Camry brake lights problem

Bet ya have two burned out bulbs (brake filament gone) - replace them before wating any time on other tings --- they are cheap at WalMart. Fast flashing is giveaway that bulb filament is goen.

It sounds like you have a bunch of burnt out bulbs.

And, it should be noted that the filiment is FINE in the bulb that is flashing, even if it is flashing fast. The problem is the bulb at the other end of the car.

It sounds more like a bad ground.

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First, stop top posting.

Now, consider if you've done anything to cause it. Did you put something in your trunk that could have snagged the harnes? Add a new electronic device? Hook up wires for towing a trailer? Check those things first. Check the connections in your trunk. Make sure they're not pulled lose.

After that, you'll have to get a test light or VOM (Volt-Ohm Meter) involved. Expose one of the lamp sockets. Take the inside of your trunk apart carefully so you don't break the stupid little plastic things that hold things together.

On the sockets that have three wires, one is the parking lights, one is the break lights and one is ground. Check with a test light connecting the test light cord to ground then, one at a time, touch the pointy part of the test light (or the positive lead of the VOM) to the connections. One should light up or show 12 volts when the parking lights are on. The other only when the brakes are pressed. Now touch the pointer to the metal side of the socket. No reading is a good thing for this test.

Now comes the tricky part. :)

Put the bulb back in the socket. Take a piece of wire and connect one end to ground. Touch the other to the metal side of the socket (or touch the edge of the bulb at the metal part). If the bulb suddenly looks brighter, you have a ground problem. If this is the case, chances are the other bulbs will magically light up as well since their grounds are usually tied together.

Remove the right front turn signal housing and remove its bulb / socket. Remove the bulb -- inside the socket are two springlike "chrome" tabs that touch the bulb contacts, and a small "chrome" tab tha touches the side of the bulb base. Reshape all three of these contacts so they put more pressure on the bulb. Reinstall and your fast flashing signal will be fixed.

You most certainly have two bad brake bulbs in this situation, otherwise your center light would not operate. The classic 'broken wire in the trunk problem' would cause all brake lights to fail -- or a host of other problems depending on which wire(s) broke -- but it can't cause *some* brake lights to fail. 3157 is the generic bulb number for your tail/brake bulbs.

Toyota MDT in MO

Checked the bulbs and they appeared to be fine. Replaced them anyway since the repalcements were only $4.50 for two. Still no brake lights.

Mark

Well, it's the same fuse for center and outside brake lights, and the same brake switch. You have a break in either the green power supply wire or the White/Black ground wire somewhere. Its just not in the trunk hinge area. Your lights are on the body, not in the trunk lid like older Camrys.

Other suggestions have explained tracing the wiring with a test light. Looks like it's testing time. This is a situation where two bad bulbs would be the culprit 99% of the time, so don't overlook the simple and obvious. Possibly two bad bulbs from the store.... wrong bulbs.... etc...

Toyota MDT in MO

The entire god damn post fit on one screen. Jesus Christ, Gary.