Car brake light question

[LostinVA]

The SO's has suddenly had all her brake lights go out at once... so we know they aren't burned out. Could it be a fuse? Anything to keep us from going to the mechanic... it's a tight month money-wise.

[MadHound]

1. First off, check your turn signals, see if they light up

If they do, it is probably a fuse, if not, then you've got something a bit more serious. Also check to make sure that your regular lights light up, for the same reason.

[LostinVA]

3. Everything else works (blinkers, lights, etc.)

[Squatch]

2. Fuse or bad ground

[LostinVA]

4. What's a bad ground? (I know how to change a fuse)

[billyskank]

9. Ground is the opposite end of the electric circuit to positive

Positive is one terminal of the battery, and ground is the other, which is connected to the car body. (Honest). Bad ground means that something in your lighting circuit is touching ground (i.e. the car body) when it shouldn't, and thus causing a short circuit.

[LostinVA]

10. That makes sense. Thanks!

[Oeditpus Rex]

5. Replace the fuse

If it happens again — especially if it's as soon as she steps on the brake pedal — you've got a short somewhere in the brake light circuit.

Finding it would be the hard part.

[LostinVA]

7. Okay -- I'll get fuses after work tonight

[northzax]

6. it's broken

unfixable, probably. So I'll just give you, say, $50 for it, just cause I'm a nice guy and want to help out a fellow DUer. deal?

[LostinVA]

8. Gosh, that's mighty......

REPUBLICAN of you...... hehehehheehe...

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Sounds Like A Fuse

Did the light on the back deck go out too? If so, it has to be a fuse or the switch on the brake pedal. The switches only last so long. The one i my driver side door doesn't work all the time, so when i open the door, the dome light doesn't go on. But, if i hit the manual switch, it works, so it HAS to be the switch.

The fuse is nothing to fix. The problem is, however, that fuses don't generally go out unless there is something else wrong. (Not always, so fingers crossed.)
The Professor

[LostinVA]

12. Yeah, the one on the back deck, too