Why Your Chevrolet Cavalier Break Lights and Turn Signals Stopped Working

I own a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier. It's worked pretty well over the past five years, and I haven't had any serious complaints or problems - except one. One day, while driving home, I realized that my turn signals did not appear to be working.

When I flipped the turn signal on, it did not start blinking on the dashboard. The light did not blink rapidly to signal that the light bulb had burned out. It simply didn't light up at all. When I got home, I checked it out and neither the break lights nor the turn signals were lighting up at all.

This is a pretty serious problem, and I was prepared to take the car into the shop the next day to have it looked at. I anticipated a costly fix, as most trips to the mechanics are, and I was not pleased.

What's the Problem?

Before I headed to the shop, I decided to do a little research. It turns out some other people had run into similar trouble with their Cavaliers.

The specific problem could be one of many things, but they were all related to the way that the circuits are set up within the car. Several of the lights - such as hazards, turn signals, and break lights - operate on the same circuit. If one of the connections along the circuit gets compromised, the entire circuit will shut off.

As it turns out, the third brake light is on a separate circuit. If the third light turns on but your other two lights do not work, chances are there's something wrong on this basic circuit.

What Could Be Wrong With the Circuit?

A number of things could be wrong.

There could be a worn out or corroded connection at some point. Water could have gotten into the brake light compartment and caused some corrosion.

Another common problem involves the stalk that you use to toggle the turn signal. The stalk contains a piece of hardware that is integral to the circuit. For one reason or another, this could fail and short the entire circuit - leaving your lights inoperable. If this is indeed the problem, you'll need to dismantle the steering column and replace part of the stalk - a somewhat in depth fix.

It could also be that part of the circuit - i.e. the hazard lights - is rarely used, leading to a build up of corrosion around the connection. Each time the switch is toggled, the connection gets cleaned. This prevents often used connections (like the turn signal) from getting blocked up, but it poses a problem for those rarely used connections (like the hazard lights).

Is It Problem #3?

In my case, it turns out the problem was the hazard lights. This is by far the best case scenario, and it is simple to fix.

I followed some advice and toggled my hazards on a dozen times or so. By constantly flipping the switch, you clean out any gunk that has built up around the connection. This should allow the circuit to operate properly.

It did the trick for me. I toggled my hazards a dozen times, flipped on the turn signal, and it worked. One trip to the mechanics narrowly avoided.

So if you notice that your break lights and turn signals stop working, take a moment to assess the situation before you rush to the auto-shop. It be a simple problem, and flipping your hazard lights on and off may do the trick.

If it doesn't... it's time to visit your mechanic. Good luck.