97 camry brake light issue
 

Well i figure this problem is a quick fix, so i came here for some advice. So the issue is that both brake lights don't work after replacing the bulbs, however the spoiler brake light still comes on. I hoping it's a quick fix, any suggestions?

*The car is a 97 camry xle, thanks!

Is the tail-brake light out icon light on the dash?

The spoiler brake light and "rear" brake lights receive power from the same source. If the spoiler light is working, power is making it to the tail/brake light out sensor. This is a device that triggers the light on the dash.

It is located in the trunk, drivers side, forward. You need to remove the trunk liner to get to it.

The rear brake lights have the same ground. Make sure the ground terminal at the bulb socket has continuity with the chassis. The ground wire is either black/white or white/black, the power wire is colored.

Check the trunk wiring harness for damage, etc.

Sometimes the sensor device in the trunk fails, the result is the tail, rear brake lamps or both are off. Spoiler lamp power bypasses the device.

To check this you need to determine if power is coming out of the device. Find the same colored wire going to the rear tail light bulbs at the device and test for voltage coming out of the device when braking. If none, the device could be bad.

The best place to find a replacement is a junkyard, Toyota charges too much. Or bypass the device. There was a long thread at this site on how to do this.

I did some reading and found that it may be cause by a bad bulb in the taillights, i looked and sure enough a burn spot was on one of the lights. I tried the bulb from the other side and it worked in that socket. The Light on the dash is in fact on, so I'm hoping the bad bulb in the tail lights is indeed the problem. (the bad bulb was in the taillights, and not the brake lights) I would think that it's a bad ground like you said, since that was the problem on my trans am, but idk because that's a 30 year old car. Tomorrow after i get to autozone I'll post back if or if not the bulb is in fact the problem.

the bulbs weren't the problem, i'm gonna go check out the ground wires after it stops raining

fixed thanks