How Can I Check My Brake Lights by Myself? (Brake Lights and Turn Signals Not Working

Last updated on May 25th, 2022 at 01:38 pm

One of the common question drivers themselves, when they are experiencing a brake light problem, is “Why is my brake lights and turn signals not working?” Or they may also wonder “how can I check my brake lights by myself”?

In this post, I will show you what do you do when your brake lights don’t work while driving. And how you can check your brake lights on your own. So be sure to stick around to the end.

Driving a car with faulty brake light is dangerous and so, should be fixed as quickly as possible. As a driver, your safety and the safety of your passengers should be your priority.

How Can I Check My Brake Lights by Myself? (Brake Lights and Turn Signals Not Working

If your brake light is faulty and you continue to drive, you may get a ticket from the police, or worse, get rear-ended.

If you don’t even get a ticket from police, leaving your brake unattended to can lead to fatality, I am sure you wouldn’t want to murder someone. Or do you?

This is the reason why it is important to ensure that your brake lights are working fine before you begin to embark on a journey.

You need to check if they are all in perfect condition. Test them yourself or you can take it to a mechanic for a professional diagnosis. Here is a post I wrote earlier on where you can get your brake light fixed. However, in this article, I am going to focus in doing it yourself.

Ok, so there are two obvious ways you can check your brake lights.

You can get out of the car to check it, or use the window’s reflection to take a look. So to get into this post fully let begin with the first headline which is “how do you check your brake lights on your own”

How Do You Check Your Brake Lights on Your Own?

As a responsible driver, you need to make sure your vehicle is in right working condition before you go out with it.

All the important components of the car must be tested and be in good condition. The brake lights of your car are among the most important components and so, need to be in the right condition. If your brake is bad you need to change it. Here is a post on choosing top-quality brakes for your car.

Checking the brake lights of a car is quite easy. Follow the steps below to check your brake lights

Step 1: Make sure your car is not in gear after turning off the ignition.
Step 2: After stepping down from the car, put something on the brake pedal. You can use a moping stick or any suitable object.
Step 3: Make sure the brake is engaged by pushing it down and locking it in. The brake pedal should remain pushed down.
Step 4: Now, move to the back of your vehicle and start checking the brake lights. Depending on the model and year of your car, 2 or 3 lights may be on. You should check the brake light both sides of the rear bumper and the one that is in the back window.
Once you check the light, you will then get to find out if there is any other thing you need to do. A faulty brake light could mean that the bulbs are burnt, a fuse is damaged, or the wiring switch is broken.

What do you do when your brake lights don’t work while driving?

Driving with a faulty brake light is so risky and so, should be avoided. If you notice that any of your brake lights is not functioning, you need to get it fixed as fast as possible.

There are various reasons why the brake light could be off. If you are driving and you notice it is not working, it is advisable to pull over and find ways to fix it.

You can look for a roadside mechanic or call your mechanic. Neglecting and trying to manage it could cause you being pulled over by the cops to get a ticket. It can also cause an accident if you keep driving a car with faulty brake light.

If you notice your brake lights are not coming on, it could be that the light bulbs are burnt and need immediate replacement.

One or more of the brake wirings could also be broken, and need to be fixed. A malfunctioning brake light switch could also be faulty and needs immediate repair.

Lastly, you might have a blown fuse in one or all the light bulbs. To check if the fuse is blown, you should check the fuse box and replace it if there is any damage.

Damaged brake light is cheap to fix. You don’t need to wait until it is too late.

Why brake lights and turn signals are not working

In most cars, the same circuit is responsible for giving power to the brake lights and turn signals. Once the turn signal gets faulty, it is very possible the brake light will fail as well.

Once the turn signal becomes faulty, it is possible that the lower brake light will not function. However, it is possible that the third light will still function.

This is due to the fact that both systems (turn signal and brake light) are using the same circuit. When the turn signal switch is faulty, it may prevent the brake light from functioning.

If there is a broken wire in the switch, it will interrupt the lower brake light, and it may not work. However, it may not affect the third brake light because it does not flash with the turn signal.

If you notice that your turn signal and brake light stop function, it is advisable to take the vehicle to a mechanic and get it fixed.

The circuit that is connecting the two systems together can be fixed. You may also choose to check your car’s manual.

As a car owner or driver, you need to be sure that your brake signals and turn lights are working in perfect condition. It will ensure safety and reduce the chances of automotive accidents.

What to do if brake lights and turn signals are not working?

If your vehicles brake lights and turn signals are not working or maybe they totally failed all at the same time, then that due to the fact that they are both connected, using a single circuit of which the circuit has not gone bad.

The only way to fix it is to replace or repair the circuit that is responsible for connecting the two systems. Take the vehicle to a repairer for fixing. This will keep you safe from danger.

Conclusion

The condition of your vehicle should be the most important thing for you as a driver. It is necessary to ensure your safety and that of your passengers as possible as you can.

You need to make sure your brake lights are functioning perfectly before you start driving your car. Whether you get help from a mechanic or not, you can check the brake lights of your car yourself.

Once you notice the brake lights of your car are not working, you should not ignore or neglect it. Fix it yourself following the steps discussed earlier, or take it to a mechanic for repair.

I hope this post on how can I check my brake lights by myself has helped you? I am sure right now you should have known what to do when your brake lights don’t work while driving

Jeffery Ekweghi

Hi dear, my name is Jeffery Ekweghi, and I am a certified mechanic and autobody parts technician. I created this site to share my expertise and experience with car lovers looking to resolve their car-related issues. I am certified in private cars and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. I have worked as a mechanic since 2015 and have experience in vehicle brands like Subaru, Jeep, Toyota, TATA, BMW, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Kia, TVs, and Others; however, I primarily specialize in Toyota vehicles.