65 GTO Brake light
 

Question, 65 GTO, passenger side tail light is on but when I apply brakes, I get no lights at all on passenger side. Driver side works fine, tail light and brake light.

I checked the bulb and it is an 1157 and both elements are in tact.

I have been told , when being followed, that sometimes my passenger side brake light will come, sometimes it will be out and sometimes dim.

What do you think the problem is?

Like I said, it is only the passenger side.

Thanks,
Mark

Bad ground

Could be ground or signal harness in the steering column

Bad ground.

Agree with the bad ground.

:)

Check the socket housing area.

:)

Thanks for the comments.

My bulb socket looks to be original and the harness is pretty dried out. Maybe a new harness and bulb sockets for both sides may solve the problem.

I will try a temp ground to see if that solves the problem and if it does, will proceed to above.

Thanks again,
Mark

Usually the ground strap contact on the socket does not make good contact on the quarter extension. 9 times out of 10 if you turn the socket back & forth in the quarter extension it cleans itself up and makes contact. Out of all the 64's and 65's I have ever owned I have never had to replace a wire harness. I have however, replaced a few sockets. Also, if you recently detailed your trunk and repainted it, that will be your problem as to why you have a bad ground.

had the same trouble with 66 GTO try pulling the turn signal lever down a little in neutral position. I think it might be in the column. Haven't taken mine apart yet to fix it yet getting too old and lazy.

Rarely a bulb will look good but be burned out so the ground is not proper. If you don't have an extra bulb switch the R and L bulbs and see if the problem moves. You may be a candidate for LED anyway.

thanks for the replies

I did paint the trunk a few years ago, maybe that is the problem.

I was looking at led's, might give that a better look if I have to purchase new sockets and such.

will try switching the bulbs to see if that makes a difference.

Thanks again,
Mark

My bet goes on the turn signal switch not being centered. Try operating the left & right turn signals. If they both work, but only one brake light works, the problem is in the turn signal switch.

X10 on bad ground especially since you say you painted the trunk. The bulbs get their ground through the housing bolted to the tail panel, so there are plenty of layers to interfere. I used a ground strap from my tail light housing to the support that goes from the trunk floor to edge and it cured mine.

Check the grounds first, then check the contacts of the wires in the horseshoe connector under the column that go to the turn signal switch. Had this problem 25+ years ago with my '65, and it was one bullet-connector backed out of the horseshoe connector a bit. No issues since.

tail lights
 

All good adjust from experienced guys. Start with the simplest stuff first. Check the ground at the socket. You may have file it clean and tweet the ground connector on the socket to make a better ground. I had to replace the socket on the passenger side of our car and what a hassle to find one worth putting on. All of the China made stuff is total waste of time and money, the metal is way to soft. Didn't matter where I bought the socket N$#@ or AZ or Car Q$%^& all pure junk metal. I friend of mine gave me a good used one.
Good Luck

Sorry guys, have not worked on this brake light issue yet. This weekend it will be nice outside so I will most likely get to the issue this weekend.

I will post results when I get the issue fixed.

Thanks,
Mark

If the driver side works it's not in the column. It's either a bad wire going across the trunk or like everyone said bad ground.

Sorry for taking so long to get back.

I have replaced the tail light socket on the passenger side with a new one. It fixed the problem as I now have brake light on the passenger side.

Now for my next issue. Since I replaced the passenger side tail light socket, now my driver side tail is acting up. Driver side tail light stays on constant (only when light switch is turned on), but I have no turn signal or brake light on the driver side. When applying the brakes, passenger side brake light comes on, driver side no brake light just normal tail light. When I put on the turn signal, driver side tail light stays on, no blinking.

What could have happened from replacing the passenger side tail light socket? The driver side worked prior to replacing the passenger side socket?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Mark

I like the teal turquoise. Parchment interior?

Since it worked before you put in the new tail light socket, your problem is probably something there. As always, check the grounds. I’ve found that sometimes grounds that have worked for 50 years will stop working when I change something else.

Black interior. All per plate, car was originally teal turquoise with black interior so that is what I went with when I redid the car.

I like it, it's different when you go to shows and cruise nights, do not see any other 65 GTO's (if you see any at all) in that color.

I just had the rear steel wheels powder coated black. Next I am going to get steel wheels for the front and have them powder coated black also. I like that look. Next year will be raised white letter tires.

Mark

OK, for the fix, I replaced the driver side with a new tail light socket and all is good now.

I have tail lights, brake lights and turn signals out of both sides!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the help,
Mark