Brake light and hazard problem
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 22
From: Cincinnati, OH
Brake light and hazard problem This problem cropped up yesterday.. My Brake lights will not turn off... once I turn the switch on the dash to the running light and headlight position, they light up full brightness (including spoiler light) and wont go off till I turn the switch back off...
I unplugged the brake light switch and it still does the same thing. plunger still goes in and out and looks to be the OEM switch ..
also my hazards do not work anymore... turn signals work fine but not the hazard function
I unplugged the brake light switch and it still does the same thing. plunger still goes in and out and looks to be the OEM switch ..
also my hazards do not work anymore... turn signals work fine but not the hazard function
When you use your turn signals, so the brake lights go out? (with the flash)
When you turn the headlights on, do all the lights (brake lights and front turn signals) go double bright? (both filaments on)
When you turn the headlights on, do all the lights (brake lights and front turn signals) go double bright? (both filaments on)
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 22
From: Cincinnati, OH
no the brake lights stay on when I use the turn signals.. when lights are off and turn signals are used it acts normal.
when headlights are on everything is normal except for the brakelights still shining bright.
when headlights are on everything is normal except for the brakelights still shining bright.
I missed that your hazards DO NOT work. (I thought they did.)
I'm thinking there must be a short somewhere causing this. I recall that the Camaros have the brake circuit go through the turn signal switch (that has the hazard switch in it) but I don't believe the Firebirds do.
Moving this one to Stereo and Electronics. We should get more eyes on it there.
I'm thinking there must be a short somewhere causing this. I recall that the Camaros have the brake circuit go through the turn signal switch (that has the hazard switch in it) but I don't believe the Firebirds do.
Moving this one to Stereo and Electronics. We should get more eyes on it there.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Actually, it's the opposite... Firebirds and earlier (LT1) Camaros had the brake lights go through the turn signal switch because the signals and brakes shared the same bulbs. Going through the switch allowed it to control one side flashing while the other stayed solid when using the signals with the brakes applied. 98+ Camaros didn't need that since they had separate amber turn signals so the brake and signal wiring were separate.
This may sound like an odd question... does your rear window defogger work? I ask because I suspect a ground problem causing back feed through the circuit and the only other circuit that shares its ground with the third brake light is the defogger.
This may sound like an odd question... does your rear window defogger work? I ask because I suspect a ground problem causing back feed through the circuit and the only other circuit that shares its ground with the third brake light is the defogger.
Last edited by WhiteBird00; May 3, 2018 at 01:10 PM. Reason: typo
^ Thanks.
How about this:
1) When the turn signals are on, do the lights just stay the same and solid? Or do they flash and get double-bright?
2) When you press the brake pedal, do the lights get double-bright?
If the problem is connected to the Hazards issue, I assume the situation would be #2. If that's the case, then the first thing I would do is remove the Hazard flasher to start. (Maybe the Hazard circuit is energized and the Hazard flasher isn't flashing and is just sitting there contacted?)
How about this:
1) When the turn signals are on, do the lights just stay the same and solid? Or do they flash and get double-bright?
2) When you press the brake pedal, do the lights get double-bright?
If the problem is connected to the Hazards issue, I assume the situation would be #2. If that's the case, then the first thing I would do is remove the Hazard flasher to start. (Maybe the Hazard circuit is energized and the Hazard flasher isn't flashing and is just sitting there contacted?)
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 22
From: Cincinnati, OH
When I press on the brake with the lights on nothing happens.. they dont get brighter since they are already full brightness..
I did try the rear defogger and that works normally
when the turn signals are on, the brake lights just stay solid ..
I will try and replace the hazard flasher
I did try the rear defogger and that works normally
when the turn signals are on, the brake lights just stay solid ..
I will try and replace the hazard flasher
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 22
From: Cincinnati, OH
update: checked the hazard flasher and it was melted.. replaced it with a spare I had lying around and the hazards now work fine...
brake light issue still exists... I forgot to mention that the brake lights work normally when the lights are off.
brake light issue still exists... I forgot to mention that the brake lights work normally when the lights are off.
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Verdad Gallardo Great - It sounds like you have a short circuit between the parking lights and the brake light circuit.
Next, I would try:
- With the headlights off; press the brakes and then turn on the hazards or turn signals. Do the turn signals/hazards work?
If not, that would confirm the short. If you confirm the short, I would start by pulling back the vertical carpet at the rear of the hatch. There is a plug for the rear tail lights harness. Unplug that and then turn on the headlights to see if the third brake light comes on. If not - that would isolate the short to the rear lighting harness inside the bumper. (Its not unheard of - but an exploding bulb in the tail lights can also cause this to happen, when the short across the circuits develops inside one of the bulbs.)
Next, I would try:
- With the headlights off; press the brakes and then turn on the hazards or turn signals. Do the turn signals/hazards work?
If not, that would confirm the short. If you confirm the short, I would start by pulling back the vertical carpet at the rear of the hatch. There is a plug for the rear tail lights harness. Unplug that and then turn on the headlights to see if the third brake light comes on. If not - that would isolate the short to the rear lighting harness inside the bumper. (Its not unheard of - but an exploding bulb in the tail lights can also cause this to happen, when the short across the circuits develops inside one of the bulbs.)
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 22
From: Cincinnati, OH
unplugged third brake light , both taillights still shine bright
took out drivers side bulb. third brake light and other side shined bright.
removed stop/hazard fuse on side of dash, all three still light up bright
removed taillamp fuse and no lights came on.
took out drivers side bulb. third brake light and other side shined bright.
removed stop/hazard fuse on side of dash, all three still light up bright
removed taillamp fuse and no lights came on.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
When you apply the brakes with the light switch off the brake lights work as they should but do the other lights come on? If there was a short between the running light circuit and the brake light circuit, you would expect it to go both ways so applying the brakes would power the marker lights and/or front running lights.
If the brakes don't illuminate the running lights then I would suspect something in the tail lights themselves - sockets or sub harness - where only the bright filament of the bulbs will work regardless of power source. It's a stretch because of the third brake light also illuminating but that could be back feed.
If the brakes don't illuminate the running lights then I would suspect something in the tail lights themselves - sockets or sub harness - where only the bright filament of the bulbs will work regardless of power source. It's a stretch because of the third brake light also illuminating but that could be back feed.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 22
From: Cincinnati, OH
another update.... on a hunch I replaced the taillight bulbs on each side and the problem is now fixed.. everything works as it should..
crazy I know but I guess one of the bulbs was faulted internally
crazy I know but I guess one of the bulbs was faulted internally
We've seen this before. (A bad or blown bulb causing the short, per post #9. I think if one of the filaments breaks, one of the broken halves can "flip" over and weld to the good remaining filament.) Glad you tracked it down!