Tailgate brake lights out - new bulbs won't work - fuse issue?

[Jwoodywild]

Which fuse controls the brake lights in the tailgate?

I have both tailgate lights out - the dashboard light is on - I had LastFit bulbs in there for about a year working fine. I tried both Halogen replacements and new LEDs - both should work fine - but they don't. Maybe it is a fuse? Where is that fuse?

If not a fuse, what else could it be? What would cause both sides to burn at once?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Owner's manual has the fuse diagrams.

 

[dbfw]

The wiring at the tailgate hinge could be broken. That happened to mine and took out the reverse lights until I repaired it. The wiring was very brittle at the hinge point and just broke from fatigue.

 

[Jwoodywild]

The wiring at the tailgate hinge could be broken. That happened to mine and took out the reverse lights until I repaired it. The wiring was very brittle at the hinge point and just broke from fatigue.

How do you fix that kind of wiring? I assume if it was broken it would be pretty easy to spot? I didn't see anything when I looked pretty closely but who knows?

 

[dbfw]

Yes, in my case three wires were broken clean off so spotting was very easy. If the outer insulation is still intact on yours it may not be obvious to the naked eye, but if you pinch and feel the wires at the flex point, you might be able to feel for one that's broken inside. To repair, pull back the protective boot and try to make your splices far enough back in each direction so the splice itself doesn't end up right at the hinge point.