Charlz B.

Yep. It's a strange little gremlin I have. When the car is off, I press the brake pedal and the console lights come on, plus the headlight buzzer sounds. When this first started, the problem floated from the console lights, to turning on the fog lights, then the turn signals.

Now it seems to have settled back into the console lights. Anyone have an idea why this would happen? All insight is appreciated. Thanks!

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like you have a short sonewhere in the wiring. Have you done any wiring mods of changed any bulbs lately?

Charlz B.

No, but I changed a engine ground strap a while back, and more recently tightened up the steering column. I think I have everything plugged back together correctly, thanks to Trickster. So now, how do I go about finding a short?

Zepher

iTrader: (1)

I Am not sure where to start, probably double check the column connections.

My friend had a wiring problem when he attempted to re-wire up the tail lights on his Firbird for the Trans Am lights. When you press on the brake pedal, the parking lights and dash lights would come on.

Wadebryant

I'm having the exact same problems with my project 87 IROC. I did transplant the entire interior wiring harness, steering column, guage cluster and air bag sensors from a 91 GTA Trans Am into my car. The only original harness is in the front end.
When the car is not running and the brake pedal is pressed the warning buzzer sounds, dash lights light up and my front turn lights come on. When I disconnect the blue wire to the rear lights this problem goes away but, then so do my brakes and rear lights..... Is it possible that the steering column needs to be furhter grounded? All connectors are un-cut and back togeather as they should be. Any ideas or suggestions, could use a few too?

Jaded

Here is a similar problem to his brake light one. When I first got my 86 Firebird the third brake light was all burnt out, its the third eye style as compared to the spoiler style. A while later I replaced all the bulbs and my brake lights stopped working. The third brake light still worked, but the tail lights didn't get any brighter.

So the other day I was putting in new tail light assemblies and I decided I was gonna try and figure it all out. So me and my buddy checked the fuses and then replaced the burnt out one. Still didn't work. So we thought maybe the third brake light was shorting it out. So we took all the bulbs out of that and viola, it worked again.

Well, kind of. Know the tail lights turn on, including all the dash lights and all that. And there is no noticeable difference in the brightness of the tail lights when the lights are on.

If you guys have any ideas on how to fix this, I'd appreciate it.

Charlz B.

Glad to see I'm not alone on this one. I guess my fog lights are a part of this too, as they come on when the pedal is pushed and the car is off.

I'm doing some asking around, and I'll keep you up on what I find. Hopefully someone has solved this one before and will add their .02 soon.

Thanks all.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

It sounds like a floating ground somewhere. I've had similar issues with interior lights coming on with directional lights due to a disconnected gauge-light ground. Likewise, having the defroster ground disconnected will cause the defroster light to come on when you hit the brakes on an 86. Wierd stuff can happen when you've got a poor ground.

Reptile

I have the same issue my running lights turn off when the brake is pressed and when key is out and brake is pressed the buzzer comes on and interior lights light up . I replaced bulbs and aftermarket gauges. Any fix would be great

Kevin Lee 487

Not trying to sound condescending or anything like that, but for what reason do you need to press the brake pedal while the car is off? Not like its going anywhere...

Reptile

Fixed it was my bulbs I put the brake bulb in the wrong socket swapped them and no more issue

t/aws61985

iTrader: (2)

I have a similar problem. When I press my brake my rear defroster comes on.

Brian Judy

I have that same issue. When I press on the brakes, my rear defroster comes on. Did you figure it out or does anyone else have an idea?

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Jim85IROC has already said what your problems are--Ground wires. They are either frayed, loose or unattached grounds. I posted about a similar experience here: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...ts-coming.html

If the problem involves the brake pedal and the rear defroster you need to look up the wiring diagram for those circuits and then find the grounds on those circuits. Your problem is that there is power going to a circuit that is supposed to be energized but that circuit is not grounded properly so it is backfeeding into another circuit (or circuits) that does have a good ground.

Sometimes you will get lucky and the problem is a bulb that is bad or an electrical device that is not connected.