QuestionMy daughter's 1995 Corolla was hit by another vehicle in the left front bumper in the vicinity of the side directional light. Now, for some reason, her brake lights do not work. We got a Haynes manual and started with the fuse boxes on the left inside fender to see if anything was damaged when the car was hit (it was parked). Then we checked the fuse box inside and found the 15A fuse blown. We changed it and as soon as she pushed the brake pedal, it blew again. As a test we tried a 25A and the lights came on very dim one time and then the fuse would blow.
Another thing, unrelated to the accident, is the fact that she has not been able to to shift out of Park without using the release button for about a month. I noticed in one of your previous answers some correlation between the shifter and the brake lights, however her brake lights were working before the accident because I had followed her home and saw them on.
I don't have electrical tools to check relays and the brake light switch on the brake pedal, which is potentially the problem.
Any advice woould be appreciated.
AnswerThe shift interlock system and the brake lights are both powered from the same 15A stoplight fuse so if the stop light fuse blows the shifter can't be moved in the normal manner, I don't see how any damage to the front side marker/turn signal lamp can have any effect on the brake lights since they are on an entirely different circuit.
With a new stop light fuse installed remove all of the brake light bulbs and see if it can be shifted out of park normally, if so the brake light switch is not the problem and there is a short to ground between the switch and the rear, possibly in the bulb socket assemblies.
