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2002 Accord brake lights problems


tazatebugz1

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Hi all,

 

I am hoping somebody might be able to help me with a problem that has been frustrating me for the last two years. I bought a used '02 Accord SE Coupe in 2007 as a clueless college student on a tight budget. I should mention it was appraised as totaled by the insurance company for a car accident that happened before I bought it, and the entire back of the car was pretty much replaced (something I found out was more extensive than the seller made it seem like).

 

About a year after purchasing it, the main brake lights went out (third worked fine). It wasn't the fuses or the bulbs, turned out to be the little relay box in the trunk that shorted out. Replaced it, worked fine for three months, and happened again. And then again about 4-5 months later. This happened like 5 times. In the meantime, while getting frustrated about the issue, I had the brakes rewired completely, and most recently the wiring harness at the suggestion of the mechanic.

 

That seemed to do the trick, or so I thought. It's been about 6 months since I had a problem (a new record) with the brake lights until about two weeks ago. The gear shift was getting stuck in park and I couldn't get it to move until I pumped the brakes about 15 times in quick succession. Turned out it was the brake light switch that went bad. So I popped a new one in myself and the car worked great for the last week. Lights were coming on fine just last night and the gear shift problem was resolved.

 

But then all of a sudden today I was driving and some guy almost rear-ended me. He pulled over next to me and told me NONE of my lights were working. Lo and behold when I got home and checked, all three lights are out. I know it's not the bulbs (what kind of insane coincidence would that be?) because when I use the remote to lock/unlock the car the brake lights flash perfectly fine.

 

I am really sick and tired of these problems.. I've poured several hundreds, probably close to $1000 at this point, into this problem and have yet to get to the bottom of it. Anybody have any ideas on what's causing it? I've taken the car to three different mechanics, all of whom were stumped except the last guy who thought it was the wiring harness. I am so fed up that I am starting to hate my car. It's becoming a burden and I am tempted to just get rid of it and get something else but I am still on a tight budget.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Sounds like it's the switch by the pedal again.

 

So actually I just had someone check the lights in the back as I pressed the brake again and it is just the main two lights that aren't working. The third seems to be working fine. I guess that changes things. Any ideas? Thanks!

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Check that the grounds are clean and tight. I would assume they are if you had the harness replaced properly. Get a test light and check for power to the assembly and chase it back until you have power then you will know that your problem begins after that point. This is a difficult thing for anyone to diagnois online because the car was in an accident so it fall into the who knows catagory and it realling takes someone with good electrical skills to find the problem, and then once found if something keeps failing you will need to diagnois why it is failing and fix that. Make sure that the proper amp fuses are being used in the system.

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So actually I just had someone check the lights in the back as I pressed the brake again and it is just the main two lights that aren't working. The third seems to be working fine. I guess that changes things. Any ideas? Thanks!

I'm pretty sure even a Haynes manual has a wiring diagram in it. From here I would just chase the wires. Sounds like the circuit board box again since it controls both and both are out.

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