Brake light stays on..

[jajou318]

Ok so this Sunday after my first run or second run around the autox track, someone pointed out to me that my brake lights were staying on...
I can't tell or feel if the brakes are being slightly applied as I'm driving. It doesn't feel like it.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what this could be?

My brake lining light has been on but it is on because the brake sensor wire has been frayed.

P.S. I haven't checked any fuses yet, but will soon. I wouldn't think any blown fuses would cause this cause the lights would probably be completely out.

Thanks,
Tony

[jajou318]

Thought i'd also add that it's all of the brake lights. the two on the tail lights and the third one on the rear shelf.
they stay lit with the lights on or off.

[jlevie]

Bad brake light switch would be an obvious cause.

[dude8383]

Bad brake light switch would be an obvious cause.

normally if it fails, the brake lights DON'T turn on.

hey tony, remember we were talking and you mentioned your heat doesn't work...

i think you should have that checked out, because heat is tied in with your cooling system...you could have an issue with that and not even know it!

[jajou318]

I can live w/o heat. But functioning brake lights I can't live w/o. Where is the brake light switch?

[mtechnik]

right there close to the pedal. When mine went bad the lights kept burning also.

[dude8383]

I can live w/o heat. But functioning brake lights I can't live w/o. Where is the brake light switch?

look under the dash, and follow the brake pedal up. you'll see this plastic thing held in a bracket thats resting not to far away from the brake pedal.

Well, yeh I can understand that you can live without heat...but it might be effecting your car somehow. I spoke to Sam about this and he stopped me dead in my tracks when I mentioned you had no heat. He said you may have some coolant issues.

Just out of concern I'd check your whole system.

Does the car over-heat at all? When was the last time you changed the water pump and did a coolant flush? T-stat?

[PeaveyBassist]

For the coolant problem... bleed the system. Check for heat. If no heat then its probably the heater valves which are located in the cabin on the center console under the driver's side underdash panel.

For the brake light problem... You have a short somewhere. Its POSSIBLE that its the brake light switch but not certain. Unplug the brake light switch and see if they stay on. If they do, the brake light switch is not the problem. You'll have to keep unplugging connectors that are between the brake light switch and the brake lights themselves to find where the short is.

Will

[jajou318]

Alright small update...If I lift up on the brake pedal (towards the driver) they'll go off. So I'm sure it's just the brake switch that's getting stuck every once and awhile.

Well, yeh I can understand that you can live without heat...but it might be effecting your car somehow. I spoke to Sam about this and he stopped me dead in my tracks when I mentioned you had no heat. He said you may have some coolant issues.

Well that's wierd cause I do run low on coolant but the car never overheats. I did have a shop replace the carpet once and as far as I know there's something called an evaporator that's behind the ashtray area. Not sure if that's the reason I have no heat.