Chrysler Repair: brake light, dodge ram 1500, brass cap

Question
i have an appointment on monday but i thought i would ask anyways.  the dash on my 2004 dodge ram 1500 reads lamp out.  My left rear light does not illuminate stronger when the brake is applied but it does go on when i turn the night lights on.  i thought it was a short because the lamp out warning will go away sometimes but for the majority of the time it stays on.  Just curious as to what you would initially attack to find the problem?

Answer
Hi Wes,
I am not familiar with the lighting set up for the brake lamps on the Ram, but if the bulb for that function has two filaments then I suspect it is a simple matter of the contact wires (assuming the bulb type is all glass with protruding wires as contacts rather than having a brass cap with dual solder tips as in the older style bulbs) not being "dressed" properly along their indentations in the glass tip of the bulb. I think if you remove the bulb holder and take out the bulb in question you can re-dress the wires and solve this one yourself. The wires may be touching oneanother. for example. It also could be a defective bulb or possibly a defective socket, but that should only be considered if the re-dress of the wire leads doesn't do the trick. Give it a try and maybe save yourself some shop time.
Roland