Brake lights are present on the rear side of the Chevy Silverado, and these turn on when you press the brake pedal to decrease speed or stop the truck. These are almost similar in color to the tailgate ones but have a more luminous and brighter red color.
Chevy Silverado brake lights do not work because of a damaged switch, blown-out fuse, burned-out bulb, and broken wirings. Moreover, the problem comes from poor grounding, incorrect bulb installation, and corroded or dirty brake pedals.
It is the safety feature and the warning side to reduce accidents on the road when all vehicles are moving at high speed in the same lane. In addition, these are also beneficial for driving in busy lanes and decrease the risk of collisions.
| Causes | Solutions |
| Damaged switch | Replace the brake light switch |
| Blown out fuse | Replace the damaged fuse |
| Burned bulbs | Replace the bulbs with damaged filament |
| Broken wirings and poor grounding | Tighten the loose connections of wires with switches and bulbs |
| Software issues | Turn off the truck and then turn it on |
| Incorrect installation of bulb | Hire an expert mechanic for bulb installation |
Damaged switch
The brake light switch is a component of the system and is located near the pedal assembly. These are operated mechanically and turn on the rear lights when you press the pedal and turn them off when you release them.
These are electrically driven and are responsible for illuminating and turning off the light on the rear end of your Chevy Silverado.
Sometimes the switches become bad and cannot allow the red bulbs to illuminate on the rear side of the pickup trucks. It is highly unsafe to drive with faulty systems because it can increase the risk of accidents.
The proceeding vehicles and drivers do not know when you will apply brakes and reduce speed, ultimately increasing rear-side collision risks.
The driving habits and incorrect handling increase the risk of wear and tear in these switches. In addition, these can go bad because of their frequent use and pedal pressing.
The risk of damage increases when driving on busy roads and pressing the pedal frequently. Moreover, you can face the same problem while driving in street areas.
The internal components of the switches wear out because of their age and daily usage. In addition, many people press the pedal hard to stop the vehicle, damaging the switches.
Switches can also wear out because of corroded and dirty pedals. In addition, you cannot engage the pedals properly when they get stuck because of the floor carpets.
The issue also comes because of their incorrect installation and a gap between the switch and the pedal. You can test their working by connecting the sensors with wire or using the multimeter.
It is better to replace them when you do not see the correct multimeter reading. These are inexpensive and easy to replace, and you can also do it without hiring an expert mechanic.
Blown out fuse
The older vehicles contain the same tailgate and brake lights fuse, but new Silverado trucks contain separate ones for all their components.
The fuses of these parts are located under the hood to control the power supply.
The fuse can blow out because of the overloaded circuits, and when you add a high current drawing accessory as the aftermarket addition.
Locate the hood and inspect the fuse to resolve the problem. Remove the damaged fuse with new ones of the same brand and type.
It is also necessary to check the amperage because brake lights usually need 10 to 12 volts fuses.
Burned bulbs
The bulbs illuminate the brake lights when you press the pedal to stop the Chevy Silverado. These are conventional or halogen bulbs, depending on the model of the vehicle.
Many people complain that light does not illuminate when they press the pedal and apply brakes. The issue comes from burned-out bulbs that do not take any signal from the electric wires.
The issue comes because of the corroded and loose connections. Moreover, the fluctuating electric supply and corroded fuse can also cause this problem.
Many of my friends who drive the Chevy Silverado also complain that bulbs become dim and flicker suddenly while driving on roads.
The issue comes from loose wire connections and rust, which cause resistance in current flow. You can remove the outside plastic cover to inspect the bulbs.
Replace them if you see brown spots on their glass material and brunt out the filament.
Broken wirings and poor grounding
The wires are connected to the switches that send signals as electric current to turn on the brake lights. The electric current travel through these wires when you press the pedal to apply brakes in your Silverado.
These wires travel from the switch to the rear side bulb and connect these two components for their efficient working.
The resistance in the flow of electric current occurs due to damaged, bent, and corroded wires, which can lead to the flickering of bulbs.
Moreover, the issue also comes because of loose connections of wires with the switches and bulbs. The bulbs do not illuminate because of broken and poorly grounded wires.
It is better to hire a mechanic for wires inspection because these are complex, and you cannot handle them.
Turn off the ignition and your truck when you want to check the connections of wires. Tighten them if these are loose from the contact points.
Software issues
The electronic control module of the Chevy Silverado controls the electric components’ working. It helps transfer the signals when you press the brake pedal.
Signals transfer in the form of electric current, which can illuminate the bulbs. Sometimes, there is an issue in the software, and it does not provide signals for transferring electric currents from switches to bulbs.
The issue comes when you do not update them and install the latest version. In addition, bugs can also come into them when these are overloaded.
Update the software to activate the latest version of the system. Moreover, you can clear the glitches and bugs by turning off the engine and ignition of trucks and then turning them on after a few minutes.
Incorrect installation of bulb
The brake lights in your Silverado trucks often do not work when you add the bulbs as an aftermarket addition. Many people do not like factory-installed accessories and modify them according to their requirements.
Sometimes you prefer to add the LED types because of their longevity compared to halogen ones. Moreover, you can also change their lights to make them look different and luxurious.
The incorrect installation occurs when you do the procedure at home or hire an inexperienced mechanic. These cannot function when wires that supply current are not attached to them properly.
It is better to hire an experienced and licensed mechanic when you want to replace any accessory in your Chevy Silverado for its correct installation and working.
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