OK my brake lights are doing some freaky things

When Headlights are off, ignition off, brakelights function fine, but dash lights up, clock dims, warning dinger thing (that dings when you leave key in, lights on etc after ignition is off)..dings

same scenario, ignition on, same things happen but dinger doesn't ding


turn the headlights on and brakelights come on continuously.

Has anyone encountered this before? WTF was it. I'd hate to pay $50 an hour to fix this crap.

Please help

 

check the wiring in your taillights, these have a tendency to corrode and cause problems like this or blow fuses

on mine, it was pretty obvious because one wire was all white and had corrosion on it. I was able to just tape it up with electrical tape and that fixed it

try unplugging both rear taillight harnesses and see if the problem still happens, then plug in one side and see if it happens - try to isolate it that way and figure it which side is causing it (if that is your problem)

good luck

 

Thanks for the tips. I'll give that a try..easiest things first right. Better than tearing the dash apart. Still, I can't figure how the dash lights are involved. Anyway, thanks again.

 

brake lights have 2 filaments - one comes on with parking lights and so do your dash lights; maybe something shorted onto that wire?

the chime is because your dash lights are on without the car being on so it's trying to tell you to turn them off

 

The brake lights come on when the parking lights are turned on, not just headlights, so that sounds reasonable. I'll tear into the taillights tonight and hopefully this will be an easy fix. Thanks for the help folks. You rock.