brake lights don't illuminate unless brake pedal is pressed

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by redscare2008, Oct 15, 2022.

  1. redscare2008

    redscare2008 Junior Member

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    hello all. I recently took my '08 to the shop to have it inspected, and they told me the tail lamps were malfunctioning and they wouldn't be able to pass it until I get them fixed. I've done some simple visual tests and all the lamps are functional (after replacing the left side running and reverse lamp bulbs) with the exception that the brake lamps don't come on at all unless I press the brake pedal. to my understanding, the brake lamps should come on dimly when the light dial is turned all the way on, and brighten when the brake pedal is pressed.

    as I said, all the incandescent bulbs are currently functional, and I checked the TAIL fuse which seems to be fine. it doesn't seem to be an issue with the brake lamp LEDs themselves either. any ideas?
     
    #1 redscare2008, Oct 15, 2022
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    On a Gen 2, the LED brake lights are only brake lights. The taillights are at the base of the light cluster.
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, Oct 15, 2022
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Here you can see the LED stop light at the top, and the conventional taillight at the bottom.

    [​IMG]
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Oct 15, 2022
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  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yes brake lights only come on when brake pedal is depressed If you have the light switch on to the first position and you let off the brakes which are the very top LEDs either behind a piece of black plastic or clear if it's 07 and above that's your brake lights and of course the one in the center of the spoiler everything below that is a turn signal and then the very bottom is your running light a 194 in my car I have the one watt LEDs. The turn signals I have just the incandescence because I never used them anyway so what's the point I have no draw they're never on so they don't use any electricity at all and the running lights I have on almost all the time now people don't like to see a gold Prius coming down the road smartly you just like to pull out in front of it like it's a motorcycle.
     
    #4 Tombukt2, Oct 15, 2022
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Sometimes people think of Gen 3, which uses the same LEDs-in-reflectors part for both brake and (more dimly) taillights. But in Gen 2 they were separate.
     
    #5 ChapmanF, Oct 15, 2022
  6. redscare2008

    redscare2008 Junior Member

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    so my lamps are behaving as they should?
     
    #6 redscare2008, Oct 16, 2022
  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Do the lights marked "Taillight" and "Rear Side Marker Light", in the diagram in post #3, illuminate properly when parking lights or headlights are turned on?
     
    #7 fuzzy1, Oct 16, 2022
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  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Based on what you told us, yes.
     
    #8 Tideland Prius, Oct 17, 2022
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