Brake Light change, repair & replacement made easy

What do the Brake Lights do?

Usually you will have at least two brake lights on your car, most modern cars will have a third brake light somewhere in the middle on the back of the car. The brake lights, of course, come on when the brake is activated.

There are two types of brake lights, those that are a unit on their own, which is rare these days, or it is part of the “cluster” of other lights, such as fog lights, rear lights, reversing lights and indicators. These are referred to as rear light clusters.

However for the point of this article, we will refer to both the single and “cluster” units.

Please note this article and its links are not for brake light bulb replacement.

How do the brake lights work and what are the components?

Typically, when you press down on the brake pedal, a plunger switch will activate and connect the circuit for the brake lights to the power source. When this occurs, the brake light bulbs light up inside the brake light unit or light cluster.

How do you know there is something wrong with your brake light or brake light cluster?

• If you have replaced a bulb and the light still does not work.
• If there is physical damage to the brake light lens.
• There is water evident behind the lens

When should you consider replacing the brake light or brake light cluster?

It is vital that your brake lights work correctly to warn following motorists that you are slowing down. Therefore if you notice any physical damage to the unit, or water in it, it is likely to cause issues sooner rather than later.

Obviously driving with defective brake lights can endanger yourself and others, on top of that you run the risk of getting fined when driving around with defective brake lights.
Should you experience problems with the brake lights then it is important you have the defective brake light replaced timely and professionally.

How common is a brake light or brake light cluster replacement?

More often than you think! Because the light clusters or brake light units are often wrapped around the back and side of a vehicle, they are prone to physical damage. Even the slightest low speed knock can destroy a light unit!
They can also become contaminated by water ingress and dirt build up, to the point where they start to fail at the connection points.

What happens during a brake light cluster replacement?

• Mechanic will inspect the brake light system (like the bulbs, wiring as well as sockets).
• If necessary, the mechanic will replace the faulty brake light parts.
• Mechanic will advise if any other parts need to be replaced.
• Mechanic will test the lights again to ensure the lights function properly.

How much does a brake light cluster replacement cost?

The cost of replacing the brake lights depends on your car and what parts your car's manufacturer recommends using for the replacement. Find out what you could save by having a brake light replaced by ClickMechanic, by selecting your car at the top of this page!