2o4Max

I tried to find a thread on this but no luck, so i'm posting it. I have had my brake lights for the driver side not working for a little while now. When I finally got around to trying to fix it today, I always had thought it was just the bulbs, but that was not the case. I checked the bulbs and none of them were burnt out at all.

I did notice however that a buildup of debris was around, and it seemed as though this is just how it drains the water from rain or a car wash, etc. Checked my fuses, couldn't find anything anyone know which one exactly the driver side brake lights are on? The passenger side and the tail brake light are fine and working.

Its just the driver side that no lights work on. I also traced the harness for it, and noticed one of the harnesses had a little corrosion it seems on it. I will try and clean the contacts, and see if I can manage to trace the line somehow. I really hope its not the wiring because it's not modular in a sense I can take it off another 05 maxima. Any suggestions as to what else I can check?

DAlastDON

Your post is difficult to follow. At first you state just the brake lights on the drivers side are not working. At the end its said that no lights in the drivers side rear are working(brake, turn, running/parking, reverse).

With the exception of the turn signals. If one tail light has all the lights working and the other on doesn't then the problem is somewhere between the bulb and where the wiring splits at the main harness wiring. The wiring harness splits on the drivers side at the white connector in the first picture below. If the corrosion you speak of is at that connector then cleaning it will likely fix the problem with the with the drivers side light assembly. If after cleaning you still have a problem check the bulb and bulb socket to be sure the bulb is making contact with the connectors inside the socket. Sometimes the prongs on the bulb or socket or both must be moved/bent in order of them to make contact.


Some background on what controls(supplies power to) which light. BCM controls the turn signals, and parking/running lights. TCM controls the reverse lights. Switch on brake pedal controls the brake lights. The lights all share a common ground located on the drivers side behind the rear seat back.

There are 6 wires total in the main harness that controls all the lights in both rear tail lights.

What each wire is(color/stripe):
Red/lavender=running/parking lights
Red/green=brake lights
Green/white=reverse lights
Green/black=left turn signal
Green/yellow=right turn signal
Black=ground


The pictures below are from when i installed load resistors on the main rear tail light harness for the switchback LED's in the front parking/turn signal. Its before it splits to go to left/right tail lights. The twisted pair of black/white wires to the best of my knowledge do not goto either tail light but to something else. Maybe the rear sonar backup system.

2o4Max

Thanks for the pics and insight. I did some further testing with the help of my wife. It seems as though the top break light on the driver side is faint and all the lights are working when I set the lights to be on/auto.

If I leave them off the break lights for the driver side do not come on whatsoever when the car is off or the lights are not turned to the auto/on position (the switch connected to the signal/high beam switch). I am going to have to grab contact cleaner and am pretty sure the wiring was affected some way from the elements.

Now that I took apart the tail lights, and found debris in the crevices. I think I am going to clean out and inspect the passenger one as well so I ensure proper drainage considering it most likely has never been cleaned since it was first put on the road.

2o4Max

I bought contact cleaner and gave the harnesses a liberal spray, and still the same problem with the driver side brake lights not going on. I can simply always have my lights set to on but I prefer not to. Do you know which wire is responsible for the loopback to have the lights turn on when the brake pedal is pressed in an off state(lights are turned off)??

AussieChelli

DALastDon, I'm hoping you or someone like you can help

I have a 2004 Nissan Maxima and both tail lights went out at once. Got pulled over last weekend and thankfully let off.

I checked and replaced both bulbs (just in case) and checked the fuses in the
1) box next to the washer fluid under the hood and
2) the one on the inside of the car under the steering column.
The all seemed fine.

When I took it to a mechanic, they noticed the daytime running lights are off as well.

My car was rear-ended about 2 months ago, but this is a recent problem.
No significant damage to my car either - just a bump and a few scratches.

My mechanic says it will take him between 3-5 hours $110 per hour for a diagnostic.... This seems ridiculous.

I'm hoping I can find a wiring issue or something I can fix on my own.
Everything is going on my car... my power window on passenger side, my AC, and sometimes my CD player refuses to play.

Until I can replace my car, I just need to fix the illegal problem.

Please help if you can.

Cheers!

AussieChelli

Oh also, the brake lights, and turn signals all work.
Just both tail lights and running day lights

Cheers!

rohanmax14

^^^

So everything working for u? Im having problem with mine. My brake light don't work when I press brake pedal other than that all the light are working. Also my car won't let me get out from the gears I have to do it manually, n cruise control light are blinking. One thing is my stop lamp 10 amp fuse inside the car blow out once I hit brake pedal after putting new 10 amp fuse. What should I do next?