Can anyone help me out with this one?? My turn signals work fine, my brake lights work fine, and my flashers work fine...except when I'm pressing on the brake. Then the flashers don't work at all, they both stay lit. If I let off the brake they start flashing again. Anyone have any idea what is causing this? Would it have anything to do with the brake switch? I haven't been able to check anything out since it's late and don't have time right now. I just noticed this today because I had to pull over and put my flashers on and noticed they weren't flashing, then I let off the brake and they worked...I just don't get why the brake causes it to not work.

any help appreciated!

 

it my owner manual it says it is a normal thing, my 84' does this too.

 

I was looking at my schematic to see where your brake lights might short out with the turn lamps/flashers. According to my manual there is a white 8 pin connector in the rear passenger area (driver side) inside the quarter panel compartment that routes both flashers and brake lights. Perhaps you have some corrosion in it. The wire colors for the flasher would be dark green and the brakes light blue and yellow.

 

Wow, that is exactly what it is...I just check my drivers manual and it says:
"On some cars, if the brake pedal is pushed down, the lights will not flash; they will stay on until the brake is released".

I never would have thought it was normal, Thanks now I don't have to another thing to the "needs fixed" list.

 

yep no prob, i think its actually a saftey thing cuz when ur going down the street and have ur flashers on and u need to stop it lets the people know ur stopping otherwise they'll rear end ya.

 

That's a good point Bandit as many drive in hard rain with thier flashers on.In this you don't know if they are stopped or moving slowly.
This is the one thing the Camaro has over the Firebird in having the separate color signal light assemblys.But even so aren't the Firebird's rear signal lights in the same position as the Camaro's?And the brake lights are to the outside just like the Camaro's?I think you should still check the connector as GWW suggested.

 

My 84 bird has 3 bulbs in 1 tail light, the inner two(close to the lock) are 4 the brake and turns signals and the the other bulb, closest to the outside only comes on if the lights are on. also it has the reverse bulb

 

Interesting, that's good to know you don't have a problem. I assumed the Camaro was similar to the bird and mine definitly don't do that.

 

Do you know if this is correct with all thirdgens from '82-'84? I just checked my taillights out today and they are the 3 bulb type, however when I brake all 3 light up, and when the turn signal is on all 3 flash. This is the same weather the lights are on or not. Just wondering if they changed this in later years.

 

what year is it, cuz mine is an 84' and they didnt change intil 85 that i know of. 82-84 are all the same but not sure about 85 and up. i know this 4 a fact on 82-84's by watching the smokey and the bandit 3, mine lights up like that car.

 

Mine is an '82.

 

huh, thats weird that urs is doing that, do u know 4 sure that the bulb is lighting up when u hit the brakes.

 

When your brake lights and turn signals use the same bulb (red light), it is normal for the 4-way flashers to stop when the brake pedal is pressed. Most cars that don't have amber turn signals in the rear are like this.

 

Yep...I had my wife hit the brake so I could watch it. With the lights on I had her hit the brake and all 3 lights got brighter. I then told her to use the turn signals and and all 3 would flash on each side. Same with lights off, same with flashers also.

 

Maybe 1 of the previous owners wired them like that, its not a bad thing so i wouldnt worry about it

 

Who knows, I don't see why anyone would want to go through the trouble to rewire the taillights. I'm thinking it was just changed over the years. Is there anyone out there with an '82 that can verify this??

 

The addition of the proper amount of turn signal fluid will correct this problem.

 

Lol 89RS I was thinking along the same lines.But with anything electrical the trick is keeping the magic smoke inside the electrical parts or they don't work.
Why would basically the same wiring harness be so different in a generic section like the lighting systen.Just because the Camaros have amber lens for the turn/flasher section,and yes the hazards are on the same supply(fuse)circuit,why would there be such a difference with Firebirds.I went out yesterday and check the turn/stop hazard/running lights on my '83 Z28.The brake lights are in the outer red lens,with the running lights(dual filament 1157/2057 bulb),(turn signal/hazard lamps dual filament 1157/2057 bulbs),(backup 1156 single filament bulbs) and then you have the 194 license plate lamp.I left off the 194 side makers since they are the same in the rear even though they are mounted in different locations(and don't flash like the front marlers).
The hazard flashers should continue to flash since your stop lights should be the outer most lights.It sounds like someone has made some changes or you have corroded or loose connections feeding the tail light assembly.On my '95 Jimmy the hazard lights stop flashing when you depress the brake but she has a center high mounted stop lamp(CHMSL).I've noticed on newer vehicles that have this,and not separate turn signal sections do what your car is doing(the CHMSL stays solid lighted).Has someone added a CHMSL to your car?

 

Well, they aren't...and according to my manual it says on some cars the flashers will stay lit (not flash) when the brake is pressed. So apparently this is normal. I just want to know if all 3 of my brake light bulbs are susposed to get bright when I brake, and the same if I use my blinker. Like I said, all 3 bulbs flash when the turn signal is on.

My car is an '82...they didn't have the CHMSL back then. Nobody has added one.

 

So when you are pulling over, people know you are stopping.
If you had seperate turn signals (base bird lamps 85-92, 91-2 gta, any year camaro) the brakes do not affect the hazzards.

I've always seen the lamps as the outer was just a marker lamp and nothing more. But, that doesn't mean much..