# Do tail light sockets go bad?



## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

Brand new bulbs and everything but the brakes on one side will not come on.


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

Yes sockets go bad, and new bulbs can be bad also


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

I put "good" bulbs in and they didn't work. Sockets look good but I don't know? Do they sell replacement sockets? Thanks


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

sure they do.  Oreillys will have them in the HELP section.  Napa will have them on the Balkamp tree.  I don't buy from Autozone, but I bet they would have them also.


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

You could also have a broken wire going back there too, so you need to check the wire for voltage before you go whacking and hacking up the  wiring.

There is a plug underneath the vehicle where the wires split. You need to check that also


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

NE GA Pappy said:


> sure they do.  Oreillys will have them in the HELP section.  Napa will have them on the Balkamp tree.  I don't buy from Autozone, but I bet they would have them also.



Now that's good info. If they have them out there it's a common problem for a common man!


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## Jonboater (Dec 6, 2016)

Most likely a brake fuse.


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

Jonboater said:


> Most likely a brake fuse.



aaaniiiitttttt!  wrong answer.

If one is working, it isn't a fuse


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

Jonboater said:


> Most likely a brake fuse.



I'll be mad if you're right! My wife said that! 

Under the hood or dash? I'd rather do that then lay under the dern thing pulling wires filling my eyeballs with sand. 

Thanks


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

these brake light systems are a bit more than a fuse, switch, light and ground.  They run thru the turn signal and hazard switch, and can be a bit confusing.

Like I said earlier, make sure you are getting voltage back to the wires before you start chopping up the harness.  It might not be the socket at all


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

NE GA Pappy said:


> aaaniiiitttttt!  wrong answer.
> 
> If one is working, it isn't a fuse



That's what I said


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

NE GA Pappy said:


> aaaniiiitttttt!  wrong answer.
> 
> If one is working, it isn't a fuse



you know, I thought about it, and wish to recall my answer.  Exactly what vehicle are we working on?

some vehicles do fuse left and right brake lights.


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

NE GA Pappy said:


> you know, I thought about it, and wish to recall my answer.  Exactly what vehicle are we working on?
> 
> some vehicles do fuse left and right brake lights.





After I just crawled out from under it! 03 Silverado. Looks like some plug and play stuff up under there.


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

check fuses 48 and 50.  They are 10A red fuses in the underhood fuse panel


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

Here's what I've got. Thanks


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

looks like yours only has the one stop lmp fuse, 25A, in the upper right hand corner

the schematic I looked at showed a lh turn, and rh turn fuse for that model


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

Think I'll see if I can get another wiring harness. Being in series(Like Christmas lights lol) like you said. It has to be the wires.


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## joey1919 (Dec 6, 2016)

I bet that truck has a second fuse bank on the driver's side of the dash, on the side and only visible when the door is open. It'll have a cover you have to pull from the bottom of the kind of trapezoid shaped panel


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

It will have another fuse box, but why would they fuse the stop lamp in the underhood, and in the driver compartment?


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 6, 2016)

Question. In the pic above. Does the plate all the wiring is hooked to suppose to be a ground also? Just noticed the rust and was wondering.


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

I wouldn't go buying a new harness yet.  It could just be a socket.  get you a multi meter, have someone push the brakes and hold them, and check for 12vdc on the wires, not the socket. That is done by piercing the wire with the tip of the test lead, and making sure the other test lead has a good body ground.


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## joey1919 (Dec 6, 2016)

NE GA Pappy said:


> It will have another fuse box, but why would they fuse the stop lamp in the underhood, and in the driver compartment?



This is the inside panel from an 07 classic Silverado


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 6, 2016)

there they are... rh turn and lh turn.

I wonder if the stop lamp under the hood is the 3rd light?


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## Lukikus2 (Dec 7, 2016)

Well I just put it back together last night and figured I would test it today. No brake or turn signal on that side for two days and the blinker worked this morning. Not sure about the brake yet.


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## Priest (Jan 12, 2017)

Same problem on my work truck. I've not dug in to track it down yet. If I have no time soon ill put it in the shop for an oil change and get them to track it and the company pay for it. I know I can do it is time allows and my back problems let me.


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## au7126 (Jan 12, 2017)

Those trucks have a mini board that was very common to go bad. Auto Zone - Advance sell them so do not have to go to dealer. Right behind the bulb sockets


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## 280bst (Jan 12, 2017)

Try some bulb grease sometimes the sockets will corrode just a bit you won't even see it whenever I put a new bulb in so does the bulb grease any parts store has it


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## king killer delete (Jan 12, 2017)

Lukikus2 said:


> Brand new bulbs and everything but the brakes on one side will not come on.



Is this a keep? I exchanged my back up light so that I had a brake light


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