brake light woes

[Micah 89LXi]

When i press my brake with lights off...it dimly lights the dashboard lights and brake light..and when i have my headlights on ...my 3rd brakelight stays on..when i brake it gets brighter and my clock gets dimmer and the light telling me what gear im in (the green one) gets brighter..after a few mins of driving the light on my dash warning me my brake light is out comes on..but they still work..just incorrectly....this is really annoying and i really need to fix it..can anyone help?

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

Check the connectors on the tail-light control units. Sometimes water can get into the connector and create problems like that. Since all ther rear lights are run trough these control boxes (one mounted on each tail light), I wouldn't be surprised if water is bridging a couple of contacts and current flows from the running-light illumination circuit, to your third brake light. All you need to do is unplug the connector and check if there is any moisture or green residue on the contacts. If there is, water has worked its way in. Remove the control box. Disassemble it (two plastic clips, no brainer) and use some fine sand paper to clean up the contacts. You may also want to clean up the connector contacts. Get some dielectric grease (autoparts store) and apply it to the connector tip. Slide it back into the control box. The grease should seal out any water from getting into the connector.

[AccordAddict]

i have that same problem with the brake lights. i thought it was my fuses or soemthing but they looked good. im gonna check connections later.

[tatmark1]

classic indication of a short in your wiring. try what Rus said

[Micah 89LXi]

where exactly are the control units?

[accordlxi2.0]

the brake light sensor's are mounted on the back of each tail light.
thier's is also a illumination control module, that might've gone bad too.

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

The illumination control module doesn't deal directly with the tail lights. The control modules mounted to each tailight have all the wiring for the lights going through them. Also, your lights may be dimming and brightening due to the short. And the cruise control may also be affected (as you describe in one of your other posts). If the cruise control problems started at the same time as the brake light issue, they could be interconnected. Also, if water did manage to get to the connectors, check the foam seals around the tail lights. They can get dirty and let moisture through. If you have water in your tail lights, it may also cause problems.

[acranox]

I had the problem of my running light occasionally coming on when I pressed the brake. It was caused by corrosion on the bulbs, and the sockets, creating a short. I replaced the bulbs, and all was fine for a while.
The lights were actually filled with water, I removed the lights, cleaned up the gasket, and then reinstalled it, using some RTV sealant on the gasket, to create a tight seal to keep water off the lights, and I haven't had a problem since. I also used some dielectric grease on the bulbs to prevent corrosion, and cleaned up the sockets with some sandpaper.

[Bigmaxxin]

try the brake light relay also, that was my problem.

[Micah 89LXi]

where is brake light relay?...and the control boxes..and are these screwed into each light on either side of license plate?

[Micah 89LXi]

as of yet i see no corrosion

[Mac]

where is brake light relay?...and the control boxes..and are these screwed into each light on either side of license plate?

I don't know of any brake light relay, but the brake light sensors are in the tail light assemblies. Take off the cover of the tail light assembly in the trunk and you will see a box in each. That is the sensor. They look the same, but I don't think that they are interchangable.

[Micah 89LXi]

i figured it out..someone jammed a one way bulb into a two way break light socket..i removed the bulb and no more backfeed :)..ima run to wal-mart to go get another one

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

Good thing it was as simple as that. Glad you found the problem. :D

[Micah 89LXi]

me too...that was driving me nuts..now my interior illumination is brighter...my clock doesnt pulsate with the bass when i brake and my cruise control works again :)

[AccordAddict]

damn your lucky, but my brake light error is still showing up on the dash! maybe i should see if my problem is the same as yours.. i doubt it though. i also checked for corrosion, none, and check fuses, not blown... heh

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

damn your lucky, but my brake light error is still showing up on the dash! maybe i should see if my problem is the same as yours.. i doubt it though. i also checked for corrosion, none, and check fuses, not blown... heh

I experienced a similar problem where all my lights were working properly, but the dash warning light would still come on. It turned out that moisture worked its way into the left brake light connector which plugs into the control unit on the back of the tail light, and some contacts were being shorted. Once I cleaned it up and used some dielectric grease on the connector, the problem went away.