Drivers side brake light not coming on

[Wxman2000]

So aside from the other issues noted in another thread, I noticed today that my drivers side brake light is not illuminating. The bulb is an LED and I’ve been using them for a few years now just fine. The light will come on with the running lights/tail lights, but not when I step on the break. Over lunch at work I pulled both housings apart and checked bulbs and connections and all look good. I checked the grounds on each side of the engine bay and they looked ok as well. Any idea where to start looking from here? Wish I had more time at the moment to dive further into it.

About the car, 69 bug that I required with a factory harness headlight to tail light about 8 years ago…so I’ve become a bit foggy on how this whole system was set up.

[Cusser]

I'd clean the connections and ground wire connection behind the tarboard, driver side of engine compartment.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[ashman40]

You weren't clear but assuming the brake light on the passenger side (right side?) is still working?

Make sure if the socket has two contacts at the bottom (dual filament socket) the bulb has two contacts at the bottom as well to connect with them. One circuit is the parking lamp while the other is brake lamp.
When you checked the bulbs did you try swapping the working right side bulb with the left side? Swap bulbs side to side. If the problem follows the bulb you know it is a bulb problem. If the problem remains on the same side, it is a wiring or circuit problem.

The stock brake light circuit starts as a black/red wire at the MC area. This single wire runs thru the harness to the left-rear junction for the taillight. Another black/red wire leap frogs from the left side taillight wiring junction and wraps around behind the tar paper to the right side junction. Since the right side is working the circuit from the MC is working. It is likely a wiring problem on the left side between the left junction and the left rear light assembly, a bulb issue or a grounding issue. If, after swapping bulbs the problem remains on the left side check for power at the junction while the brake is pressed.
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AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[Wxman2000]

Chalk this one up to me not noticing when I was tracing out the wires on my lunch break. It seems that while I checked and cleaned all connections and the grounds, I didn't notice that the drivers side wire was not plugged into the wire coming through the tunnel! Must have gotten removed during the new engine install and they forgot to hook it up...and I didn't notice it until after I had time at home. It works now, and all my connections are cleaned up again anyway!

[ashman40]

Great to hear it was an easy fix!
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AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}