I have a '02 Dakota with no brake lights on either side and the 3rd light isn't working either. That light hasn't worked in years but I put a bulb in it to see if it would at least work. It didn't. I have blinkers, running lights and hazards. I pulled the switch and I got an on/off connection with the ohmmeter on the first 2 pins. I have power going to the switch. The shifter will move when the pedal is pushed in. I cant find a fuse that is label brake light switch but I swapped all the 10,15 and 20 fuses around with each other. I swapped the relays around. Anybody have any other suggestions. The switch has 5 pins, is there more I can check there?
Thanks

 

I will move this to the 2nd Generation Dakota Sub-Forum.

 

Probably a bad brake light switch. Here is some info from the Dakota Service Manual on testing the switch with a volt-ohm meter. The pins are numbered 1 thru 5 from left to right, while holding the switch with the wire connector facing you, with the connector plug on top and the plunger facing out to the right.

SWITCH CONTINUITY TEST
NOTE: Disconnect switch harness before testing
switch continuity.
With switch plunger extended, attach test leads to
pins 1 and 2. Replace switch if meter indicates no
continuity.
With switch plunger retracted, attach test leads to
pins 3 and 4. Replace switch if meter indicates no
continuity.
With switch plunger retracted, attach test leads to
pins 5 and 6. Replace switch if meter indicates no
continuity.

Unless you have a bad wire, a bad ground somewhere or blown fuse the switch is about all it could be. The brake lights do not run through the Central Timer Module. Does the truck have any trailer light wiring added to it? If so maybe check there for any shorted wires, bad connections or bad grounds. According to the manual the fuse for the brake lights is under the hood in the Power Distribution Center, it is fuse #5, 30 amps.

Hope that helps.

Jimmy

 

wow, I was subscribed to this thread and never got emailed? Must be because it was moved? Sorry for that. I dont even remember where I put it originally.

Thanks 01silvercc! It looks like my brake light switch is good. Thanks for the testing help there. I had trailer lights but I unhooked them and plugged the wires back in like the where before the light kit and still nothing. I am still having problem with the fuse thing. Under hood they are not numbered. I dont have any normal 30 amp fuses but have one(maybe few) big square one that is 30amp. I swapped around every fuse and relay just in case already and still nothing. They all look good. None are label brake lights under hood or near the driver door. I did see one that said electric brakes though. With all the swapping them around and looking for bad ones Im sure they are all good though. I ordered a turn signal switch earlier today. I hope thats it? I was kinda freaking after finally finding how to check the brake light switch right after I just ordered the turn signal switch so Im glad it passed, lol.

 

update, I just checked the elc brake fuse under hood and its one that is missing and the little tab is missing also so I'm guessing it must be for a electric trailer brake option that I dont have. I will update again when my turn signal switch comes in and installed. Hopefully soon before I get a ticket or rear ended. Thanks

 

This may not be of any help but remove the tail light lenses and third break light on cab and look at the bulbs and sockets for damage shorting on tail lights trace the wires back as far as you can and see if any wires are pinched smashed or strange looking things hiding. Holy crap I have a bomb wired under my truck… yuck yuck.

Also see if you get power at the tail light sockets at all have someone tap the breaks as you test them that way you know you are getting power back their or not.

See if that helps out any.

 

update. Well, I have brake lights. I am ashamed to say what was wrong though. But to possible help others I am making the short story long on what I discovered with the brake lights.

I got the turn signal switch in today. That sounded strange but somewhere I read that it senses which side the blinker is on and turns the brake light off on that side so it did have something to do with the brakes. Seems how the brake pedal switch was good(thanks 01SilverCC) I figured it must off been that. Not if they do actually have anything to do with the breaks but the turn signal switch was not it. So I started look around some more under the truck. The main wires that go to the back have a plug connector behind the drivers side wheel mounted to the cab. I took that apart and it looked great but thought I would mention that for others looking for problems. I went back to the fuses. I could never find one labels brake lights as I said before, I swapped them all around. The big square ones you can see so I just looked them over and they appeared good. Today I noticed the one that was 5 down in the under hood Power Distribution Center did look like it could have had a small gap. It is 20amp though. 01silvercc did say it was #5 but 30amp but mine wasnt label 5 or 30amp so I wasnt for sure then. I looked at the label and it said st lmps. duh! I was always looking for a label "brake light" or abbreviation of that. I swapped it out and they work. I feel like an idiot but at least I am an idiot with brake lights!

also note to moderator. I also messed up with the thread title and tried to edit it. I wanted to add brake light problem in the title.

Thanks all for your help!