Brake light kill switch

2023 4x4 What would be the best way to install a brake light kill switch?

Took the truck out for a night time hog hunt, quickly got moved to the rear because of my brake lights interfering with other drivers goggles. Started running tape half way threw the night but we have to jump on county roads a few times to reach other sections of the ranch in a timely manner. So peeling it off and putting it back sucked.

yes it’s legal where I’m at for off road use only.

I have not tried anything yet, before I play with a switch on the fuse I wanna see other options.

 

I think the brake light fuse is tied the whole braking system. Short that fuse and the car won’t start because it won’t let you depress the brake pedal.

I wouldn’t mess with it.

I blew that fuse once because of a short in my camper shell third brake light and it immobilized my truck.

 

I was afraid of something like that. Thank you for the heads up.

 

Maybe some card board cut outs to tape or Velcro on quickly and remove? Once you have a good template it would be easy to make a bunch

 

Unplugging the switch on the brake pedal should kill the lights

If correct you should be able to interrupt that circuit with a switch

@Dm93 might have a better idea

 

Worst case you could design a circuit that goes inline with the OEM plug and the back of the brake light housing that when you flip the switch, the electrons go through a resistor that is similar to the brake light. That way, the truck wouldn’t know any better and shouldn’t set off any check engine lights or mess with any traction control or ABS.

@daveeasa can supply the wiring harness pieces…

 

The ABS module needs to see both signals from the brake switch, if you pull stop fuse, it will trigger codes.

I'd do masking tape and cardboard.

 

A resistor would work for halogen bulbs but won’t do what would be wanted for led bulbs.

I might be tempted to use the switch to swap parking lights and stop on the brake bulb. So with button off, normal signals, with button on, stop sends to brake bulb parking. You still get the turn signal parking light but brake becomes “dim” instead of bright. Dunno if that’s enough but it seems safer than a total kill. Could also route to a super dim backlight so vehicles behind at least know there is braking going on.

I think that would need two relays. One for the high signal to the brake bulb which is just 87a and when switch is activated then nothing. Another for the dim signal to the brake bulb which picks from parking lights or stop based on the switch activating the coil.

 

Looking at the diagram it wouldn't be an easy task to kill the lights without setting trouble codes, the brake switch is a redundant switch with 2 sets of contacts (one normally open & one normally closed) so unplugging it or disabling one leg of it would almost certainly set codes in one or more modules.

I wouldn't want to hack up the wiring on a brand new vehicle (or any vehicle for that matter), it depends on how the truck is configured (with or W/O tow package, vacuum or hydraulic brake booster, with or W/O cargo light, etc...) anyway on where you would have to cut the wire to install a switch.

If you just want to kill the rear brake lights and not the 3rd brake light you could find Connector EB1 Pin 4 (Blue) and cut it there, otherwise good luck finding the wire in the harness to cut.

 

That’s kinda what I did in my dodge, I just found there they was under the dash and put a bulb under there so it don’t trip the dash. However I can’t find the wires under the dash and I don’t want to run wire all the way to the back.

 

route it into an aftermarket harness already running to the rear to power aux lights or bed lights

 

that looks like that may be it, granted it will set a light out on the dash but that shouldn’t be to bad, maybe a transfer where it just lights a bulb up hidden under the dash or under the truck would work fine.

 

I got it for the rear lights but not the third. On the rear I’m just going to put a relay to redirect power to a resister. Can you get me a wire digram for the third brake light?

 

It's all on the diagram I posted, Center Stop Lamp = 3rd brake light.

 

Oh shoot that’s easy enough, thank you.

 

is there not simply a cheap universal kit that can work or something from another vehicle

https://automotivecustomlighting.com/store/polaris-general-taillight-kill-switch-kit/

 

Yeah I know that, i was mainly hoping for wire diagrams and I got them, now just to track down where they are located underside or under dash.

 

I'd love to take my AR out and hunt hawgs. What a blast ( figuratively and literally ) that would be.
I'd want some kind of suppressor tho, it's way loud.

 

All you need is your favorite choice of interrupting the tail lamp ground.
Easey peasy.