Why do the left brake lights work but the right don't on a 88 caprice?

Answer 1

Brake Light Not Operational

Since the left brake light works, we know that the fuse is good, the brake light switch is good and working, and the wiring to the left brake light assembly is good and working.

That suggests that the problem with the right brake light is one or more of these things:

1. The filament in the right brake light is burned out or broken, or

2. There is an "open circuit" condition in the wiring to the right brake light.

3. Since the left works, look for the fault to be in the wiring "from" where it splits off of the main wiring harness to go to the right brake light assembly

The cause of the open circuit could be one or more of the following:

1. A wiring harness connector which has become disconnected,

2. Buildup of corrosion or road film inside a connector between the metal contacts,

3. A wire anywhere in that particular part of the circuit which has been cut or broken,

4. Corrosion or road film buildup on the metal contact inside the tail light socket which prevents electrical current from flowing into the brake light filament contact of the bulb.

5. The ground wire at the right tail/brake light assembly has been cut, disconnected, or corrosion has built up where it is connected to the grounded auto body sheet metal.

There could be some other possible causes that I haven't recalled at the moment.

Regardless of the specific defect, the cause is an "open circuit!" Find it and correct it, and the problem will go away. Good luck.