**Tail Lights vs. Brake Lights**

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**What are brake lights?**

Brake lights are activated only when the driver applies the brakes and they go off immediately when the brake pedal is released which is designed to signal to other drivers that you are stopping or slowing down and give them enough time to prepare and respond.

Brake lights with thicker filament, are generally brighter red than taillights, making them visible not only in the dark or in the rain, but also on sunny days, and quickly catch the attention of other drivers and pedestrians. With brake lights, drivers behind you can react in time and will be able to keep more distance between your car and theirs and avoid traffic accidents.

**What are tail lights?**

When the headlights are on, the tail lights located at the rear of the vehicle will also light on at the same time, designed to provide visibility to the rear of the vehicle, helping other drivers to see your car in low-light conditions or inclement weather.

The tail light can be red, white or amber color with thinner filament, and their brightness is lesser than the brake light. Because tail lights are designed be to switched on in hazy, foggy, and dark conditions and help other vehicles clearly identify the location and action of the vehicle.

For the location of the taillights, they are usually located at the outer edge of the rear of the vehicle to better show the rear edge of the vehicle to allow others to appropriately gauge the size and shape of the car.

**WHY ARE TAIL LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS IMPORTANT?**

The term “taillights” are the twin light clusters at the rear of the vehicle, which contain tail lights, brake lights, rear turn signals, rear marker lights, and other rear lights, and are essential safety components for driving the vehicle. Most people have misconceptions about brake lights and tail lights and do not understand their importance.

Without tail lights and brake lights, there could not allow your vehicle to be seen during low-visibility conditions and alert others that you're slowing down, potentially getting pulled over and finding yourself with a ticket, and worse, in a rear-end crash.

**Determining The Specific Failure Of Tail And Brake Lights**

The following are some of the common reasons why this happens:

1. Burnt out Bulb: Burned bulbs are one of the most common reasons tail lights and brake lights fail.
If only the filament in the tail light bulb burns out, it will not affect the normal use of the brake light, rear turn signal, and reverse light bulbs. If you notice your tail lights aren’t working but the brake lights are (and vice versa), it may be time for a bulb replacement.

2. Circuit Problem: Burned wiring and corroded bulb sockets can cause the tail light to fail. If you are a tuning car enthusiast, you may connect many other light bars to the tail light wiring circuit, and the wiring may overheat and burn out due to excessive load. Therefore we suggest that you can purchase a relay to carry the extra load before the conversion.
3. Blown-out Fuse: If the fuse blows, it prevents the circuit from completing, in this case preventing the tail lights from lighting. Sometimes when the tail light lens breaks, it can cause moisture to enter the lens and cause a short circuit, which can blow a fuse. Replacing highly durable and highly insulated fuses can effectively prevent such problems.
4. Defective Brake Light Switch: If you push down on the brake pedal and the brake light does not come on, The switch may not be connected correctly or the brake pad may be worn and not open the circuit.

If the brake light stays on after you stop pressing the brake pedal, it may be because the brake switch contact is stuck, causing the switch to continue powering the brake light.

If this happens, we recommend that you go to an auto repair store to get a better solution.

**Why do my brake lights work, but my tail lights don’t?**
You need functional tail lights for safe driving, especially at night or in bad weather, as they help other vehicles see you in these conditions. Usually, these lights turn on when you engage the headlights, but some new models of cars automatically activate them once the system detects excess dimness.

Like other vehicle parts, your tail lights can stop working, but what could cause this if the tail lights go out while your brake lights remain strong? Below, we explain some common causes of this problem.

1. Damaged socket: If the socket that houses the bulb plug becomes damaged commonly due to corrosion, it can also cause your tail lights to fail. To diagnose this problem, disconnect the bulb and examine the socket for broken pins or discoloration.
2. Failing tail light fuse: Checking the fuse is the first step when you have a faulty electrical component. The fuse gets broken as a protective measure when the current that flows through it gets too high to prevent damage to the electrical part concerned. To check if a burnt fuse is the culprit, look in the main fuse box under the hood or behind the plastic under the dashboard on the passenger side.
Once you’ve traced the fuse, you can test it with a fuse tester and replace it if necessary.

3. Failing sensor: Modern vehicles are flooded with several sensors that communicate with the vehicle’s computer system. A failed sensor can interrupt this complex design, causing a part to become defective. Suppose your headlights, parking lights, and tail lights fail, but your brake lights are functional. In that case, a sensor could be the culprit.
**Are Tail Lights And Brake Lights The Same Bulb?**

Tail lights have a few lights that serve different purposes. Brake lights are lights on a tail light that alert other drivers when you are pressing the brake pedal to slow down. The tail lights are lights that illuminate when the headlights are turned on to create visibility for drivers behind you during the night or adverse weather conditions.

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