hey guys, you've helped me here in the past with a problem and im hoping you can do it again i really need some advise how to fix my problem.

i have a 2001 dodge durango 4.7L sport and my brake light fuse has been blowing out multiple times. However my taillights still stay on, its just the brake lights that are not working. also, it seems like it doesnt blow out right away because when i put a new fuse in i see my break lights turn on but than after i drive and look later on they blow "the same day". i have been driving without brake lights for about 6 months now i really need to figure this out i dont want a ticket. i really cant afford to bring it to a mechanic and get charged over $150 for them doing this.

i did put aftermarket taillights on my durango that i bought from ebay, could this be doing that? i took it apart and didnt see anything noticeable that would keep blowing my fuse "but i dont know where to look" there is no water in the taillight and there never was so i dont think it is a water issue. maybe could a wire be crammed in a corner doing this? because if the wire had a cut in it wouldn't it short out right away? remember the fuse works for alittle bit before it goes out.

also i got a multi meter i bought from harbor freights, but i dont know how to use it to test the wires.

 

Maybe a bad ground somewhere or your trailer harness is corroded.

 

would the bad ground be in the rear by the tail light bulb or under the hood? because from what other people are saying on Google it sounds like a bad ground but i dont know where to start looking. i have a multimeter i just dont know how to use it, can a multimeter be even used for this situation? or do i need a short circuit tester? if you can please explain it as you were telling someone that doesnt know what your talking about.

 

Okay first I would check the bulb sockets to see if there is any corroding, but since your tail lights work fine that probably wouldn't be the issue. Second I would look at the trailer towing plug and harness and see if any of that is corroded. I had this problem, but opposite, my tail lights didnt work but my brake lights did. The culprit was an exhaust pipe melted wire insulator in the trailer harness.

 

OH WOW GREAT IDEA! i didnt think that would cause my brake lights to go out. your talking about the wiring harness that dangles under the back unpluged that if i were have a trailer i connect the trailer lights to? that thing your talking about? its dark right now ill check it tomorrow but from what i remember when i seen it, it looked really corroded, i think it even dangles low.

 

honestly, if you still have the stock tail lights i would try putting them back in to see if that solves the issue

if not then i would proceed with the above

 

That is exactly what i'm talking about. I went as far as adding a whole new plug and heat shrink connecting the wires, and then wrapping everything up with electrical tape. I also made sure I covered the wires up with some flame resistant plastic conduit to prevent the exhaust from melting through the wires again.

 

ahh man made a mistake, i thought my truck at the dangling wire harness for a trailer hitch but it is actually my dads dodge ram that has it danging. im looking under my car and i dont even see the wire harness for a trailer hitch. i will take off my tail light and take some pictures to show you guys to see if you can see anything ill be right back with those


yeah i was thinking of trying that as well but i dont have the stock tail lights still, im not sure if the aftermarket taillights that caused this or my loud stereo, i got four 12" subs in the back with the third row taken out so i dont even think i can get at the wires in the back without taking the subs out which is impossible for me because i had them professionally installed and its bolted down.

 

ok i just took some pics. see the reason why im now trying to fix this brake light problem is because just last night i had one sides tail lights go out and i reallly need those to drive at night.

so i just took the taillight off to look at the wires and after me pushing the wires back into the harness the tail light turn back on! so i guess i need to replace this harness peice in the pictures below.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8449/img0109h.jpg
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/8858/img0111em.jpg

so after i replace this harness i was wondering could that also be the reason why my brake light fuse keeps popping or no ?

also, i never found the trailer hitch harness. the only thing i found was i believe the light that lights up the license plate
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3001/img0114ic.jpg

 

this right here might be your problem


that red slide is unlocked in that picture, unplug it, clean out good with contact cleaner, reinsert and make sure that red slide engages so taht the plug cannot vibrate loose.