Brake lights not working

[JoanneAKAJo]

1995 740I e38 Brake lights not working on either side. I removed both rear light clusters and cleaned up a few oxidized areas, checked bulbs, but still don't work. All other lights in both clusters are working fine. Any suggestions?

[Mayorchuck]

I would first check the switch and fuse. Fuse 44, in the ebox, feeds the brake light switch. Might check to see if the connection is secure.


S29, X78


below LH side of dash

S29	Brake light switch
X78	Component connector (4-pin, black), Brake light switch

[JoanneAKAJo]

Brake light switch and connector look good and the fuse is OK too. Still no brake lights

[carnut1947]

Did they work last week? then quit? Have you verified power to the bulb socket with a multi meter or test light? Does the center brake light work?

[JoanneAKAJo]

Check brake light warning came on, but w/visual check brakes lights seemed fine. Brake light warning flashed a few times within the month, and then I got a fix it ticket for no brake lights, and I have been unable to get them to work since. Center brake light works fine. Only the brake lights in both light clusters not working. To verify power to the bulb sockets, I switched them with the sockets in reverse lights location, and they worked fine there.

[psjr]

According to the wiring diagrams, the tail brake lights have the following differences from the center brake light that are also shared between the two tail brake lights:
- (Not sure if I believe this one) Power is provided via ignition on (Terminal 15) power, presumably from fuse 23, rather than the always on (Terminal 30) power.
- The ground is the tail light ground, located as shown behind the passenger tail light (X498):



So I would check that ground and check Fuse 23 to start. Fuse 23 is under the hood.

[Qsilver7]

Do you have the original 95 tail lights or have they been upgraded to facelift tails or even aftermarket tails? I ask because the tails for US market only has 1 brake light in each assembly (the outer location closest to the side fender)...and the inner location closest to the trunk is for rear fog lights (not offered in the US). So make sure you're putting bulb holder in the outward locations cause the inner locations aren't wired (unless a previous owner or yourself modified the setup).

If you or PO modified the rear tails to do the quad brake light mid...then look for two bulbs in the lower locations with either a wire soldered to bridge the brake & rear fog light bulb...or retiring of the electrical harness to power the rear fog light location.

Pic below shows the quad brake light mod...note the brown wire soldered between the rear brake light (on lower left) and the rear fog light (on lower right)...also note that there's a missing pin on the left side in the electrical harness due to the car NOT being equipped with rear fog light option: