But it’s NOT. There’s ONE filament.
Looking up a brake like bulb for a 2.5 impreza RS on rockauto.com says 1157, which is indeed a dual filament bulb.
WAGNER Part # BP1157 {Miniature Lamp-Blister Pack of 2}
The 1157 is a dual filament bulb while the 1156 is a single filament bulb. They look very similar but are not interchangeable. A common mistake is to put an 1156 into a socket for an 1157 bulb. This causes all kinds of weird problems like dash lights going on when you step on the brake. You can see in the pictures below that the 1157 has two brass terminals in the base while the 1156 has only one. The 1157 bulb is also keyed so it will only go into the socket one way. Note that one lock tab on the 1157 is higher than the other. This prevents it from going in wrong. Also note that the lock tabs on the 1156 are the same height so it will not go into an 1157 socket.
:shrug:
Well if they’re not interchangable, then someone must have changed the sockets? I was given a 1157 first, and it did not fit into the socket either way. And I can put the 1156’s right in, and they lock. Also, the socket only has a center connector thing, so if I put a 1157 in, there would be no where for the terminals to connect.
Look inside the socket and see if there are two seperate contact points that would match up with the bottom of an 1157.
PS… every fix it ticket I’ve ever received had to be fixed by sundown of the following day.
http://www.amherst.ny.us/police/faq.htm#issued%20ticket
Equipment Violation - the court will consider dismissal of tickets written for New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law sections 375, 376, or 381 if proof is presented to the court that the defect was corrected prior to 1/2 hour after sunset on the first full business day after issuance of the ticket.
Look at my edit. There’s not. There’s only one contact in the middle.
What about on the working side? Is the socket the same? Just a single contact point?
I can’t think of a case where I’ve seen a single filament bulb that had different voltages applied to produce a bright and a dim light from the same bulb. I’m not a pro auto mechanic by any means but I’ve replaced a lot of different tail lights. Besides that, a car is a 12 volt system and it would be so over complicated to put some sort of voltage regulator in to control a brake/tail light when dual filament bulbs make it so simple.
On the working side how many wires are running into the back of the socket, 2 or 3?
Yes. The working side is the same. Single filament with one contact. Two wires going to the socket. If it means anything, the wires are black and white.
Not to sound bitchy, but I feel like I’ve repeated myself a billion times already.
When I got pulled over, the state trooper told me I had to get the ticket filled out by a police officer, or a NYS inspection place, and mail it in by the 18th.
I can’t fix it if I don’t know what to look for. So far I’ve came up with that no one knows how to fix it, or whats even causing that to happen so everyone insists it must be that I put in the wrong bulb.
Guess I’m going to have to spend money having someone look at it. Yippie.
The problem is what you’re describing doesn’t make sense to anyone who has worked on cars. You can’t have two different brightness levels from a single filament bulb powered by a hot wire and a ground. They only way would be a complex circuit that altered the voltage and that’s just way too complicated, even for Subara. Maybe if you had a Bentley.
You’re sure on the working side that just the one bulb is being used for both brake and tail? You can sit there and watch the bulb go from dim to bright with the tail lights on and then having someone step on the brakes?
Something just doesn’t make sense here, and yeah, you’re probably going to have to take it to someone. Either a forum member willing to help out or a garage. In that other thread I linked to the OP was sure he understood what the different bulbs were doing but after I posted that picture he realized he was looking at the wrong sockets.
You can sit there and watch the buld go from dim to bright with the tail lights on and then having someone step on the brakes?
Yes. That’s what I’m saying.
Well I’m stumped without being able to see it. Definitely update us when you get someone to look at it and figure it out so we can all learn something new about brake lights.
Well, it’s mad cold out so I’m not going to look right now, but I’ll figure out what the hell is going on and let you know.
Yeah the issue doesn’t really make too much sense.
I know this is the whole parrot thing again, but you did try switching the lights from right to left to see if the issue just sticks to the right side.
According to any, and everything I can find it’s the reverse, and turn signal lights are 1156s, and the brake light is a 1157. But even then from and electrical stand point without looking at it. It doesn’t make much sense to me unless something was crossed, or that a single filament bulb receiving different voltages.
Could it be possible for someone to put the sockets in the wrong slots? I should go look. Ha.
Fuzzy & Jay are right. The only way to change the output of a filament is by changing the input power… regardless of wether its a car, bus, house, w/e.
I’m not going to argue about how many filaments you should or shouldn’t have, but if your tailight / brake light is a 1 filament single bulb, then there is a voltage regulator or circuit board involved to make the bulb dim & bright (which is not unpossible)
1156 sockets are single contact / single wire sockets.
http://www.oemsurplus911.com/automotive/lightsockets/8511.htm
1157 sockets are double contact / two wire sockets.
http://www.oemsurplus911.com/automotive/lightsockets/8512.htm
Not surprisingly every parts site & manual calls for a 1157 in your car. You say the sockets have two wires. I’m gonna say that it requires 1157. I’m sorry but until you find pics of both sockets and show me that a 1156 works, I’m going to have to say that you jammed the wrong bulb in there -or- you do not have stock / OEM / correct sockets.
Sylvania themselves say that:
Rear turn signal
1156
1156LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp
Tail light
1157
1157LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp
Stop light
1157
1157LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp
Use this link to see what I mean by non oem socketing. http://www.beyonddarwin.com/Starion/JDMtail.html
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that since your problematic bulb is staying dimly lit (with parking lights on) and not getting brighter with the brakes applied… you are possibly looking at the wrong socket… but I would’ve thought that you’d notice the appropriate bulb lighting up then… also, this does not explain your other brake light working.
If you want to bring the car here I will take the multimeter to it and see if the voltage changes… thats all I’ve got for you.
Sorry.
My guess would be bad ground. Keeping in mind i just browsed through this post really fast I might be wrong. Had a similar problem with a car in the past and after re grounding the taillights all was well.
I just want to say that I crowned myself biggest idiot in the world. I fixed it. I’m a fucking retard. I’m really sorry to whoever was trying to help me. I was just frustrated and it was cold, and being a typical girl. Ha.
What was the problem in the end?
With a single filament bulb? Bullshit. Pics or it didn’t happen.