Chee_dog

My brake/horn fuse keeps blowing everytime i step on the brakes. The horn works and doesn't blow the fuse but the brake does. i've check the brake switch, it look okay. I've check the tail light and its not it because i hooked up a circuit tester and when i take off the brake lights it still flashes so thats not it. But when i take off the plug to the brake switch the circuit tester light would go off. So would it mean that i have a short after the brake switch or before? Anyone have similar issues and what was ur solution?

SHG_Claudio

Yeah, my brake lights stopped working like 3 weeks ago and then soon after the lights that turn on in the rear when the headlights are on went too. I had no clue what it was but yeah I checked the same fuse you did and guess what, it was blown.

I believe it blew because I had the wires for the 3rd brake light just resting on the body of the car since I was in the process of painting my OEM spoiler. The wires were resting were they usually are but Im assuming they must of touched each other and blow the fuse. So I changed the fuse and okay, I'm good.

Few days later it stops working again. Lucky enough I check the under hood fuse box and there was a blown fuse on there. After I replaced that fuse I haven't had a problem since. I believe it was the one for the horn but I'm not sure so just check all of them that could be it.

Fuses just don't blow btw. The reason mine blew 2 diff fuses was probably because the wires were exposed and must of made contact, I have since then taped them for the mean time. Check your brake light wires for the regular brakes and the 3rd brake light wires. Post back if you find your answer!

Callum

you have a short in the circut somewhere from your fuse box to the light itself
with some wire and a bulb, install the bulb into where the fuse goes that keeps blowing, this will control the current output to the circut ensuring you dont cook anything while finding the problem, if there is a short circut, youll notice when you push the brakle pedal down, the bulb will glow very bright, from there, you need to issolate the short by disconnecting different parts of that circut starting from the light end until you notice the bulb in the fuse box has gone out, you now know the short is between the fuse box and the light, the lights earth should be ground right next to the light itself, and you usually will never find a short circut fault there

Former User

This says the short is either at the switch or after the switch. With the switch unplugged, use your multimeter to check for continuity to ground for the wire in the free connector leading to the brake lights. If there's continuity, then the short is after the switch. If there's no continuity, then the switch is probably bad.

Chee_dog

I'm getting voltage from the connector to the brake switch so i'm not too sure. I disconnected to rear breaks but my circuit tester light is still on so its not the rear breaks. Anyone know where to brake wires run in a civic hatch atfer the brake switch?

SHG_Claudio

Here

Chee_dog

I wondering if i can just hook up the brake switch to another power source and connect it to a relay to work and to the brake lights.

Former User

Unplug the connector from the brake switch and jump the two wires in the connectors. If the brake lights turn on and the fuse doesn't blow then the switch is bad (has the short).

Chee_dog

what do you mean by jump them, connect them together? Anyways i took my out step brothers em1 brake switch and tested it out and no difference so i don't know if it could be the brake switch.

Former User

Okay, the switch is probably fine. Have you checked the brake light bulb receptacles for a short?

Chee_dog

I disconnected the taillight connectors to elminated the theory that the bulbs and sockets could be back and i am still blowing fuse.

40mpg_dx00

Are the wires exposed at any point? Are you using the right bulbs? Did you splice some accessory into those wires by accident? Start at the circuit grounds and work your way back to the fuse. should be fun. good luck

onslaught61

Hi, I would like to follow up with a question, since I am having the same issue. I pin-pointed the problem down to the left taillight connectors. When I connect the connectors to the left tailliights and press my brake pedal, the fuse blows. If I disconnect them, my right brake lights function.

Without pressing the brake pedal, the taillights work on both sides. Does this mean it is a connection problem specifically to the left brake wires? Would there be a socket problem? I tested the bulbs and they are fine. Thanks.

Former User

If the connector doesn't look damaged, then the bulb socket/receptacle is probably the problem.

onslaught61

Ok thanks. I have to get some new fuses to further test it since I ran out. The connector looks fine, if there's a problem I don't think I can see it. Can the same be said of the sockets? I can't see anything wrong with them. I'm wondering if there's a way I can switch them with the right brake light sockets to test if that's the problem. You think that could work?

onslaught61

Actually, I looked at the ground connection (I think that's what it is) at the TAILIGHT bulb receptacle. It looks somewhat corroded, and the wire also runs to the brake receptacle. However, could this really be the problem? Wouldn't the taillights not function either?

Former User

If you remove the left brake light bulb and press the brake pedal, does the fuse still blow? Do any wires separate the connector and the bulb receptacle?

Former User

A bad ground wire won't cause a short (blown fuse). A hot wire must be grounded to do this.

onslaught61

Yes, the fuse still blows with the BRAKE light bulbs disconnected (only when I press on the brake). I'm not sure I understand what you mean by wires that separate the connector and bulb receptacle. There is a large connector that connects to the housing system that I can disconnect. Once disconnected, there's still wires that connect from the pins to the receptacles. Is that what you mean?

onslaught61

ok I will take a picture it that helps.

Former User

Yes, check the brake hot wire between the connector and receptacle for a short. If none is found, then my guess is that the receptacle is bad.

onslaught61

Ok, I don't know if these pictures help, but these are what I'm looking at.

http://img11.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=img0706fln.jpg

onslaught61

sorry, but im clueless on this one. should i test it via a test light?

Former User

Your tests suggest that a short exists somewhere between the connector and bulb receptacle. Replacing this unit should fix the problem. You can verify the short by checking for continuity to ground from the brake wire in the brake light connector with the brake bulb removed. You need a multimeter for this test.

onslaught61

alright took one more picture, looks like it might be a cause of the problem, not sure though.
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/8914/img0710x.jpg

This is from the taillight though, not brake light.