(1) my parking lights and instrument panel lights come on anytime the brake pedal is mashed. This problem has been ocurring since the car ran out of original warranty. (2) Now I still have the problems above occuring but have no headlights! The only way the headlights will come on is to mash the brake pedal. I am a original owner of the (88 Camaro) and there has never been any wiring tampered with. Any bbody have any ideas?

 

Sounds like there is a short between the stop light circuit and the running light circuit - the running lights & the head light circuits are connected together if the head light switch is on. Check the rear brake / running light bulbs & sockets.

Tim

 

Yep! A defective 1157 bulb (especially those cheap taiwan overpriced ones) caused me a similar problem. During manufacture of the bulb, the taillight and brake light filiments can become connected (shorted) together. More than likely the probs at the bulb/socket area. If not, run resistance checks between the 2 ckt's and then disconnect the headlight switch. If the ckt opens the switch is bad. Theres really no other place the 2 wires run together exposed to get shorted. In one instance I saw a large harness shorted from rubbing on a sharp sheetmetal braket right above the fuse box. It shorted some of the guages to ground, but this probably isn't your problem.

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'88 Camaro RS 2.8L
'88 Formula 350 (Too many mods to list...)