Have a reall wierd issue. The top break light stays on, and no brake lights at the tail lamps

[chevy_chase]

So I have a 1995 silverado 5.7 tbi step side. The issue I'm having I the top brake light stays on, and the 2 on the back of the bed do not come on. I bought the truck a few days ago. All lights worked except the brake lights. I have put in a new brake switch, I've changed the bulbs, tried different lights, i even just replaced the dash harness today with a new harnes that i know is good, and am having the f%@#$*% issue. Here's the kicker, there is no brake light relay under the hood and there are no wires run to where the relay is supposed to be. There is constant power to the white wire coming from the brake light switch but it's not coming out of the fire wall to go to bmhe back taillights........ WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUZZ DO I CHECK NEXT? I'm out of ideas and ready to just scrap the dang thing.

 

[GoToGuy]

Brake light, Coffee break.
1. The third brake gets power before power goes to brake/ tail lights.
2. Do you have rear turn signals ?
3. Are you using the FSM ? The diagrams and diagnostic tree narrows down problems quickly.
4 search the sticky above for service manuals, find thread for PDF links for free service manual. 95 is two books. Get both.

 

[chevy_chase]

Oh I half to ads, I do know there is supposed to be constant power to the orange wire. But there isn't. It's constant to the white. Orange only has power when the key is in the on position

 

[chevy_chase]

Brake light, Coffee break.
1. The third brake gets power before power goes to brake/ tail lights.
2. Do you have rear turn signals ?
3. Are you using the FSM ? The diagrams and diagnostic tree narrows down problems quickly.
4 search the sticky above for service manuals, find thread for PDF links for free service manual. 95 is two books. Get both.

So if the 3rd gets power first do I need to pull the trim and look and see if there are naked wires touching? Still not sure how the white wire is getting constant power. I do have 1 of the factory service manuals in pdf format. It's missing a few diagrams from what I can tell. I will look for the links in the manuals.

 

[GoToGuy]

If bare wires were touching , that would be a short, results are melted fuses, melted wires, smoke , fire.
Why did you replace the harness was there a problem before or is this a guess?
Answering questions helps to understand, what works, and what doesn't, meaning narrowing down to what's broke.

 

[chevy_chase]

If bare wires were touching , that would be a short, results are melted fuses, melted wires, smoke , fire.
Why did you replace the harness was there a problem before or is this a guess?
Answering questions helps to understand, what works, and what doesn't, meaning narrowing down to what's broke.

Yes there were melted wires coming from the break light switch. The white wire was melted from the switch all the way to the fire wall and to the connector that runs to the brake lights. Whoever wired the stereo up in it ran 2 12 inch subs and got power from the brake light fuse on the in cab fuse box. When the truck switch is off there is still power going to the white wire at the brake switch on the pedal. Even with the new harness it's still having the same issue. Also fuse #8 in the fuse box on the original harness was blown and he ran a hopper wire so it wouldn't blow the fuse again. Like I said it's a really weird problem. I've done some rewiring in my time but never seen this janky crap in my life.

 

[GoToGuy]

Brake, brake, brake lights. It's a jump or jumper wire. Like jumping a battery, not hopping.

 

[GoToGuy]

In book 2 see chapter 8A section 110. And few before and after. Exterior lighting, park, brake, turn. One of the wires orange or white is hot all the time . It sends power to hazard lights thru switch.