95 CS 4dr - 3rd brake light blows bulbs

[DavidHowell3633]

I checked the contacts at the 3rd brake light and found the hot wire shorted to ground. I crawled into the trunk and checked the connection behind the rear seat. It's grounded at that point. I am assuming the wiring runs up the inside next to the threshold plate. But, thought I would check with you guys to see if this might be a common problem or where the most likely place might be to look.

Thanks,

David

[Crazy K]

huh?

 

I think that someone else has had this issue...

[Timm]

did the sheet metal sever the hot wire and ground it?

(probably the case for blown fuses.)

Blown bulbs?

Maybe wrong bulb?

[Crazy K]

oh... the bulbs are halogen, they may blow if you leave a fingerprint on them.

[Timm]

oh... the bulbs are halogen, they may blow if you leave a fingerprint on them.

over heat due to grease on fingers

[DavidHowell3633]

The bulbs are fine. I know about fingers and oil, etc. There's a grounded wire that is supposed to be HOT. I'm wondering where would be the likliest place to look. Thanks for your help. David

[Crazy K]

follow the black and light blue wire. it goes to the right side under the headliner, down the c-pilar and there is a connector where it joind the main harness behind the seat.

[DavidHowell3633]

THAT's what I was looking for. You come thru everytime.

I was about to start pulling up the carpet.

Thanks

[Crazy K]

*high 5!*

[DavidHowell3633]

After thinking about it- I know the blk/lt blu wiring runs down from the 3rd brake light to the back of the seat. But how does it route to the front of the car? Thanks

[w-bodys_are_the_best]

I know from tearing my 94 CS apart many time for stereo install/upgrading, they have plastic runner deals that are covered that all the wires end up going through. From there they run into each kick panel and up into the dash. I'm sure they run through one of those, there should be almost no threat of shorting from under the rear seat to the kickpanels, because as I said it's all plastic, it's most likely somewhere around the rear deck and or seat, or under the dash somewhere. Pull your back seat and you'll be able to see what i'm talking about. I actually ran my power and remote lead wire through those "Channels" but kept my RCA's out of them to reduce noise.

 

The window brake lights are apparently wired completely seperate from the tail lights all the way up to the column as the last 2 years I had my 94, the only brake light that worked was the window one and everyone told me it was the TSS switch in the column.

[DavidHowell3633]

I crawled into the trunk to test the leads. I disconnected the black/light blue leads and tested the wires coming from the front and the power lead was grounded. Then, I almost couldn't get out of the trunk. At 64, I can't maneuver very well upside down and in a fetal position.

[w-bodys_are_the_best]

It's pretty easy to pull the back seats in these cars, and easier then crawling into the trunk, I'm 40 years younger than you and don't even like working in the trunk . In front of the seat bottom just underneath it in the floor, there will be 2 13 mm bolts, one on each side, pull those out, and lift out the seat bottom. There will then be 2 or 3 11 or 12 mm bolts on the bottom edge of the seat back, pull those out, and then push in and up towards the back window on the seatback grabbing it from the bottom and it will slide up towards the window, and be free to lift out. You will then be able to see the rear deck, trunk sound deadening mat (unless you have flip-down seats) and should be able to see where the wires run. They will likely run to one side or the other of the trunk opening, and down under the where the seat was, and into those plastic "channels" I was talking about. That should be the only place they would be grounded is somewhere under the seat or around the trunk opening, you could then repair the wires, and throw everything back together. Once you take the back seat out you can see everything, the carpet stops just under the front edge of the seat you can see the painted sheetmetal of the floor. When you put the seatback back on, you start 3 inches or so up towards the window and push it in and down and it will lock the top of the seatback in, then just put the bolts back in, the rest is easy. you'll see what I mean once you have the seatback out. If there is no short there, it almost has to be under the dash.

[DavidHowell3633]

OK. I'll give that a try.

Thanks.