Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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#352295 09/22/15 01:41 PM
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I recently had a new "three position Control Lever" signal unit installed on my '41 Chevy Coupe. (It also has the "Emergency Flasher.") I had a local auto electric company install the unit. All of the lights work, except the right rear brake light. The bulb is good and the regular rear light and signal light works on that side. The installers could not fix the problem. Could it be that the unit is just bad? Help.


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If the brake lamp worked previously then I suspect they did not wire correctly. The circuit from the brake switch should be routed thru the signal switch. At least that's how I wired my 32 after adding the RH lamp and it works fine. Mine was w/o the emergency flasher .


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Hello 41chevycoupe6,

Does the right front directional work ?? If so then the switch works but the wire to the rear is either missing or not hooked up properly.

Not being familiar with the '41's, if the car comes with 2 tail lights from the factory, then the brake light wire is cut at the rear to isolate one side from the other and a new wire is run from the directional switch to the rear which works both the brake light and over rides the brake light when the directional is activated.

I went thru all this when I put directionals in my '37 MD.

So I agree with m006840.


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Thanks Steve and Dave. So if I run a wire from the R rear to the "brak wire" on the L rear, it should work? Because the
L rear does work. (Both front signals work.)
Is this solution correct? Thanks, again,


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Originally Posted by 41chevycoupe6
Thanks Steve and Dave. So if I run a wire from the R rear to the "brak wire" on the L rear, it should work? Because the
L rear does work. (Both front signals work.)
Is this solution correct? Thanks, again,


No. Not if your system is wired as most are and the brake lights are fed from the directional switch. If you did that then the right light will flash with the left when you put on the left directional. The 7 wire directional switch should be fed with a hot wire returning from the brake light switch. There should be four other wires to make all four lights, left front, left rear, right front, right rear, flash as directionals. The other two wires are for the flasher. A 8 wire switch has a ground so the switch body doesn't need to be grounded firmly to the column.
The left and right rear, when the brakes are depressed, are both fed through the directional wires. If a direction is selected on the switch, then one light will flash and other will work as brake until either the brake is released or the switch shut off.
Reading your post it sounds like you might have separate brake light system though. You did say that the right directional is working and running light on the right is also working if I read it correctly. If that is so, and your brake switch is NOT feeding your directional switch, then you could connect the left and right BRAKE light wires together. The brake light bulbs should be single filament bulbs and in actuality, should already be connected together.

I'm editing this because I read your post again and you say the regular light works (running lights I assume) and the signal light (directional) works on that side. Do you mean both the front and rear right directional lights or just the front is flashing, not the rear? I can tell you that I have an 8 wire switch that fails to flash the left front when using the hazard switch. This is a failure in my switch. When using the directional lever, both front and rear directional lights work on both sides, so speaking from experience, yes the switch could be bad. It depends on the above I mentioned.

Last edited by Chistech; 09/23/15 01:20 AM.
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Can you post the diagram that came with the turn signal system here? It might help

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Thanks for the help. Yes, all signal lights work, including the right rear. The only light that doesn't work is the right rear when I brake. The right rear light works when the lights are turned on and it works when I signal. The brake light does not work on the right rear. (I did go to 12-volts several years ago. Can this be a problem? The signal lever is supposed to be for a 12 volt, and I got it from "Chevs of the 40's.") Thanks,


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P.S. The unit has 7 wires. Thanks,


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Check the brake light switch and let us know where the wires go to.


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It looks like wires going back to the left and the right rear lights. The right wire is on the center post of the three posts on the switch. Thanks,


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The wiring diagram most likely shows that the brake switch is wired TO the directional switch. Without seeing your diagram I am only guessing, but I believe the brake switch is not wired correctly. Without it going thru the directional switch there is no way to interrupt the brake light which is also the turn signal. On my diagram that has seven wires it shows one wire each for the turn signals ( 4) two wires to the flasher (2) and one to the stop lamp (1). I did add an eighth wire for a ground.


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Thanks for the help. I am trying to send you a photo of the wiring diagram. Thanks, again,


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If you post the brand name and part number there's a good chance it's on line if they have a web site. I got my switch from the FS and the vendor packaging had a web address which included a diagram. My email address is listed on my profile.


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Thanks, Steve.


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Try and easy test. Put on the right directional and step on the brake. The left brake should light steady and the right should flash. Now, put on the left directional and step on the brake. The left should flash and the right should be steady. If it's not even on I would say the switch has a problem like mine does. But it's only when using the emergency flashers.

The wire from the brake switch should go back to the directional switch only to feed the switch. No wires should go from the brake switch (the pressure actuated switch in the brake line)to the lights if the new switch is wired in correctly.

For shits and giggles add a ground wire to the body of your directional switch directly to the negative of your battery and check it again though I doubt with everything else working it's your problem but it's worth a try.

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I did the test. Here are the results: When I step on the brake, both tail lights come on. With the right turn signal, the turn signal works, however, the right brake light stops working. When I step on the brake, and turn the left signal on, the brake continues to work on both sides. ???
What do you think? Thanks,


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I am not familiar with that system but going by previous posts I would guess that there is a problem with the left turn and brake circuit. The brake light is working but not being interupted by the turn signal.
Tony


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I think at this point it's time to find a QUALIFIED shop to diagnose and repair.


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Originally Posted by 41chevycoupe6
I did the test. Here are the results: When I step on the brake, both tail lights come on. With the right turn signal, the turn signal works, however, the right brake light stops working. When I step on the brake, and turn the left signal on, the brake continues to work on both sides. ???
What do you think? Thanks,

Your original post stated you had no right rear brake light. In this post you say that both the left and right brake lights come on. With the right turn on, the right should flash(like you say it does) but you did not say if the left brake light comes on. With the left signal on stepping on the brake, you get no left directional. So now I'm confused. Is it the right rear brake or the left directional that doesn't work? Are your tailight bulbs single filament and are both the brake and running lights wired to that one bulb? It sounds like a crossed wire between lft directional and the brake feed. I would take the car back to where the switch was installed and let them figure it out. If you paid for the job, they need to fix it. If they supplied the switch and even if it's bad, they should replace it.

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I would take the car back to where the switch was installed and let them figure it out. If you paid for the job, they need to fix it. If they supplied the switch and even if it's bad, they should replace it.


Absolutely! Let the people that installed the unit figure out the problem. If you start messing with things then they will probably void the guarantee on their work.

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The right lamp is working correctly I believe as the stop/turn is the same bulb/filament. It should be a two filament bulb and the other filament is for the park lamp which remains on when the switch is activated. As posted previously if the brake light switch is wired thru the directional switch then the directional switch will either activate the lh or rh lamp or interrupt the rh or lh lamp if the brakes are applied.


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When you get the lights working correctly please let us know what the fix was.


Steve D

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