In 2015 I replaced the microswitches.
Two days ago, get the "Check Rear Brake Lights" message. Check the brake lights....nothing, none of them are working....must be those microswitches again.
Remove the driver's seat, get to the brake switch wire harness, disconnect it, use a continuity checker on the pins and NC and NO are both working fine.
Maybe the return/ground wire burned-up as I have read about. Nope....all wires look good at each tail light, have continuity from black wire to neg battery terminal......
Pull the bulbs out and find one dual filament bulb is bad. ??????? Really.....the brake bulbs are wired in series, so when one burns out, they all go out????....really!! Sure enough...I replace the one bad bulb and all brake lights come back on, no more error message.....really???
Is this correct?

Lots of wasted effort in removing the driver's seat...and putting it back! Crawling under the steering wheel.....AARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!
So if anyone gets the "Check Rear Brake Lights" message.....check the bulbs FIRST!!!

 

Wow, an idiot light that actually told the truth !

 

I'm sure that the brake lights will not be wired in series as that would be a clear road safety hazard and would presumably not be approved by the relevant agency. It's not the case with my 1997 model but I don't have a high-level brake light so would be left with no brake lights at all if one bulb failed with a series configuration.

Richard