Brake light works sporatically

[jaz525i]

the other day, "Brake Light 1" flashes on the OBD and I see that one of my brake lights isnt working. I go to work the next morning, no messg on the OBD and both lights are working until I start driving a little, then the "brake light 1" flashes on the OBD again and once again the brake light is out. ???

[Travis_WA]

Had the same error on my car a couple weeks ago, not sure if the number indicates which light it is, but for me it was the cyclops light above the trunk. Replaced it with a bulb of the same number and got the brake light circuit error... The PO had put incorrect and cheap bulbs in.

The Osram-Sylvania website recommends 7506 or 7506LL for replacement brake lights, picked them up for $4 nearby and its all fixed.

http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/LampReplacementGuide/

Anyway, I'd check / replace the bulbs and go from there. I read somewhere that the brake light switch can go bad too.

[bad_manners_god]

Top 3 Reasons that Jump to mind...

1.) Brake Light Switch - Corroded or Lose Connection
2.) Trunk Wiring Harness - Look for cuts or chaffing
3.) Light Bulb Socket - Corroded Connector or Lose Connection

[nirvana19]

EXACT same thing has been happened/is happening to me. Well, first I had my random fuse 5 blowouts (seemingly unrelated circuit) and immediately after that was resolved I got "1 Brake Light". When I stopped the car and restarted the message went away.. it comes on sporadically and I don't know why. I suspect the wrong bulbs have been installed as my high mount brake light has most definitely partially melted on the side, but that happened before I bought the car and everything has been working fine for over a year.

[Washburn]

Been chasing this for weeks. It's the plastic bulb holder on the tail lights. Poor design IMHO. The metal tabs break contact ...be carefully, they break if you try to bend them too much. Got a new one, but it's intermittantly failing too.

Remove, try to bend the tab a little more, replace.