I searched for a while but couldn't find my problem exactly. When I press the brake my parking lights turn on. The lights on my gauges turn on, the displays dim. Any insight would be great!

 

For some reason you've got a short between the brake and illumination circuits, most likely at the wiring close to the tail lights. The power going to the bulbs is feeding back into the illumination circuit. Done any work back there recently?

 

No, but I have been blowing the fuse like crazy. I put a larger one in so I at least have rear lights when I'm driving at night. I kept getting pulled over. The problem started then but my guess was that the problem was around the fuse box but you think the problem is in the rear end?

 

Replacing the fuse with a larger than OE unit is far from advisable. What size fuse do you have in there now?

Yes, look at the wiring in the trunk, that's most likely where your problem is. Failing that, I believe those two circuits become part of the same harness down by the left kickpanel, so you'd have to inspect it all the way back.

It could be something as simple as the two filaments touching eachother, but never seen that before.

 

I saw this problem once, and it turned out to be a bad bulb in the tail light. those 1157 bulbs, have two contacts at the bottom, and for some reaon the two were bridged, and it caused the parklights to come on if you tapped the brake, and it would turn the brake lights on if you turned your parklights on...(thats the part thats blowing your fuse)

 

lol dam... that would be very weird to happn while out driving around. or at all!

 

I'll get out there tomarrow and see what I can find. I'll let you all know.

 

Found it! It was the 1157 bulb in the trunk lid. Take a look, the parking light prong on the one side melted away and fused with the brake prong causing the problem. Never would have thought that could happen.

 

 

Nice call TLMNICK!!!

 

brownie points to you sir....

 

Wow.

Good thing you found it. Adding it to my bank of Maxima knowledge.

 

Nice ... good call Pmohr and T !!!

Noted for future possible problems.

 

I had that happen to me a bunch of years ago. Took me a long time to find it.

 

man oh man i learn new things about this car everyday. I love this site