rear tail light goes off when brake is pressed

[Kincaid]

Hi - can anyone help with this situation: -

- If the lights are on and I press the brake the rear left light goes off completely (the right works as expected).
- If the lights are not on and the brake is pressed both brake lights come on as expected.

I removed a long wire that was bridging the two front side lights today Could this be causing the rear brake light issue?

If not, any ideas on the likely cause?

Thanks,

[briwy]

Could be a bad earth, that will make weird things happen.

[You've Been Bongod]

bad earth or wrong bulb

[TechnoTurkey]

I'd go on the side of a bad earth as well.

[francophile1947]

Definitely a bad earth. I reckon 90% of the old Ford Escorts that I saw, used to suffer with wonky rear lights when braking or indicating

[chipvan]

ha ha my dad had an escort van,we called it the disco van for the earth issues you guys are talking about!

[Kincaid]

Cheers Gents. I started by reinstating that wire bridging the two front sides - it made no difference So (as BDC indicated) I went to the back and checked the bulbs. I've got a 1996 but with pimped rear (mark 3) lights. They've been letting in water and the brake light bulb had corroded. So changed the bulb and drilled some holes below the light on the inside to let the water out in the future. Sould all be good now.

[bigdaddycain]

Was the rubber washer on that bulb holder shroud Kincaid? The holder should have a fair resistance when you twist it, if it undoes easily the rubber washer may be missing, and could well be the reason the water is getting in the light housing.

[Kincaid]

Was the rubber washer on that bulb holder shroud Kincaid? The holder should have a fair resistance when you twist it, if it undoes easily the rubber washer may be missing, and could well be the reason the water is getting in the light housing.

Thanks BDC. The rubber washers are in situ but when the lights were upgraded the bulb holders weren't, so a couple are too small for the fittings and (what looks like) plumbers mait has been used Anyway cleaned it all up at the weekend, used a chisel to create a tight fit between holder and light and then added belt and braces with amalgamating tape. The lights still have condensation in but I've seen on a previous post of yours that I'm probably going to need to just live with it (or disguise it with pimping veneer)