Are you having problems with your brake lights and you are looking to find out where can I get my brake lights fixed? Well, if that is the case, then you are at the right place because this article will be all about how to sort out the problem with the brake lights.
- Brake Lights
- Tail Light vs Brake Light
- Why Fix Brake Lights?
- How A Brake Light Works
- Common Problems
- Troubleshooting
- Where To Fix Them?
- Cost
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Doing proper research on a problem should be one of your top priorities. And especially in this case when you have problems with the brake lights. Knowing how these lights work and what could be causing the problem should be one of your top priorities.
Why we are saying this? Well, because it is true. There are a ton of mechanics out there that will rip you off until they solve the problem. Which in some cases can be something simple as a burnt bulb. So, since you are interested in learning more about the problem and how to solve it, you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover.
First, we are going to learn what are brake lights and the difference between brake lights and taillights. Then we will cover how these brake lights work and what could be causing this problem. Then we will cover some troubleshooting tricks and also we will answer the question of where can I get my brake lights fixed. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.
Brake Lights
Now let’s take a look at what are brake lights in general. There are a lot of readers who are new to cars with similar problems, that want to learn more about the basic stuff. So, this chapter is dedicated to them. If you want you can jump to one of the following chapters, where we learn more about the causes of the problem and how to troubleshoot the matter.
So, what are brake lights? Well, brake lights are light bulbs or in newer cars in the form of LEDs, located at the back of the car.
These lights are red in color and they activate immediately after you apply your foot on the brake pedal. No matter how strong you apply your foot, the brake light will activate and turn red.
This is essential in order to give the driver that is in the rear some information about your intentions since they cannot read your thoughts.
So, you can see why brake lights are so important. If there were no brake lights, there would be numerous crashes on the streets daily and this will be thousands of dollars in repair costs.
Just imagine how expensive is to fix rear damage considering that someone could easily push your rear end even at small speeds. It could easily total a car off. But where can I get my brake lights fixed? Well, that is a good question. More on that we are going to cover in a bit.
Tail Light vs Brake Light
Now let’s take a look at another topic and that is the difference between tail lights and brake lights. This is rather useful to learn before we cover where can I get my brake lights fixed. So, what is the difference between these two types of lights?
Well, what is worth noting is that both of these lights come in a single assembly. This means that they come in a single housing and they are next to one another. And both of them are red. So, what is the difference?
Well, when it comes to the tail light, it is worth noting that this light is basically an information tool for the drivers behind you that there is a car at night.
The tail lights are activated once you turn on the headlights. So, this means that they are not on when the headlights are off. The tail light is good information for the drivers at the rear in extremely dark conditions to know that there is a car at the front. Because if they don’t know that there is a car, they could rear-end you.
And for the brake lights, as we mentioned, they have a purpose to activate once you place your foot on the brakes. Simple as that.
So, to sum things up. The tail light turns on when the headlights are on and stays on all the time, brake light turns on only when you press the foot on the brakes. But where can I get my brake lights fixed? More on that we are going to cover in a bit. Now for those who still doubt whether to fix the brake lights, let’s take a look at why they always need to be in proper working order.
Why Your Brake Lights Should Be In Proper Order
Now before we start discussing more on where can I get my brake lights fixed, let’s take a look at why your brake lights should always be in proper working order.
This is needed because some people are not aware of the consequences of having these lights, not in proper working order. So, this chapter is dedicated to them and we are going to cover all you need to know when it comes to this aspect. Then, we will discuss where can I get my brake lights fixed. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.
1. Someone Could Rear End You
The number one reason why you should learn where can I get my brake lights fixed is the probable cause that someone will rear-end you if you don’t have proper working lights.
And this is a really big problem because an impact from the rear at high speed can be rather deadly. Not to mention that your car could get completely totaled.
And by totaled we mean that the complete rear end could be pushed for a couple of inches and this problem is really expensive to fix. A lot of insurance companies simply total these cars because fixing them is rather unfeasible. The damage will result in thousands of dollars. Sometimes even up to 5 digits.
So, this is one of the reasons why you should invest in looking at where can I get my brake lights fixed. Now let’s continue with the other reasons why you should fix the brake lights before we dive into how to tackle this problem and where you can do this type of work if you are not into DIY stuff.
2. You Can Get Fined
The next probable cause why you should learn where can I get my brake lights fixed is the high probability of you ending up fined. So, why is this the case?
Well, if a police officer notices that your brake lights do not work, then you could easily end up fined by the cops. Since this is one of the mandatory systems on your vehicle that always have to be in proper working order.
There are a lot of police cars out there, marked or unmarked. So, you take a lot of risk driving like this on public roads. And fines when it comes to this thing can get really hefty in terms of cost.
So, learn where can I get my brake lights fixed if you don’t want to get fined by the polices officers. But where can I get my brake lights fixed? Well, more on that, we are going to cover in a bit after we learn the last probable consequence of driving like this with bad brake lights.
3. You Will Not Pass Inspection
And the last probable outcome if you don’t learn where can I get my brake lights fixed is that you will fail to pass inspection. So, why is this the case?
Well, as you probably know, in order for a vehicle to get registered, it has to pass the inspection. So, this is an essential thing to do.
They will test all the systems of the car and if your brake lights do not work, you will be returned from the inspection and you would be asked to replace the burnt bulbs or fix other problems in your lighting that are causing these malfunctions.
Once you’ve done this, you can try to get your car back to the DMV and get it inspected once again to test the vehicle and deem that the car is safe for the streets. If you don’t comply, you will be left without registration and your car will not be road legal. Simple as that.
This is why you need to learn where can I get my brake lights fixed and sort out the problem with the lights before the issue becomes bigger. But how do the brake lights work? Well, more about that, we are going to cover more in the following chapters.
So, you definitely don’t want to miss that. Once we are done with that, we are going to learn where can I get my brake lights fixed. So, follow along.
How Brake Lights Work
Now let’s take a look at how brake lights work. Knowing this is often useful because knowing how they work will help you when it comes to learning where can I get my brake lights fixed and will avoid you ending up ripped off by greedy mechanics.
What is worth noting is that brake lights are rather simple when it comes to their method of action. The sole principle of their work is to complete an electrical circuit.
Once you press the foot on the brake pedal, you basically complete this circuit and the brakes get activated.
And the device that completes this electric circuit is known as a brake switch. Just imagine the switch as something that connects two wires together and they stay together while you have your foot on the brakes.
Once you remove the foot from the brake pedal, the switch disengages and the brake lights turn off.
Its inner workings could be rather complex to understand. But you can always look online for “car brake lights diagram”. There you have a lot of pictures that are rather descriptive and understand the function of the brake lights in great detail.
You will need a few minutes to figure things out. But in reality, this is not a difficult task. Since in this system, you have a ground that goes from the battery to the chassis of the car, and a positive cable that goes to the fuse first and then to the brake lights switch and this switch activates when you apply the brakes. That’s it overall.
But where can I get my brake lights fixed? More about this, we are going to cover more in a bit.
Problems With Brake Lights
Now let’s move on and discuss some common problems with brake lights. There are a couple of issues that could cause the brake lights to malfunction and start to behave strangely or completely fail.
So, we are going to cover the three most common issues before we start discussing the topic of where can I get my brake lights fixed. So, let’s get into the topic and learn more about it.
1. Corrosion On The Terminals
The first and very common cause of bad brake lights is the situation when you have corrosion on the terminals.
And this can often happen. Especially if there is moisture in the trunk of the car. Over time, moisture will stick to the terminals and cause them to rust away. So, if you have a situation when a single bulb is working and the other one does not, it is advised that you check the terminal that plugs in the tail light and give it a nice clean with alcohol and a metal brush.
This will for sure remove the bad connection and the brake light will work fine. But where can I get my brake lights fixed? More on that in a bit.
2. Blown Light Bulb
The second very probable cause is the blown light bulb. And this is also a very easy problem to fix because most cars even come with reserve bulbs that a driver can change.
Usually, when a bulb goes bad, you lose one of the sides. This means that one of the sides will work well when you press the brake pedal, while the other one will not.
In this case, it is up to you to check the bulb and replace it. Or if you want someone else to do this work for you, learn where can I get my brake lights fixed. And more on this topic, we are going to elaborate later on in the article. Now let’s continue with the possible causes for bad brake lights on your car.
3. Bad Brake Light Fuse
Now let’s cover the next probable problem with the brake lights that will make you look for where can I get my brake lights fixed. And this is the brake light fuse.
If you didn’t know, brake lights have fuses. These fuses basically prevent the lights from shortening and causing a fire in your car.
So, if there is something bad with the wires, like rust, or damage, the fuse will blow in most situations and you will lose the brake lights on your car. Both of them will be out if the fuse has gone bad. So, be aware of this.
The fuses are one of the first components that you want to check if both lights do not work. Now before we cover where can I get my brake lights fixed, let’s cover more on the last probable cause for this problem.
4. Bad Brake Light Switch
And the last very highly probable cause for the problem with the bad brake lights that will cause you to look on where can I get my brake lights fixed is the bad brake light switch.
The brake light switch is basically like your regular switch for your lights in the room. But in a smaller package. This switch engages when you press the foot on the brakes.
Sometimes these components, especially older analog switches can cause big problems and make you suffer some problems with your lights. But where can I get my brake lights fixed? Well, more on that we are going to cover in a bit. Now let’s discuss more when it comes to troubleshooting the problem.
How To Troubleshoot Brake Lights
Now before we cover where can I get my brake lights fixed, let’s take a look at how you can troubleshoot the brakes and fix the problem without going to the shop.
The first thing you want to do is to see if one or both brake lights are not working. If one of them is not working, then you definitely want to check the bulb and connector. Make sure that the bulb is not blown and the connector is clean. If one of them is bad, then you need to clean the connector or replace the bulb respectively.
On the other hand, if both lights are bad, you either have a problem with your fuse or with the brake switch. First, locate the fuse that is concerned with the brake lights and replace it if it’s blown. This will hopefully solve your problem.
Or else, you will have to test the brake switch. You can do this with a tool known as a multimeter. How you can do, you can check the video that we attached above. It is dead easy to do, you just need to measure continuity. But if I don’t want to fix my brake switch by myself, where can I get my brake lights fixed? Let’s elaborate more on that next.
Where Can I Get My Brake Lights Fixed
So, let’s say you don’t want to get your brake lights fixed by yourself. Where can I get my brake lights fixed?
Well, there are a lot of chains of mechanic shops nationwide. Let’s list some of them. The first one that often is one of the best around is probably Firestone Complete Auto Care. They have shops in almost every state.
Alternatives to Firestone are Goodyear Auto Service, Jiffy Lube, Meineke, Pep Boys, Valvoline, Midas International, CARSTAR, AAMCO, Tuffy Tire and Auto Service, Milex Complete Auto Care, Mr. Tire, and many others.
It is up to you to see which one of these is nearest your area. So, you don’t have to travel a long way to sort out the problem.
Cost To Replace Brake Light
So, we learned where can I get my brake lights fixed, now let’s take a look at the cost to replace the brake light.
When it comes to the cost, it is worth noting that the price is somewhere between $100 and $250, depending on the problem.
Conclusion
In this article, we have covered quite a bit when it comes to bad brake lights. First, we learned what are brake lights and why they are so important. Then we learned why to fix them and the possible repercussions of not doing so.
Then we covered the common problems with brake lights that often happen, we also learned how to troubleshoot the issues. Lastly, we learned where can I get my brake lights fixed and at what cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
Which One Is The Brake
When it comes to the pedals, in a manual transmission car the brake is the middle pedal. In automatic transmission cars, the brake pedal is on the left side. When it comes to the lights in the rear, the brake lights are red and they only turn on when you apply the brakes. The other red lights are the tail lights.
How To Change Headlight Bulb
Changing a bulb is rather easy. You just need to open the hood and see where the rear end of the headlight goes. Sometimes these bulbs can only be replaced from the side of the wheel well. So, once you found where the wires go. Just unplug the connector and turn the bulb and it should easily pop out. Repeat the process with the new bulb in the reverse order and you are good to go.
How To Change Brake Light
Changing a brake light is rather easy. Just pop out the plastic cover that is in your trunk and remove the connector. Then remove the bulb and install the new bulb in its place. Connect the connector and you will be good.
Why Is My Brake Lights Staying On
Your brake lights stay on because of a bad brake light switch. This switch is stuck in a closed position and your lights do not want to turn off. Replacing the switch will hopefully sort out the problem.
Can A Light Switch Go Bad
Yes, it definitely can. When it fails, it could end up stuck closed or open. When the circuit is closed, the lights will not want to turn off. And when the circuit is open, you will have non-functioning brake lights.
Where Can I Get My Headlight Bulb Replaced
You can replace them at any chain of mechanic shops around the country. Firestone Complete Auto Care, Pep Boys, and Valvoline are one of the many places where you can go.
