When headlights on, brake lights stay on too?

[schussey]

Ok, I have encountered a very strange problem with my ti. This is semi lengthy, but please read. It is crucial that I figure out this problem!

About a month ago, I was driving back to my house a bit after midnight. I looked in my rearview mirror, and noticed a red glow coming from behind my car (this is while I was moving). I jumped out of my car, to find that my brake lights were on. This includes the third brake light on top of the hatch glass.

- - - - The next day - - - -

The next day, I went out to my car to see what was up. It was light out, so I did not need to use my headlights. I turned the car on, and went to see if the brakes would stay on. They were not on, so I saw that this problem happens only when the headlights are on.

Another problem that happens, during daytime driving (w/o headlights on), is that the front drivers side corner marker lights up when I hit the brakes.

I work at a european car shop, and my boss and I got a chance to take a look at it yesterday. We switched out the ASC/ABS relay, and swapped out the Stop Light switch, but neither of these did anything. So we are totally confused as to what to check next.

Maybe some wires got pinched togethor somehow? Anybody have any ideas?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

-chris

[joshydee]

Sounds like you got water somehwere it shouldn't be... possibly

[aceyx]

i'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that you've got a short. because it's linked to lights up front, i would say look under the driver's side kick panel.

do you have any stereo mods?

[bmwracerchick]

no no no the only logical thing is a ghost! JUST KIDDING! I was thinking a short too. I dont know much about electronics especially in our cars but a very simular thing happened to one of my parents cars a while back and something just short curcuited. I hope you figure out the problem. Good luck!

[robbie-z]

are you sure you've got the right bulbs in there? if you've got a single filament where a double is supposed to go or vice versa things like that can happen.

[1996 328ti]

My money is on the wrong bulbs. Didn't I read somewhere that some dual filament bulbs have a slightly different set of contacts?

[schussey]

I'm just about positive that I have the right bulbs back there. I have not messed with the bulbs since I put in my rear clears, which was in early August of last year. I would think that this problem would have happened around that time, not a year later. I will still double check though.

Joshydee: I don't beleive there is water anywhere.

aceyx: I have no stereo mods. I have only an aftermarket HU, which came with the car. (have had this car for over 2 years) I already took a look under the drivers side kick panel, this is when we swapped the stop light switch out.

Any other ideas? Thanks for the quick replys.

-chris

[GDB]

I'd check the bulbs just to be sure. If the bulbs are correct then there will be two metal contact plates on the base of the bulb, if they are the wrong bulbs there will only be one contact.

Also, has the car been in a wreck recently? It sounds like someone screwed up the wiring, expecially with the sidemarked coming on when you hit the brakes.

I'd check the bulbs first (start with the easy fix and work your way up). If the bulbs are correct then I'd get some wiring diagrams and a test light and figure out what needs to be reconnected.

Good Luck.

[aceyx]

wait. when did you replace the stop light switch?

[schussey]

GDP: I know the difference between single and double filament bulbs. I don't even think that if the bulb was wrong, it would even fit in the bracket. Once again, I haven't messed with the bulbs in over a year. I think that this problem would have developed much earlier if the bulbs were wrong.

Aceyx: I replaced the stop light switch two days ago, just to see if this was the problem. When I put in a new one, the problem persisted.


I did run my car into a wall a few weeks back, but it only cut the paint. It left no dings or any damage to the body. Just paint damage (gotta love those metal safety wires that run across parking deck walls)

Both myself and the owner of the shop were I work are totally confused as to how to fix this problem. I have no idea what else to do!

-chris

[pdxmotorhead]

I had a similar issue a while back, one of the two element bulbs was bad out of the box, had an internal short. Caused similar Kaos...


Dave