Brake Light Fuse Popping

[70Ghia_Kassebaum]

My passenger side brake light stopped working a few weeks ago. Everything else was good...just lost it. I replaced brake switches - no change. Checked under the passenger side tar board and nothing looked abnormal - ground was good, connections solid. So I just left it...

In the last week or so, my fuse #2 started popping randomly (which for my wiring includes my headlight warning buzzer, windshield wipers, and brake lights) - sometimes halfway through driving. I just replaced the fuse and went on my way - thought maybe it was water or something rubbing weird. Unfortunately, it happened more and more frequently and now the second I touch the brakes fuse #2 pops.

I've uncovered both rear tail light assemblies and nothing looks weird. Although I do have a third brake light. So...I removed that from the equation and just connected those wires to each other directly - still popped. I have all the wiring diagrams but they are relatively useless as I have more wires than they depict and my fuse setup doesn't even seem to be the same.

I've tried looking for brake light assembly wiring...can't find that anywhere. Can someone please help me simplify my troubleshooting. I've gone through about 20 - 8amp fuses so I've ordered more and hoping to have some guidance on how I should be checking this.

As it stands now, my left brake light works and it is all connected (excuse the poor electrical work, that is just for temporary checks).

Thanks for the help!

[runamoc]

you're just guessing to troubleshoot electrical issues. Needlessly spent money on parts that didn't fix what you thought was the problem too.

Instead of just guessing it's the lights and not using a VOM to figure it out. Divide the problem. Disconnect all of the brake light bulb wires. See if the problem goes away. If it does you know it's something wrong with the brake tail lights. If it doesn't you can stop fooling with the lights. A 12v test light across the two tabs of the fuse that's 'blowing' will light up showing a short is still there. Keep the brake pedal depressed, light on, and start moving stuff, when you find the short the light will go out.
_________________
Daily driver: '69 Baja owned 45 yrs - Plan B: '72 Ghia
Yard Art: 2 Sandrails
Outback: '69 Ghia - '68,'69,'70,'72 Beetle - '84 Scirocco, GTI - Pair of '02 Golfs- '80 Rabbit Diesel
VW Wiring = It's just wires

[70Ghia_Kassebaum]

Okay so I ran everything unplugged all and shot the wires. In the end, it looks like it might be the actual tail light assembly. The other lights with great to include the running lights, but when I have the brake light wire connected on the right tail light assembly the fuse blows. Am I right to include the rail light assembly is bad somehow? Is there a common place for these to fail?

[Paul70Ghia]

The right hand brake light wire should be fed from the left hand brake light unit. It should be easy to rig up a temporary wire between the two to see if it’s the harness or the actual lamp unit.

[70Ghia_Kassebaum]

Paul70Ghia - yeah I did that and it still popped. I guess my question is if there is a way for me to fix or diagnose the short in the light itself...

[Paul70Ghia]

From memory they are very simple so would have to be a short between the positive and housing itself - maybe best to take housing out and inspect the two side by side

[runamoc]