Brake lights dead, taillights dead but turn signals work....can the turn signal switch be to blame?

[Kern Dog]

A buddy has a 68 Dart that suddenly lost the brake and tail lights. They worked fine, then they didn't.
He mentioned this as I was leaving, neither of us checked the fuses. He did swap in an aftermarket turn signal switch a short time ago. What are the chances that this switch is a POS? I believe it is an OER unit.
It is my understanding that everything to do with the taillight wiring runs through this switch.

 

[Mattax]

It is my understanding that everything to do with the taillight wiring runs through this switch.

No.
Brake and turn signals go through the steering column
Tail lights route from the headlight switch.

checked the fuses

Fuse check if the tail and brake share the same fuse.

Otherwise look for what is grounding the rear lights on that car.
'68 has sidemarkers and I *think* front parking lights on the same circuit as the rear lights. Check them.
Turning the hazards on is another quick check to narrow down where the fault is.

 

[Dave999]

on some cars there is a connector...plastic plug behind the kick panel where the loom from the back connects to the dash/power loom

it will have fuel gauge flashers brake and tail light wires in it

i have had to break and remake that plug connection before to clean out a bit of corrosion

 

[dadsbee]

If the dash lights work, it's not a fuse!

 

[jos51700]

Fuse checks first. All else after.