There was a fire in my car a couple years ago underneath my driver side seat and cooked the harness for the rear lights (and a couple otger things). Long story short I'm finally having time to go through it all and see what can be fixed. I've gotten all the lights to (mostly) work right except the brakes. When I pull the headlight switch, the brake lights come on as if the brake pedal was pressed in. I know its not out if adjustment because I had to readjust for a separate issue I was having and I've already tried a new switch. I've traced back both the blue and orange wires to the switch, lights and fuse panel. I'm not sure what else to do. Any ideas?

 

you have power going to the brake lights, what I would suggest is unhook the brake light switch at the pedal and see if they go out, if they do humor yourself and try adjusting the switch again. I have had to do this a couple times. see if they go off, if not your switch is most likely shorted inside itself

 

The reason I didn't think it was the adjustment of the brake light switch itself is when I first got the lights and stuff hooked back up, the brake lights were in even with ignition/headlight switch turned off. I readjusted it and it went away. But I eventually caved in and bought a new headlight switch and now they don't come on at all. I'm thinking my car is cursed. I'm going to tinker around with it more tonight when I get off work so I can see the lights off my garage a little better (its outside) and see if I can better idea of what's up.

 

the brake lights will work even when the headlights switch is off, brake lights work when pedal is depressed and allows the switch to make contact inside to complete the circuit, then off when pedal is released, causing break in the circuit, now if your brake lights don't work at all, then check fuse and power to switch, are you sure its not the tail lights that are coming on when you pull the headlight switch on?

 

20 amp stop/hazard fuse check that, then check orange wire at brake switch if fuse is good, then check white wire out of switch that goes to hazard switch, then its yellow and dark green out of the hazard switch to the taillight for brake light power, then check ground as well.

 

Yeah, I should have worded that better. What I meant to say with is that the lights were on even when the brake pedal isn't pressed in. It went away when I adjusted the switch, but came on completely when I pulled the headlight switch. I know it was both lights because I put my volt meter and both filaments were putting out voltage.

 

then I would look under the carpet and make sure your tail light wire and your brake light wire are not melted together causing power to brake lights when lights are turned on