Thanks to an angry tailgating motorist, I was made aware of the fact that my brake lights didn't work. So, I've check this so far

- Reverse, parking lights, and reverse lights work
- 20 amp fuse in the PDC is good
- Replaced brake switch
- Checked voltage at switch; I was getting about 3 volts.

Anything else I should look at? Has anyone else had this issue?

 

The light bulbs work for the brakes? Unplug them and put it in the signal light socket.

My driver side brake light was out and thought it was a burnt bulb. Until after a half hour of cursing of why a new bulb wouldn't work, the thin piece of (I wouldn't call it a wire) metal was broken to where it sends power to the brake light bulb. Added some solder and all good.

 

I haven't checked the bulbs, only because I find it impossible to believe that every single brake build blew out at the same time.

 

Fuse, PDC, wiring, switch, light sockets and bulbs. Luckily on 3rd gen vans there's still a little sanity in the circuit design. Just 6 players in the circuit. If you're only seeing 3 vdc at pin 5 (power from PDC) at the switch, you have corrosion either in the associated wire, at the PDC connector, internal to the PDC or at the fuse socket. Should see 12vdc at all times.

Upper and lower brake lights are out correct?

 

All brake lights are out. Maybe I tested the circuit wrong, which wires should I be testing?

 

At the brake switch connector, pin #5 (pink wire) should have a constant 12vdc with keys in your pocket. Pin 6 (white wire) is the switch output to the lights. You can bypass the switch by jumping pins 5 & 6 together. Lights should come on immediately.

If you don't see 12vdc at pin #5, remove the fuse and check for it there. One contact or the other should have 12vdc. If that's good leave the fuse out and check for continuity (resistance measured in ohms) from the fuse contact with no voltage to pin #5 at the brake switch. Shouldn't see more than an ohm or two.

If you would like the wiring diagram send me a private message and include an email address.

 

Ok, so I checked pin #5 and it indeed has a constant 12vdc. I tried jumping pins 5 & 6 and that failed to run the lights. It seems to me that I either have a bad ground or a short somewhere inbetween the switch and the lights. Any good places to look for the ground?

 

I also plugged my multimeter in between pins 6 and 5. I got 12 volts that way as well.

 

Bumping.

 

Good from the fuse/PDC to the switch. Dead from the switch to the lights. Using your ohm meter check resistance at pin 6 at the switch to ground. You should see some resistance because you're measuring through the bulbs. You will find it open - infinite resistance.

Test the wire from pin 6 to the light assemblies. Using a piece of wire connect pin 6 at the switch to ground. Go to each light assembly connector and check for resistance to ground at pin 5. Should see continuity - zero resistance. If it reads open - infinite resistance, the wire from the switch to the lights has a break.

Bad ground? The two lower lights use the same ground. The upper lights have their own ground. Two bad grounds? Sounds like your blown bulb theory. You can check the lower light ground by testing resistance from pin 6 at the light connector to ground.

Your bulb theory. Yup odds are far against all of them being blown but I would have a look at one and go from there. Just a little CYA.