My wife’s 95 Altima has some elec. problems pop up. Her brake lights nor her tail light work. I can change the fuses for each onebut as soon at I turn on the lights OR hit the brakes, the fuses will blow.
Is this a common problem?

Red_bike

 

The problem that you describe is caused by a short curcuit.
This could be in the wires to the brake lights or within the brake
light fixtures themselves. Think about the time immediatly prior to
your discovering this problem! Any incidents that involve electrical?
Any bulbs burned out or defective? Hasyour Altima been in any accidents
or hit hard in the rear? Have you tried taking OUT the bulbs and
then try the new fuses? If the fuses stay good with no bulbs in then the short is
probably in the brake light assembly. Next try with only one (right or
left) side bulbs in! Try with NEW bulbs! This way you might isolate the problem.
Chasing a short cuircuit takes a lot of thought and a lot of patience!
Good luck in your effort. [8D]

 

The car has not been in any accidents in the last 10 years and that was just a windshild problem. Once I get home I will remove the bulbs and but new fuses in and see what happens. Then I will do one bulb at a time and see how that works out. Thanks for the help.

Red_bike

 

Here is what happen so far. I unhooked the brake lights and I noticed that the brake light housing was burned on one of the screws on each side. So that told me I was going to have to replace the housing on both left and right side. I than put in a new fuse in for the brake light and it did not blow and the center brake light in the real window came on. I put another fuse in for the running lights and it did not blow.
So I went to the Nissan dealer and showed them one of the brake light housing. They said they needed to be replaced so I ordered new ones. The new ones came in today. I pulled both new fuses and then I installed the housings, putting in new bulbs. I first put in the fuse for the running lights and turnedthem on, all was great. I then put in the brake light fuse and my wife said all of them were on. I had not pushed on the pedal yet but they were on. I hit the pedal a few times but they stayed on. I pulled the fuse because it started to get dark out. Tomorrow is another day.

What would keep them on? Is there something on the pedal that may be broke?

Red_bike

 

Yes ! ... the brake switch is either stuck or the rubber nipple piece came off.

 

My wife said that she picked up some small platic pieces last week and was thinking she had tracked them in from somewhere.
I have been laying out there for almost an hour trying to get the switch off ( I had a stroke last year) but haven't had any luck. Any tips?

 

Can I just replace the nipple part?

 

Yep the nipple did it. It took less than 5 mins to put a new one one.

Red_bike