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Why are my tail lights not working but my brake lights are?

I was made aware yesterday that my tail lights have stopped working, but my brake lights still seem to be working fine. Why are my tail lights not working but my brake lights are?

avatar
Claire Beaney · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
It’s a good thing you spotted your broken tail lights sooner rather than later!
There are actually a number of reasons why your tail lights could not be working but your brake lights are, including:
  • Bad tail light fuse
  • Bad tail light bulbs
  • Socket failure
  • Control switch failure
  • Worn-out wiring
  • Broken ambient light sensor
All of these problems will cause the
tail lights
to fail, but will still allow the brake lights to illuminate when the pedal is depressed. This is because the brake lights are actually powered by a separate line of circuitry.
You should definitely take your car in for repairs as soon as you can, as faulty tail lights can lead to some risky situations.
It’s a good idea to evaluate your current
car insurance
coverage when you bring your car in for maintenance. The
Jerry
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MORE: How to clean foggy headlights
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