No brake lights or hazards - where to start troubleshooting?

[HJ47]

1984 HJ47 has no working brake lights or hazards, need some tips on where to start troubleshooting. I've been reading all the wiring posts for the last several days, then trying to make sense of it on the rig on the rig for hours. I just don't know where to start.

Running lights all work. Turn signals work both sides, front and back. Reverse lights work.

Hazards don't work at all and neither do the brake lights. If the turn signal is on and I pull the hazard switch, the turn signal shuts off (I think this is supposed to happen). Also I currently don't have horns attached...so two red/greens without a relay for that if that matters.

This is a Vortec swap engine with a Painless wiring harness mated to the Toyota harness. Looking at a FJ40 wiring diagram the wiring colors seem to match up. Fuses look good w/o corrosion and the fuse box is newer and larger with 13 slots (9 occupied).

Are there some simple test steps to check before pulling the hazard and/or brake switch to test?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[1Fine40]

If I recall correctly (questionable at best..) the brake and the turn signals are different bulbs...maybe the bulbs are just burned out for that function...I'd look there 1st just to be simple...

Cheers!

 

[jc123]

I did check the bulbs. The bulbs behind the red lens section on the tail lights are dual filament. Both filaments are good on both bulbs.

 

[Charleston FJ40]

Have you checked your ground connections? I had to run a ground wire from my brake lights to get them to work. Try a test light on the brake wires at the lights, if no power, try right at the brake switch.

 

[77-fj-40]

Get a test light and start confirming power and ground also check fuses. I believe it grounds thru the housing so clean the surface it mounts to the follow the wire confirming power and ground until you locate a short or bad connection. I would suspect any wiring not done at the factory trailer connections additional light ect.

 

[HJ47]

Just so I'm clear. I would unplug each light socket and test each of the wire connections

 

[HJ47]

Sorry...and test each wire for power with the test light and the tester neutral clipped to a known good ground?

 

[77-fj-40]

Sorry...and test each wire for power with the test light and the tester neutral clipped to a known good ground?

Yes and test ground by connecting to a known 12 volt source and and touching ground wire to complete the circuit therefore completing the connection and lighting up the test light

 

[HJ47]

Yes and test ground by connecting to a known 12 volt source and and touching ground wire to complete the circuit therefore completing the connection and lighting up the test light

Solved! It was a loose hazards connection in the end.

Grounds were good, so I moved to testing the brake switch. Jumper wire did not work on the brake switch. I figured as long as I had the speedo pulled out, I'd pull the hazard switch and do some wire wiggling as a last resort. After a bit of wiggles, the hazards starting working...and when I put the brake switch jumper wire back on all brake lights were working! My fat hands did break a wire on the brake switch disconnecting it, so I had to order a replacement. Should have it Friday and be up and running!

Thanks for the help!

 

[77-fj-40]

Glad you got it sorted out mate

 

[delmandi]

Awesome, glad you got it sorted out with something easy, I installed a painless kit on little red and the brakes and hazards were the pain part of the entire install. FYI, if you have questions in the future with the painless kit, you can give them a call, they have pretty good customer service from what I have experienced and very knowledgable. You may get a quicker answer than waiting on someone to reply via mud, although every one here has proven to respond to any questions rather quickly!!!!!