How many brake lites am I supposed to have???

[OhareFred]

OK all, am I nuts or what.

I installed LED bulbs in place of the 3157 stock bulbs. On the quarter panel, or outside, sockets all works well. On the tailgate, or inside, sockets not so much. The bulbs come on with the headlamps, but not with the brake lamps. Re-installed all the original bulbs and guess what, same thing!

Why does Dodge spec 3157 (dual filament) bulbs for all 4 lamps and the use a single brightness socket on the tailgate? They even installed 3157's in all 4 sockets from the factory. The tailgate sockets only have 2 wires going to them as well. I bought the car new and never had any work done back there, so nothing was messed with.

Is my 09 Journey screwed up, or is this normal????

Edited February 18, 2013 by OhareFred

[burgandy25]

Your car is fine! :shades: our '10 Journey has V-leds V3 triton bulbs and yes only the outside bulbs have the running lights /brake bright functions. The lift-gate only has running lights. They do have dual filament bulbs but only have the running lights that work.

so with lights on: all 4 bulbs light up and with brakes the outside two light up brighter.

with lights off: only outside bulbs work as turn/brake lights. inside liftgate do not turn on, at all.

[OhareFred]

Thanks for the reply! Thought it was ok, but then again I'm not behind the car too often and thought i missed something! Glad to know I'm not loosing it.

[Journey1]

Yes My 2010 is the same way sure seems to be a waste . Would prefer to have both sets light up for brake and turn [more light makes people notice] also seems that the clear area for the backup lights could also work all the way across as well.

[burgandy25]

For other cars manufactures They do the same thing sadly, (GMC acadia for one) and Other cars with halogen bulbs do the same. Dunno who it would be safe thinking if you have one filament of the two go out that you would still have the other as a "backup" as in, both bulbs on one side blink and be brake lights but if the bright filament dies on one bulb you still have the other high filament working. just makes sense to me to have it be like that. Some people with different cars have been able to modify their cars to do this, so there must be a way for ours. Would require a lot of work, tapping into the "high" wire and running it to the "high" part of the hatch bulb. Not to difficult but would it work? who knows. I want to try this but it would require taking the back hatch apart and threading a wire from the outside taillamp through the car body and through the weatherboot going to the hatch and down into the latch. and seeing how to get the wire from the taillamp housing up to the weatherboot without knowing what the inside of the body frame looks like would be a shot in the dark.