Newb... brake light question?

[usednabusedQ45]

Hi guys....

My name is Jeremy... first post... I do not own a Q45... but one of my coworkers daughters does.... and well.... its @ 197 on the clock, and been to hell and back by the looks of it... and I have been nominated to work on it.... lucky me...

Anyways... I don't have a wiring diagram for the car... and I am trying to figure out the brake lights.... I've asked this guy to pick up a chiltons or something... but he keeps forgetting... anyway... the brake lights are not working however the 3rd brake light is... this leads me to believe that the brake switch is ok....for sure the fuse is ok, bulb sockets and the bulbs are also ok.... while searching the net for a possible cause... I read on another forum that the car has a brake lamp control unit?? anyone know where it is on the car... and if this is likely the culprit? in case it matters I do not get any brake lamp warnings on the message center and the tail lights work. any info appreciated!

thanks.... and btw seems like a great forum you have here... the best infinity forum I've found so far.

[elwesso]

This sint an infinity forum, this is an INFINITI forum!!!

Welcome to our club... if you want a real service manual, email me... [email protected], ill hook you up

As far as the actual thing, theres afew posts in the online mechanic dealing with this, i suggest you take a look at that. Look in the infiniti online mechanic

[Vate]

I just fixed this problem tonight on my '93 Q45. The high-mounted light was working, but neither of the other brake lights (left and right taillights).

In an area approximately behind the license plate there is a sensor that all of the taillight wiring connects to. You access the sensor from inside the trunk. Remove the plastic expansion bolts that hold the felt trim cover on, and lift the cover up. You will see the sensor, mounted to the sheet metal with a single Phillips screw. Remove the sensor, then separate it from the connector.

Inspect the sensor and the connector. On mine, there was "flashover" damage on one of the pins, on the connector side, not on the sensor side. There are either 8 or 10 blade connectors, in two rows. The damaged female connector was in the upper right, if you looked at it head on. There were burn marks in the plastic, and burning coloration on the connector.

I cleaned the both the male and female halves of the connector, and compressed the female end slightly to give better "bite" to the blade (male) side of the connector. Once I plugged it back in, all of the brake lights worked.

I don't know what caused the original damage, so I don't know if this is a permanent fix or not.

BTW, I found the wiring diagrams in the full owner's manual, the one that comes in the trunk (in its own cubby above the spare tire).

[usednabusedQ45]

Vate...

thank you very much for the info... I will be doing some more work on the car this weekend, I'll let you know if that was the problem...

thanks again!!

[Romeo5k]

ok..I've ran into the same problem. what I want to know is.. is the location of the sensor the same location on the 95?. Is it on the trunk door.. or where the release lock is.. just trying to get an understading before I loosen the wrong thing..

[goody90q45]

The brake lamp sensor is under the trunk lock on the chassis (not in the lid). Remove the trim piece and you'll see it.

[Romeo5k]

thnx goody.. found it.. and for some odd reason I pulled it out and put it back in and voila works.. but because I hve 15 inch woofers in trunck it occasionaly stops working while driving listening to music. so I guess ill replace the sensor monday with one of the earlier G50 sensors.. got about 5 of em in yard. then if it keeps intermitting ill change the wore harnwss I guess

[Q451990]

Remember that there are different sensors for different configurations... 90-93 had four bulbs, so the sensor was made for higher resistance. Same for cars with spoilers, etc.

Heath

[Romeo5k]

pffft.. dat sux. Its about 4-5 of em out there.. one of those craps have to work. I dont even wanna ask how much one cost brand new from OEM.

[Q451990]

Hopefully you can just pick one from the same configuration as your car.

Heath

[Romeo5k]

u were right.. i got one from a 90 and a 91.. They would light up the bottom lights but left out the third light. I opened up the third light and i saw a lil current coming thru just not enuf to brighten the light, but enuf to know its trying to work. So i went to a 94 and that one worked perfectly fine... Thnx ppls