Noticed that my near side brake light had gone so bought replacement bulb from Halfords yesterday and whacked it in (bulb is double element type, brake light and tail light).

Got my neighbour to check once I'd fitted it and all lights coming on fine - left / right brake and LED brake light in spoiler - today while parking in garage I notice the same side has gone again. Checked the filament and you can see a piece has broken away. All rear lights and the other brake lights still fine.

Possibly unrelated, but the passenger side map light has also (recently) gone as I went to use it tonight and it didn't work...what the hell is going on???

Any help greatly needed.
Paul

 

I had a Mitsubishi galant that did things like that, never did get to the bottom of it. however i did find that if i replaced the bulbs in pairs, rather than one side at a time.
they lasted longer ..? ?

 

Had this problem on another car sometime ago. I changed the brake light only for it to go after a few days. When dealer did a proper check they found it was a poor earth connection.
Once this was soughted it never happened again.
Terry

 

Thanks for the replies - come to think of it, a few months ago I snapped a wire in the boot and twisted it back together and taped it up. Maybe that's the earthing issue - IIRC, it eminated from the loom that feeds the high level brake light!

Strange because in the last few months the left number plate light, interior map light and now brake light have gone.

I'll try twisting the wire to the right

 

OK, now identified as being the wire that had snapped, which I twisted together and wrapped in insulation tape. The interior light stopped again, I pinched the join in the boot and the light was ok again.

Clearly this earth wire has a bad contact so should I just repair it properly with spade connectors? There is not much slack so I won't be able to fix it to the earthing bolt before the break - there has to be a join.

I assume that it is the twisting together that is simply not sufficient.

Advice please,
Thanks
Paul

 

A spot of solder and some tape will do the trick or a connector
block for a less professional/satisfactory job.
Mouser.

 

Thanks Mouser

Think I have a 5 amp choc block connector in me box

Will try that