Hi, I have a 2001 Civic LX sedan. On my way home from work the other day, somebody pulled up next to me and told me that none of my brake lights are working. I don't know if this problem had been happening earlier, but I had just loaded some boxes in my trunk and was thinking that something happened then.

I did a search and thought it was a brake switch issue, so I went and got a new one. I changed the switch but that didn't solve the problem. I then changed the 3rd (middle) brake light bulb, and it worked so I guess it wasn't a brake switch issue. The problem is that the side lights still don't work. I then started having doubts about which ones the brake lights were so I started switching around all four (left top/bottom and right top/bottom).

The Left/Right top ones would come on if I turned on the headlights. The Left/Right bottom ones would come on if I turned on the hazards or the turn signal. None of them would come on if I pressed on the brake; only the 3rd (middle) light did.

The horn works fine, so it doesn't seem like it's a fuse issue. I am wondering what else it might be.

 

Put new bulbs in the sides too. Whenever something doesn't light up, consider the bulb first. It is not uncommon to have every single brake light bulb burnt out if you never check them.

The combination tail / brake bulbs have two filaments. They can light up as tail lights but still not work as brake lights. The turn signals / hazard flashers are an entirely separate system with a different kind of bulbs.