Brake light problem

[donldsn]

Hi, I just joined up here. This site looks really great. I have owned 3 infinitis over the years, G35, M35 and now a Q45. Wish I knew of this site years ago. My car is a 1992 Q45 and my brake lights are not working. About a year ago I replaced the sensor. My symptoms are as follows. I noticed brake lights out due to the ILL lights would dim out when I stepped on the brakes, I checked ILL fuse it was blown so I changed it but still had the dimming effect, Now brake lights dont work at all. I have run the check as outlined in the FSM by checking voltage at the harness to the brake lamp sensor, it shows testing the terminals second from right. I am getting no voltage there at all when depressing pedal. Before I go to far I thought I would ask and see if anyone else had this issue. Since I am getting no voltage I am thinking it is not the sensor. hoping I don't have to spend another $100 for a new sensor. Could it be the brake switch? If so which switch under there is for the brake? There are two switches there. Also, now I am sometimes having the shift lever stick and I have to push the release button to get into gear, this is intermittent. Any help to a new member here would be really appreciated. Thanks so much.

[C-Kwik]

If you're not getting voltage where the FSM says you should be, then that would be where I look first. Its hard to say how the dimming problem is related without going through a wiring diagram. Its possible finding the source of the missing voltage problem may shed light on the dimming problem. But it is entirely possible they are unrelated problems as well.

[goody90q45]

Take a look at your brake lamp modules. They're easy to pull out from the trunk, no tools required. Any melting of the bulb sockets, charred wiring, melted sockets in the bulb holder? Are the dual filament bulbs long life, preferably sylvannia LL? A short in either brake module can cause the conditions you describe.

Having to use the shift lock to get out of park sounds like one of the two brake pedal mounted switches has gone bad. See the BR (brake) section of the FSM or search the topic in the Q45 forum. Others have had the same issue.

The 1994 FSM is the oldest available but I like using the 95 FSM since it has an index. It's 99% the same car as yours and will work fine.

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q45/1995_Q45/

Welcome to NICO. Come on over to the Q45 forum and introduce yourself and your Q.

[donldsn]

Thanks so much for all of the feedback. The problem was the base of the light bulbs. a couple of them were melted. I was glad to see that as I priced a sensor at the dealer today and they wanted $168. I did replace with the sylvania LL bulbs. The ones in there were not that brand. Thanks again for your help.