I have no brake lights in my '97 dodge caravan le but i have taillights

Have yoiu changed/checled the lightbulbs? (In other words,do your turn signal lights work? If the front turn signal lights work, but the rear don't, then turn on your four (4) way flashers. If the rear lights still don't work, then all the bulbs are bad. It is rare for all the bulbs to be burnt out at the same time, but it does happen.

If the turn signal/four way flasher lights work, then you probably have a bad brake light switch. However, first check your owner's manual to make certain there is not a separate fuse for these lights. If there is, then swap the fuse for the brake lights for another fuse (or relay) of the same size/amperage. (Facing the hood, the power relay box is located on the right side (usually) under the hood.)

The fuse box is located under the dash, on the driver's side of the car. Usually there is a plastic cover that has to be removed to access the underside of the dash, and then there is a plastic cover that has to be removed to access the fuse box. If you don't have an owner's manual, nprmally the fuses and power relays are normally marked on the plastic covers your remove ot access the fuses and power relays.

If the fuses/relays are good, then you have a bad brake light switch. This is located on a bracket just above the brake pedal. When you push the pedal down, the switch makes contact. Disconnect the plug to the switch, and jump across the plug contacts (not the switch) with a small piece of wire, or if a piece of insulated wire is unavailable, you can use a paperclip, you won't get schocked, just make certain that the paperclip does not come in contact with a ground while you have it plugged in to the plug for the brake light switch.

If the lights stil dont work, check for power to the plug for the brake light switch. If you have power to the plug, the turn signals and four-way flashers work, then my guess would be that you have a broken power wire (probably iside the steering column, or a bad turn signal switch. If the brake lights work whe nyou jump out the brake light switch, then the brake light switch is defective.