake with your ignition on and get somebody else to see if your front sidelights come on.
If they do go down to your local motorist shop, Halford etc and purchase the correct twin filament bulbs to fit your car fit these and every thing should be ok
Kind regards technical.

Answer 2

There's no longer an electrical connection between the light clusters and the chassis. That means that the return circuit is going through the other half of the bulb and back through the brake light circuit. Try replacing the self-tapping screws with clean ones.

Answer 3

I would guess that you have a bad earth on your common cable. I know that seems complicated but check in your boot and see whether you can see a loose wire or one that is corroded. It will likely be attached to the car near the boot opening. Give any wire attached to the car body a wiggle (lol) and see if one moves a bit or see if one is has rust on it. If you find one all you have to do is clean the wire and screw that attaches it and it should cure your problem.

Hope this helps and it only takes a few minutes to do the check and might save you paying for an electrcian to do it for you.

Answer 4

neither
the tailights are coming on, but someone put the wrong bulb in somewhere there, and the taillight circuit has jumped to the brakelight circuit at the base of whichever bulb that was incorrectly replaced.

remember the dim filaments are taillights and the bright filaments are the brakelights and signals.

Answer 5

check you have the correct bulbs fitted to the stop lights, should be a single filament, or the stop light switch may need adjusting, try lifting the pedal

Answer 6

sounds like a very basic wiring fault. nothing major at all to worry about. have a look at the tail light fittings and ensure there are no unconnected wires. if not you can get any general mechanic to have a look for you at next to nothing.

Answer 7

Bad ground wire at the lights.

Answer 8

check fuses first them bulbs