Front running lights come on when braking
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Chandler Arizona
Front running lights come on when braking
Hi i'm new to the Corvette world i acquired a 1984 C4, it definitely is in need of some TLC. So far so good except i noticed off the batt that when the brakes are applied without the head lamps on the front running/turn signal lights come on and the shifter console light lights up. On any other car i would think that something is shorted or hooked up incorrectly. Can some one way in on this if it is normal or if you think the same i have some wiring issues to deal with as part of my fix up plan
Thanks Pete
All found the problem there was an 1156 bulb in the one of the rear tail lights on to the many other little problems thanks for a lll your help
Thanks Pete
All found the problem there was an 1156 bulb in the one of the rear tail lights on to the many other little problems thanks for a lll your help
Last edited by phavick; Mar 3, 2014 at 07:49 PM. Reason: Problem found and fixed
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
There is something wrong...you are correct there.
Try disconnecting your turn signal switch and see what happens after that.
It is going to be a process of elimination.
I can more than for sure guarantee that some "BOZO" has been in this car doing "whatever" and screwed things up.
I would highly advise buying a GM Service manual...and getting very familiar with the wring section(s)...along with having a good volt/ohm meter.
DUB
Try disconnecting your turn signal switch and see what happens after that.
It is going to be a process of elimination.
I can more than for sure guarantee that some "BOZO" has been in this car doing "whatever" and screwed things up.
I would highly advise buying a GM Service manual...and getting very familiar with the wring section(s)...along with having a good volt/ohm meter.
DUB
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Chandler Arizona
There is something wrong...you are correct there.
Try disconnecting your turn signal switch and see what happens after that.
It is going to be a process of elimination.
I can more than for sure guarantee that some "BOZO" has been in this car doing "whatever" and screwed things up.
I would highly advise buying a GM Service manual...and getting very familiar with the wring section(s)...along with having a good volt/ohm meter.
DUB
Try disconnecting your turn signal switch and see what happens after that.
It is going to be a process of elimination.
I can more than for sure guarantee that some "BOZO" has been in this car doing "whatever" and screwed things up.
I would highly advise buying a GM Service manual...and getting very familiar with the wring section(s)...along with having a good volt/ohm meter.
DUB
Pete
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
Unless someone has messed with it, you more than likely just have a bad brake light bulb.
The brake light bulbs are duel element. One element for the brake light and one for the marker light for each lens. The element for the brake light will break and touch the element for the marker light. When the brake lights are on it will power the marker light circuit through that broken element touching the other element. And wala! Marker lights come on when you hit the brake.
Check the lights real good and look for one that looks odd. Pull the bulbs and see if you can find the one with the broken element or just replace the 4.
Good luck
The brake light bulbs are duel element. One element for the brake light and one for the marker light for each lens. The element for the brake light will break and touch the element for the marker light. When the brake lights are on it will power the marker light circuit through that broken element touching the other element. And wala! Marker lights come on when you hit the brake.
Check the lights real good and look for one that looks odd. Pull the bulbs and see if you can find the one with the broken element or just replace the 4.
Good luck
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Chandler Arizona
Unless someone has messed with it, you more than likely just have a bad brake light bulb.
The brake light bulbs are duel element. One element for the brake light and one for the marker light for each lens. The element for the brake light will break and touch the element for the marker light. When the brake lights are on it will power the marker light circuit through that broken element touching the other element. And wala! Marker lights come on when you hit the brake.
Check the lights real good and look for one that looks odd. Pull the bulbs and see if you can find the one with the broken element or just replace the 4.
Good luck
The brake light bulbs are duel element. One element for the brake light and one for the marker light for each lens. The element for the brake light will break and touch the element for the marker light. When the brake lights are on it will power the marker light circuit through that broken element touching the other element. And wala! Marker lights come on when you hit the brake.
Check the lights real good and look for one that looks odd. Pull the bulbs and see if you can find the one with the broken element or just replace the 4.
Good luck
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Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 550
From: Mission Viejo CA
Jr. Rifle Coach is right. You had a bad ground in the light bulb socket. When you changed the bulb, you inadvertently fixed the bad ground. Either of those two bulbs will work just fine as tail/brake lights! I really doubt you had a bad light bulb. Did you check them?
Here's why you saw what you did with the front lights: When you step on the brakes, current should flow thru the brake/turn fillament to ground. With a bad ground connection, the current thru the b/t fillament went to the tail fillament in that same light bulb, and since all the tail fillaments and the front parking fillaments are connected together, they ALL lighted up!
I like to put a little white grease on my light bulb bases to prevent this problem.
Here's why you saw what you did with the front lights: When you step on the brakes, current should flow thru the brake/turn fillament to ground. With a bad ground connection, the current thru the b/t fillament went to the tail fillament in that same light bulb, and since all the tail fillaments and the front parking fillaments are connected together, they ALL lighted up!
I like to put a little white grease on my light bulb bases to prevent this problem.
Last edited by Hot Rod Roy; Mar 4, 2014 at 06:40 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Like Roy explained. The best solution is to go throughout the lighting system. Clean each socket and lube with dielectric grease. Then check and confirm each ground connection is clean and tight. Yes it will take some time to finish a project like this, but you'll only have to do it once.
.
Last edited by JrRifleCoach; Mar 5, 2014 at 07:22 PM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 165
From: Motor City
My experience on this was with a different car (97 VW) but similar issue. When stepping on the brakes, turn signals would go on, when turn signals were on brake light would go on, etc.
Ended up being a corrosion issue in the brake light bulb socket. Cleaned it all up and everything went back to normal.
Ended up being a corrosion issue in the brake light bulb socket. Cleaned it all up and everything went back to normal.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 7
From: Morgan Hill and Marina California
Jr. Rifle Coach is right. You had a bad ground in the light bulb socket. When you changed the bulb, you inadvertently fixed the bad ground. Either of those two bulbs will work just fine as tail/brake lights! I really doubt you had a bad light bulb. Did you check them?
Here's why you saw what you did with the front lights: When you step on the brakes, current should flow thru the brake/turn fillament to ground. With a bad ground connection, the current thru the b/t fillament went to the tail fillament in that same light bulb, and since all the tail fillaments and the front parking fillaments are connected together, they ALL lighted up!
I like to put a little white grease on my light bulb bases to prevent this problem.
Here's why you saw what you did with the front lights: When you step on the brakes, current should flow thru the brake/turn fillament to ground. With a bad ground connection, the current thru the b/t fillament went to the tail fillament in that same light bulb, and since all the tail fillaments and the front parking fillaments are connected together, they ALL lighted up!
I like to put a little white grease on my light bulb bases to prevent this problem.