StealthSS

I just bought my SS last tuesday, so i havnt had it very long, and the car is brand spankin new. This morning my dad was following behind me and noticed that when i hit the brakes, only the third brake light on the trunk lights up. the tail lights do nothing. The tails work as far as regular lighting at night and turn signals, but aperently dont have any effect when braking. I know the headlights are all funky on the cobalt compared to some cars with the way you can turn the auto lights on and off, etc... but is there something special i should know about the tails? or do i just have faulty wiring in my tails? I'm likely taking it back to the dealer tomorrow to ask about it, but i thought id go ahead and get some feedback on here before i do that. thanks.

Dead Zen

Yeah i would go to the dealer, cause there isn't anything special aside from hitting the brake. You are doing that aren't you??



Rick

plyboy-illest

yea bring it in might be some bad wireing or something...

REIGN SS

hey, welcome to the site... thats odd about the lights not lighting up b/c every cobalt ive been behind the outer & 3rd light lights up...

p.s.: keep your eyes on the regional forums for our monthly OH meets...

TwISteR

Its called a Brakelight switch, its were you hit your brakes and you hear that 'click' thats what activates your brake lights to come on. Your third brakelight comes on as a seperate switch though.

cobalt06ss_sc

try checking a fuse. I know that if you step on the brake with the ignition off only the third brake light lights up. so possably there is fuse that lew or something dumb like that. otherwise i would take it to the stealership. congratulation on the purchas of you're new car!!!

StealthSS

is this hard to replace? i cant say ive ever had issues on any of my cars with the brake switch.

TWIZTED 2.2

has anyone notcied.. on other cars.. the third break light flashes when people hit there brakes.. what is that about

SSinPhilly

i just noticed yesterday when the keys are not in the ignition and u hit the brake only the 3rd brake light comes on- when you put the keys in they all come on.

TwISteR

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No it should just plug in and out easy deal. But you'll hafta goto GM to get it autozone i would doubt carry it. It should be just covered under warranty.

StealthSS

the dealer cant get me in till next tuesday to fix it under warranty. so i was going to check to see if it was a simple fuse issue i could fix, but i honestly cant figure out how to get to the fuse box. i looked in the manual and figured out where it is, but im affraid to just yank on that panel to get to it. is there some trick to pulling it off? or is it safe to just pull on it?

TwISteR

If it was your fuse, then none of the brake lights would work.

Red07SSNA

Today is Tuesday -- Hopefully you got it fixed. Please let us all know what it turned out to be. Thanks

StealthSS

next tuesday, not today. wont get fixed for another week unless i find another dealer that could take it sooner. but i kinda wanted to take it back to the one i bought it from since i literally JUST bought it.

TwISteR

Honestly, all new chevys are known for their brakelight switch to go out, I see it rather often and get calls about it often. Just like chevy always put crap rotors from the factory since 94+

Red07SSNA

Any news?

xl1200r

There is not going to be a seperate switch for the 3rd brake light vs. the other two. That makes no sense.

Could the switch be bad? Maybe, but then none of the lights should come on.

Could it be a fuse? Maybe, but again, if they work for the turn signals and running lights and the 3rd works, then probably not that either.

My guess is something to do with the ignition switch, because it seems like when you hit the brakes the car doesn't know it's on. When the key is out, only the 3rd lights up, so maybe it doesn't know that the key is in.

In any event, who really cares. It's under warranty, and they'll know right away if they get it fixed or not - I mean literally...there's a light buld that comes on and says "Yup, the brake lights are working"

Let us know when you know what it was...I'd be curious. Working on cars and dealing with electrical systems as long as I have, I know that some companies do some really wierd **** (especially these European platforms). Knowing that, I woudln't rule out the other options, but I don't think it's a brake switch or fuse.