fastegg

'98 LS400... both brake lights out...globes OK ... fuses OK... brake light in the back window still working.... no brake lights on the trailer either.... Is there a brake light controller ?..... Any suggestions ?

LeX2K

There is a lamp failure warning box left hand side trunk near the hinge sometimes they toast themselves. Speaking of hinge check the bendy section of wires for breakage.

fastegg

I can get to the stop light controller in the boot however I have no idea how you would test it.... it looks fine not burnt... Had an auto electrician look at it... couldn't find the problem however he said he could run a wire from the window stop light, to a relay, then to the (tail) brake lights... not perfect but it would work... my windscreen has been leaking badly (after a cracked replacement 5 years ago).. it's going in very soon to be taken out, a bit of rust repaired along the top of the roof and resealed up.... he thinks it's possible that water has leaked onto a connector under / behind the dash and corroded it... that's possible too.. i would like to test / bypass the controller somehow...Grrrrr....

Yamae

I'd simply check the tail lights failure sensor unit visually checking soldering points. The current sensing registers or the connector's pins tend to have soldering crack problems. Sometimes the board is thermally damaged.

This Timmy's photo may help you to know where the sensor unit is located. The red box is it.

fastegg

I took it out and inspected it.... it looks perfect... unplugged it.. sprayed in some WD40.... still nothing... It'd be good if someone knew if I could 'jumper' the plug somehow

Yamae

Can you check the voltages of those 3 current sensing resistors shown here?
All bulbs are getting the 12V power via these 3 resistors that look like just metal jumpers.

fastegg

Hey Yamae... I took the stop light sensor apart and bugger me there's a burnt terminal.... can you see it ?... one of those ones you told me to look at... mine has 2 not 3 but 1 is burnt like a burnt fuse.... I'm guessing this is probably the problem ?

fastegg

Fixed it... Woo Hoo..... I jumped those 2 burnt terminals & I have brake lights..... thank you thank you thank you...... Dam it feels good when you find / fix something...... Merry Xmas Mr Laurence.....

Yamae

Congratulations on your fix, fastegg. I can easily imagine how you feel it dam good. I also feel happy that you are now in a mood of a fulfillment.

The Australian model must have not many brake light bulbs as JDM Celsiors have. Celsiors have totally 8 brake bulbs and the current sensing is done using 3 different resistors. Those resistors look like just metal jumper wires but those are resistors and have some small resistance 0.XX Ohms. I don't remember the exact values but the resistance should be within the certain range. This makes me worry that your brake light failure indicator turns on. If so, lifting a resistor in this photo is one of the ways to try. But this disables the warning function though.

I just wondered what about, "Merry Xmas Mr Laurence....." at this time of the season but I searced the Net and I now understand what you mean. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085933/

fastegg

I guess the Australian model has 4 bulbs (2 each side) and 1 in the back window.... I tried soldering the burnt terminal but solder wouldn't take so I just put an alligator clip on for now... going up to a friends house tomorrow he said he'd have a go at a more 'long term' solution... Oh, and the Merry Xmas Mr Laurence is something you say to someone as a thanks... bit early I know but I couldn't think of anything else... I love it when things go right for once....