Simple, low-cost brake check device can result in big savings

Last year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck took over 2,000 trucks off the road because of light issues.

Brake lamp failures, a common problem that’s easy for troopers to catch, are not always easy to spot ahead of time because testing can often involve two people: one to press the brakes and another to watch from behind to ensure the lights work.

Simple enough. The author didn't have to chase anyone down to test the brakes in his 2014 Toyota Tundra. Brake Light Buddy model BLB-003 shown here is designed for pickups and will also work on most cars. Just don't use it to bleed the brakes. The warning sticker states that the device is intended for testing a brake light switch only.Commercial Carrier JournalSome drivers have been known to back up to a building, hit the brakes and check their mirrors to see if they can catch a red glow reflecting off the structure.

Unless an automated pre-trip light inspection actually checks the functionality of a brake light switch, there’s still risk for failure and a costly out-of-service violation.

Brake Light Buddy gets around all that with simple leverage. The device, which resembles a sledgehammer, hooks onto a brake pedal while weight at the end of the lever causes the pedal to drop down and engage the brake light switch.

My first test? A 2015 Toyota Prius that my daughter uses as her daily driver. After repairing the top center brake light, my next step was to check the light but as is fairly typical around the Quimby household there was no one around to press the pedal.